Cookout opportunities are becoming more rare. Dusk falls too early and the evening breeze tends to be brisk rather than balmy. As it should be. September is winding to a close.

But we did grasp the moment on Friday for a noontime grill event. The troops gathered to spend some time with Ed, a college friend visiting from California. I’d like to promote individual grilled pizzas as an easy, fun way to entertain. There’s still time left before we officially move inside for the winter.

If you don’t want to make your own dough, pizza shops and most grocery stores sell lumps of dough. Roche Brothers in Mashpee has great dough. For individual pizzas, it’s best to divide a one pound lump of dough into three pieces. Dust the individual pieces of dough with flour; cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rise for an hour or so.

Stretch each lump of dough into an individual pie. Brush both sides of dough with olive oil and place onto a hot grill. Two at a time works best. As soon as one side is done (this happens fast!) flip it over and grill the other side. Then the pizza is handed over to it’s owner to be covered with toppings of his or her choice that have been set up on a side table.

A word about toppings: Tomato sauce, pesto, pepperoni, artichokes are all good. Vegetables like onions, peppers and mushrooms should be pre-cooked. This whole operation takes cooperation. Once the topping is on, the pie goes back on the grill, cover down, for just a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. A cutting station with a wooden board allows the finished pies to be cut and taken to the table.

Everyone is actively involved in a fun project. Each person gets to create his or her perfect pizza. It’s a party!