It never ceases to amaze me that personal sized pizzas are something like $25-$45 in Switzerland. While I’ve gotten accustomed to doubled housing costs, higher grocery bills, a thousand different types of taxes, the pizza cost still blows my mind, maybe the most. You can drive over the border and have a delightful pie for just $5, yet here, we really keep pizza on the top shelf even when pizza restaurants are everywhere.

It’s not often I go for pizza since it’s basically out of my pay grade, but after a work dinner where a colleague ordered this $30 star-shaped work of doughy art, I knew I had to try it for myself. So I dragged (very willingly) my dear friend for a Sunday lunch where we could savor the creations and then have all day to burn them off (so we told ourselves).

Inside of these starfish arms are a bit of baked cheese and chewy bread, just the perfect combo to dip in the spicy oil provided alongside the order. I’m still starry-eyed over this lunch!