Pepperoni, Jalapenos & LSD
First of all—the title got me. I stumbled across it on Pinterest and immediately thought, what a combination. Kudos to PH Mountain or whoever’s behind that marketing, because it worked. The inside of the book lives up to the cover in both energy and substance, raw, messy, funny, nostalgic and full of that bittersweet taste of youth.
These stories of young adulthood will make you laugh and also lament not keeping better track of your own. They’re snapshots of wild nights, half-broke mornings, reckless love and the kind of friends who both ruin and save you. Poignant, vivid, and unpretentious, each story feels like a memory you forgot you had.
PH Mountain has this uncanny way of making chaos sound poetic. He writes about drugs, parties and heartbreak with the same tone you’d use to describe a sunset, aware of its beauty, but also of its cost. My favorite line:
Sharing was for people with one or two siblings. Large families practiced selfishness.
That one hit me.
When he describes his friend—a beautiful, drug-addled soul—as unthreatening… he only wanted beauty, that was all, just craved a taste of the divine—you almost understand it. Almost want to try it. But then the story unfolds, and you see the edge, the danger, the reason not everyone survives that kind of hunger.
There’s a sequel to this wild trip of a book, another story of embracing recklessness and celebrating mania and I honestly cannot wait to read it.
If you’ve ever looked back at your younger self and thought, God, I really lived, this one’s for you.
Reckless Nights Pizza Dough
Makes: 2 medium pizzas
Prep time: 15 min (+1–2 hours rising)
Cook time: 12–15 min
Ingredients:
2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water (110°F/45°C)
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Instructions:
Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. (If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be dead—just like some friendships.)
Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix with a spoon until it begins to form a shaggy dough.
Knead the chaos: Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it’s sticky, add a little flour, but don’t overthink it—imperfection is part of the fun.
Let it rise: Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough inside, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
Shape your memories: Punch down the dough, divide if needed, and stretch or roll into pizza bases. Ready to top and bake as your heart desires.
Pro tip: Dough can sit in the fridge for up to 3 days