For Americans, few foods are more quintessential than pizza. With its Greek origins as simple flat bread topped with cheese and olive oil, the dish was adopted by Italian culture to include tomato sauce. It didn't take off in the United States until after World War II, when soldiers serving in Italy came back with a craving for it. Since then, the pizza has gone through a transformative process, with unforeseen toppings such as pineapple becoming commonplace fixtures.Perhaps the most revolutionary phase of the pizza transformation was the "California style," where the pizza went from an everyday staple to a gourmet delicacy, and toppings became as diverse as the cuisines of the world. And while the results may still anger pizza traditionalists, they are undeniably delicious, nonetheless. The best part is that California pizzas are both very easy to make, yet at the same time have endless possibilities. Don't get me wrong-I still love a traditional Neapolitan pizza, but that doesn't mean we can't still have some fun with the dish.

The basis for any good pizza, of course, begins with the dough. If the crust isn't good, it doesn't matter what's on top of it. A favorite crust of mine that is quick and easy to make is beer pizza crust. Because it has baking powder in it, it doesn't need time to rise, and the beer helps replace the otherwise missing yeasty taste while adding a tiny bit of sweetness. To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and then mix in the beer. Using a well floured surface, knead out the dough a few times until workable. Divide into two small balls, and then roll each one out in a 12 inch crust.

Now for the toppings. If your taste is conservative, don't be afraid to go with just tomato sauce, mozzarella and some oregano. Simple is sometimes better, and nothing demonstrates this better this just some Parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, basil and a drizzling of olive oil.

For the more adventurous, one of my favorite toppings is caramelized onions. Thinly slice the onions, and saut them with the butter on medium heat for five minutes, or until soft. Add in the sugar and the balsamic vinegar, stir, cover and reduce heat to low. Let the onions cook for an additional 25 minutes until caramelized. Four onions may seem like a lot, but they get smaller when cooked, and because of their sweet gentle taste, you can never have enough. To make the pizza, top the uncooked crust with a thin layer of tomato sauce, add some mozzarella, parmesan and gorgonzola, and then top with all of the onions and a dusting of thyme and oregano.

Another great topping idea is fruit. Instead of tomato sauce, use some onion and garlic jam (Stonewall Kitchen makes a great variety) and top with sliced fresh figs and gorgonzola cheese. Poached pears also work well. Skin a pear, and then simmer it for about 15 minutes or until soft. Remove the water, slice it and remove the seeds. The pear will go great with gorgonzola cheese, some of the caramelized onions and chopped walnuts.

Once the toppings have been added, place the pizzas in a preheated 450-degree oven, and bake on a greased baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Beer Pizza Dough

3 cups flour, and extra for kneading
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 12 oz can or bottle of beer (if you're not 21, use an O'Doul's)

Caramelized Onions

4 medium yellow onions
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sugar