Better than a bowl of broccoli, I had no illusions that any bit of this farm-fresh pizza would see daylight.
Farm fresh and local can come in many shapes and slices sizes, as seen in these mouthwatering pizza photos. My farm-gal pal Karen of LaBiondo Farm recently purchased an amazing wood-fired pizza oven that she hopes to make mobile for the upcoming Vashon Farmers Market 2012 season. (She may need a team of draft horses to pull the thing.)
This is what farm fresh and local looks like.
Just last night (even after my awkward public display of affection toward her pizza oven), Karen let me make my own pizza using a bountiful array of her farm fresh ingredients. The moment took all of the self-control I could muster to refrain from creating a mile-high pizza too heavy for the peel and too tall for the oven opening.
As you can see, skimpy was not part of my recipe or equation. My toppings of choice included homemade goat milk chèvre and mozzarella, tomato sauce that would make an Italian grandmother tear up, caramelized onions as sweet as candy, richly flavored roasted garlic, and pork sausage from one happy, healthy and well-cared for pig. Five minutes in the culinary inferno, and voilà, out came an edible masterpiece. The crust was thin, the edges chewy, each topping had a memorable presence and tasted exceptionally delicious.
Tomatoes blow Boz up like a hive-speckled Macy’s parade balloon, so he prefers only the crust ends and errant cheese chunks.
So my goal today is not to make you drool over my dinner last night, but to help you realize (if you don’t already) that farm fresh and local ingredients are likely to be easily available in your neck of the woods. Support your local farmers; they are some of the hardest working people on the planet. And if paid an hourly wage, carrots would likely retail for $10 a bunch.
Find your local farm producers and products here:
- Local Harvest: Find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.”
- Eat Wild: Source for safe, healthy, natural and nutritious grass-fed beef, lamb, goats, bison, poultry, pork, dairy and other wild edibles.”
- Eat Well Guide: Hand-picked locally grown listings
- Pick Your Own: Find pick-your-own farms in your area
- Puget Sound Fresh (Seattle area): Your source for what’s fresh, local and in season year-round.
- Rodale Institute Farm Locator: A great place to locate a farm in your area and a great place for farmers and businesses to matchup.
The best phone call I ever had was last night-Tom called and said ” it’s pizza night at La Biondo”. I ordered up a homemade sausage and cheese pizza, and I mean made at home-Karen raised the goats and made the cheese from their milk, she raised the pigs from whence came the sauage and the other ingredients as well!!! Tom was sou chef. At first I thought I’d slice the pie in 1/2 and have 3 slices for dinner and save the other 3 for my next meal. I did that, but then proceeded to eat the other 3 slices!!! It’s that good. So…if you live within a 10 miles radius; its definately worth ordering up a LaBiondo pie. don’t fool yourself into thinking you might make a couple of meals out of it (unless you have above averge will power)-order two so you can double the fun!!! I admit to picking the cheese crumbs off the paper in the box this morning!
YUM. I can’t believe I took off without eating a La Biondo pizza. Now I definitely need to come back…
Tom – you are a man from my own heart…I am drooling here! Is it your mission in life to make people drool over your food..Merciful Heavens! You do know what this means? I have to get out the flours, get all the extra fixin’s and make my Gluten free pizza dough…and dang…is sausage not the best dang darn ingredient on pizza? Tom – you are killing me here…I need some pizza! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Where did she get that pizza oven? I want one!
LadyJayPee, the pizza oven was made my a metal craftsman on Vashon Island.
It is about that time of year, and I noticed my closest home grown Hogs Back is now open again with scrumptious baby carrots, kale and brussels sprouts i believe. i don’t know how these particulars would work on a bed of dough and tomato sauce, but sautéd in butter? nom, nom, noms for sure!
I look forward to the pizza at the market as i am a reformed italian food importer/ pizzeria supplier.
Thanks Tom
oh my goodness….
Yep I may just have to build a pizza oven myself, a homemade version that stays put is a little simpler in design. Off to the InterWebs to learn more!
Please, please build a pizza-oven with video instructions for Youtube.
Tom, May I suggest a healthy handful of chopped kale- assuming yours survived the winter. It’s fabulous on pizza.
Sandra, that’s a great tip, especially as I have a bunch of overwintered kale that keeps on giving!
I am also like you: I only try to eat local & eat local produce! What a wonderful & appetizing looking pizza! Great for your friend! 🙂