wood fired pizza Archives - Pechluck's Food Adventures

Tastebud Farm Pizza at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU

December 13, 2014 by Pechluck Leave a Comment

First, do you know that the Portland Farmers Market at PSU is open all year round? That means for instance, it is open TODAY. 9 AM – 2 PM! They will be closed on December 27, but otherwise go today! Go next Saturday!

Every Saturday morning at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, the Tastebud Farm’s Wood Fired Baked Goods has a stand in the northeast corner of the market. I always swing by when I visit just to see what kind of bagel sandwich toppings they may have based on what is in season and fresh, and the same thing for their pizzas.

I’ve shared photos previously of some of the bagel sandwiches I have enjoyed. Although these bagels are small, they are Montreal style bagels and so have a tasty flavor that is fine just with plain cream cheese as well – and which you can get anytime at some select stores and at a few other Portland Farmers Market during other times of the year (those markets are currently closed since it’s December).
Tastebud Farm at the Portland Farmers Market PSU - Montreal Style Bagels

Today I wanted to share an example of some of the options with their pizza. They lug their wood-fired oven to the market every week, and when you order it they can heat up that pizza right then and there for you!
Pizzas from Tastebud Farm at the Portland Farmers Market PSU Tastebud Farm Pizza example of the bounty at the Portland Farmers Market PSU

Like this amazing breakfast pizza I had a couple weeks ago… their offerings vary every week.
Breakfast Pizza slice from Tastebud Farm at the Portland Farmers Market PSU "Breakfast

Oven and Shaker Chef Series: Ox’s Clam Chowder Pizza

December 20, 2013 by Pechluck 2 Comments

I’ve covered during 2013 many sandwiches from Lardo, who have been doing chefwiches– that is chef collaboration sandwiches, each with a guest chef of another excellent restaurant in Portland. Recently in November, Oven & Shaker started doing a chef series in which there are collaborations with chefs for a special pizza option on the menu, and part of the proceeds for that pizza go to the charity of choice selected by the collaborating guest chef. Oven and Shaker schedule is for a beginning-end of the month rather than Lardo’s mid-month change-up. So the second pizza in this post is available until the end of December!

The first chef pizza at Oven & Shaker was in collaboration with Rick of Lardo, with the charity of choice for November being Ecotrust’s Farm to Schools. Together, they turned Lardo’s mortadella sandwich into pizza form with a Mortadella pie. This pizza started with an olive oil, oregano, and garlic base topped with provolone picante, Mama Lil’s peppers, and mortadella, and then was topped after the wood fired oven with shredded lettuce and dressing. It was a very meaty pizza. Sorry for the dark lighting!
Oven and Shaker's Chef Series pizza pies, starting with the November Rick Gencarelli's Mortadella Pie with an olive oil, oregano, and garlic base topped with provolone picante, Mama Lil's peppers, and mortadella then finished with shredded lettuce and dressing. Proceeds benefit Ecotrust's Farm to Schools program Oven and Shaker's Chef Series pizza pies, starting with the November Rick Gencarelli's Mortadella Pie with an olive oil, oregano, and garlic base topped with provolone picante, Mama Lil's peppers, and mortadella then finished with shredded lettuce and dressing. Proceeds benefit Ecotrust's Farm to Schools program Oven and Shaker's Chef Series pizza pies, starting with the November Rick Gencarelli's Mortadella Pie with an olive oil, oregano, and garlic base topped with provolone picante, Mama Lil's peppers, and mortadella then finished with shredded lettuce and dressing. Proceeds benefit Ecotrust's Farm to Schools program

This month, December, the collaboration chef is Greg and Gabrielle Denton of Ox with a Clam Chowder Pizza Pie with split bone marrow and jalapeno. Very indulgent.
Oven and Shaker Chef Series, from Ox the Clam Chowder Smoked Bone Marrow Pizza for December 2013
Clearly the Oven & Shaker series is going after some signature dishes with each guest chef. Compare this with the famous Ox Clam Chowder soup…
Ox's Fresh Clam Chowder, Smoked Marrow Bone, Spring Onion, Jalapeño . . . SO GOOD

Every visit I’ve also treated myself to one new cocktail. Both are still available on their current cocktail list. The first was a Kingdom of Walnut Cocktail, which has 2 oz Bols 1820 Genever + 1/2 oz Punt e Mes + 1/4 oz Nux Alpine Walnut Liquor + lemon oil. It is a strong drink.

The second for December was a refreshing Honey Basil Collins: loose third pint full of basil, + 2 oz vodka + 3/4 oz freshly pressed lemon juice + 3/4 oz house made clover honey syrup + 2 oz club soda. Of course, you can always go for the classic favorite from the cocktail menu (I don’t think anyone can dislike this cocktail), their Pineapple Trainwreck or Pepper Smash: I’ve had both before and covered them in previous blog entries.
Oven and Shaker Fresh cocktail, Honey Basil Collins: loose third pint full of basil, + 2 oz vodka + 3/4 oz freshly pressed lemon juice + 3/4 oz house made clover honey syrup + 2 oz club soda

I also can’t resist the fact that Oven and Shaker also offers the iconic Nostrana Radicchio Caeser. At happy hour they have a smaller portion for half price… and you can see the portion is still very generous. There are times I can’t stop thinking about this salad and just have to go have it. I don’t know what you’ll think of me when I admit I’m more likely to suddenly have the urge for this salad rather than anything with chocolate.
Oven and Shaker offers as part of their happy hour the iconic Nostrana Radicchio Caeser, a small portion for half price. Clearly the portion is very generous

Which of these items sounds most interesting to you? What do you think of a pizza that comes with a big marrow bone in the center!? I didn’t have to share, so no worries about dividing the marrow bone with others for me.

Filed Under: Food and Drink Tagged With: Chef Series Pizza, Clam Chowder Pizza, collaboration pizza, Dentons, Lardo PDX, Mortadella Pizza, oven & shaker, oven and shaker, Ox restaurant, pizza, portland, roasted marrow bone, wood fired pizza

Life of Pie in Portland

December 12, 2013 by Pechluck 3 Comments

Disclosure: This meal was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own

Earlier this week, I was invited to a Media Preview of the Life of Pie, a new restaurant at 3632 North Williams/NE Beecher Streets.
Life of Pie Pizza, Portland at 3632 North Williams and Northeast Beecher Streets Life of Pie interior combines modernity with the warmth of lots of wood and various pizza making accouterments along the walls

Life of Pie specializes in wood-fired pizzas, using a special Stefano Ferrara oven which so excited to be here in Portland. I mean look at that 6,900 pound, 1000 degrees F, beaming immigrant from Naples, Italy! They have a whole page of their website devoted to this proud baby!
The pride of Life of Pie and the source of amazing pizzas is a 6,900 pound wood fired pizza oven, hand-made by the legendary Stefano Ferrara in Napoli, Italy

That oven works hard with the Shepherds Grain flour dough that owner Jason Kallingal and Nick Burger have perfected after reportedly 30 batches. The oven adds a hint of char and some smoke to that dough, but not a lot of char so the base stays chewy while the crust is crispy.

The 11 inch pizza pies are topped with housemade and/or locally sourced seasonal ingredients, such as their homemade mozzarella which we saw being made right then and there at the event, or the mushrooms from the Farmers Market, Carlton Farms applewood smoked bacon, Chop salami and Mama Lil’s Peppers…

Life of Pie pizzas in progress Life of Pie's housemade mozzarella in progress

They have 8 pizzas on their menu ranging from $9-12. They also offer a menu of toppings, so those 16 ingredients can be used to mix it up to your liking, including any of the ingredients listed in the pre-tested recipes below to your own preferences, and a few extra ones such as mixed olives or anchovy.

Chop Spicy Salami, Mama Lil’s Pepers, Goat Cheese, Honey
Seasonal Mushrooms with Shaved Pecorino Romano and Truffle Oil
Bacon, Goat Cheese, and Oven Roasted Leeks
Meatball, Ricotta, and Red Onions
Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Garlic Confit
Marinara, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Chili Flakes
Fennel Sausage and Mama Lil’s Peppers
Margherita with Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil

At the tasting I was able to test a slice of the Seasonal Mushroom pizza covered in chanterelles and shitake mushrooms and finished with shaved pecorino romano and truffle oil. This was my favorite, if I had to pick one of the pizzas of the night to rank #1.
Life of Pie Seasonal Mushroom pizza covered in chanterelles and shitake mushrooms and finished with shaved pecorino romano and truffle oil. This was my favorite.

Also sampled were the Carlton Farms applewood smoked bacon layered with oven-roasted leeks, goat cheese and caramelized onions. I loved those oven-roasted leeks. Meanwhile the Fennel Sausage kicked up your average sausage pizza with Mama Lil’s Peppers and offered a great pairing of spicy with a sauce so good I could imagine drinking it. Also check out that classic Margherita with Mozzarella, Tomato, and Fresh Basil whose leaf color slowly just darkening from the pizza heat testifies to its freshness.
Life of Pie Portland's Carlton Farms applewood smoked bacon layered with oven-roasted leeks, goat cheese and caramelized onions Life of Pie's Fennel Sausage pizza kicked up your average sausage pizza with Mama Lil's Peppers all over the sauce and in pieces here or there throughout "Life
I was also blown away by two appetizers they offered at this media event.
Appetizers at Life of Pie pizza in Portland, at North Wiliams and Northeast Beech

The first appetizer was a perfect balance of oozy and crispy in their Aracini, risotto croquettes with ricotta and mozzarella. So often I break open an aracini to find out it was mostly an empty shell, without much substance inside. Not the case with the Life of Pie aracini, as you can see- there’s a molten cheese surprise inside.
Life of Pie restaurant Portland appetizer, a perfect balance of oozy and crispy in their Aracini, risotto croquettes with ricotta and mozzarella

Then there was Life of Pie’s surprise right hook: Kale & Arugula with parmesan and honey lemon vinaigrette packed an addictive punch with its light dressing that enhanced the kale and arugula and the parmesan to add texture like a breadcrumb topping of a mac and cheese- but all over your salad! I would **highly recommend** this salad. It is a very crave-able salad.
Life of Pie's surprise right hook: Kale & Arugula with parmesan and honey lemon vinaigrette packed an addictive punch with its light dressing that enhanced the kale and arugula and the parmesan to add texture like a breadcrumb topping of a mac and cheese- but all over your salad!

Besides the pizza pies, they also offer some simple spaghetti if you are especially craving their tangy marinara sauce, which you can dress up further with the fennel sausage or meatballs if you’d like. They also have a gluten free pasta available. As an alternative- but I recommend as an addition- to the aracini appetizer, they also have a oven roasted cauliflower gratin and meatballs that sound delightful. Dessert-wise the only option was a root beer float, but they are just a few doors down from What’s the Scoop? so I recommend finishing up with sweetness there.

Life of Pie interior combines modernity with the warmth of lots of wood and various pizza making accouterments along the walls, and seats probably about 40 something guests. When the weather warms they have a whole section that is all glass garage door walls that will open up to North Williams, which should be a great treat. Life of Pie is new and low key- I can’t describe the service since I did attend during a special event, but I hope this blog post is helpful to you anyway in seeing some of the offerings. As of now it appears there is no waiting in lines yet like some of other famous wood fired pizza places in town, so visit now!

In fact, they currently are offering an Extended Happy Hour daily 11 am-6 pm that includes a $5, 11 inch margherita pizza plus $3 beers and wines – a great deal! Now you just have to order that kale salad and invite me to join you in living a Life of Pie.
Life of Pie restaurant, Portland's Margherita with Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil

Life of Pie is currently also doing a weekly FREE pizza giveaway for a free 11″ pizza every week on their Facebook site- check out the contest app!

Which of the pizza pies would you want to order?

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review, Sponsored Post Tagged With: aracini, craveworthy salad, fennel sausage pizza, Kale and Arugula salad, kale salad, Life of Pie, Margherita pizza, mushroom pizza, North Portland, pizza, portland, sausage pizza, Sponsored, truffle oil pizza, wood fired pizza

Oven and Shaker- the Bianca pizza

September 20, 2012 by Pechluck 1 Comment

As I had promised myself the previous two visits (one during Dining Month and one where I tried Aracine and Cauliflower Pizza), I would return to Oven and Shaker and try the Bianca. This past week gave me an opportunity to do so. As I perused the menu, I noticed that the seasonal pizzas from August that included zucchini and marscarpone and blackberry and peach had been amended, with the blackberry removed (but there is still a peach pizza) and a roasted pepper pizza as well. It’s good to see they are continuing to freshen up the menu monthly. As last time, the service was attentive in checking in for drinks and food so that you can casually chat and snack on starters and small plates, and the food does come out in whatever order the kitchen has it ready.

I started out with a cocktail I had been eyeing my last visit, called the The “Lost” Cosmopolitan. The menu boasts that this is vintage circa 1933. To me though, it tasted pretty modern, a good mix of tart and sweet without being to much of either, thanks to its ingredients of “7 ea. fresh raspberries + 2 oz. Aviation Gin + ¼ oz Cointreau + ¾ oz. freshly pressed lemon juice + ¾ oz. simple syrup Americano”. I would have had more of this delight to drink, but decided to stick to a lot of water because it was a sweltering above 80 degrees that day. But this drink also made me feel so girly and pretty!
Oven and Shaker cocktail

As a starter, I tried the Kale Salad, with grapefruit, toasted breadcrumbs, poppyseed fricco, pecorino, anchovy vinaigrette. The result was a crunchy salad experience with pops of salt. The way the kale was shredded though was a bit long for a neat mouthful but too short to twirl and too thin to cut, which resulted in me wiping my face a lot as the vinaigrette splashed all around my mouth from the length of the kale. Now I felt messy and like a slob with no manners. Thanks for the highs and lows Oven and Shaker. This is not a good dish if you are on a date. Or with anyone who wants to look at your face and not see shiny vinaigrette dribbles shining from you.
Oven and Shaker salad

And then, well there was the pizza I came for, the Bianca. You can tell from the description it has my name appended at the end: a wood oven fired pizza topped with teleme, truffled sottocenere, bufala mozzarella, and fried sage. Teleme is a luscious high fat cheese that is creamy white, sort of like a mix between a brie and creme fraiche because it is very oozy. Then add fresh bufala mozz, and a cheese with flakes of truffles!? Yes please!

If you love lots of gooey cheese on your pizza, and throw in the scents and flavors of a bit of the smokey dough it is piled and melted on, this is for you. It is quite rich, and if you aren’t ordering this pizza with others that you are sharing with (along with mixing it up with slices of other pizzas), consider adding an extra topping from their menu to add a bit of contrast- I think I woudl choose the spicy roasted chilis myself, although the salt cured anchovies would also work if you didn’t just eat a whole salad littered with anchovy bits. I would get this pizza again in a heartbeat… if I’m not tempted away by a combination of a seasonal pizza making a guest appearance.
Oven and Shaker Bianca pizza

Filed Under: Cheese, Cocktails, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: bianca pizza, cocktail, cosmo, kale salad, oven & shaker, oven and shaker, teleme, truffled sottocenere, wood fired pizza

Oven & Shaker: a second visit for Aracine and Cauliflower Pizza

August 28, 2012 by Pechluck 2 Comments

I arrived specifically at Oven & Shaker because I wanted the Cauliflower pizza, which had not been on the menu my previous visit. I was really tempted, just like last time, with the Bianca pizza, boasting teleme, truffled sottocenere, bufala mozzarella and fried sage.

Also new to the menu was a pizza of Blackberry and Peach with garlic, arugula, pecorino, rocotta and aged balsalmic. They also had more specials in the Finger * Fork section (the small plates). But, fearing that the Cauliflower, just like the Brussel Sprout pizza, might be a seasonal and therefore temporary offering, I went with that as my pizza choice. I was very glad I did. But damn you Oven and Shaker, with your temptations that will bring me back again…!

Oven & Shaker, Cathy Whims, Wood fired pizza, Portland

I started with the fried risotto balls, or aracine. They came in four different flavors, and not able to decide, I didn’t decide at all and got them all. They are very filling- I would only be able to eat 2 slices of my pizza when it would arrive later, and based on delicious the pizzas are, would rather leave the room for more slices. Ranked in order of
what tasted best of the four Aracine:

Oven and Shaker aracine

suppli al telefono, wild mushroom risotto, smoked mozzarella and tomato ragu aracini
lager beer risotto cheddar salami aracini
aracini of basil risotto with house mozzarella and fresh tomato sauce
herb risotto wtih summer vegetables and fonduta aracini

Even though it was Friday, the restaurant was not very busy, possibly because there were other summer festivals going on that night as well, though it was also pretty early on a Friday- maybe everyone was at happy hour still (O&S’s happy hour is only until 2:30-4 or 10-midnight). Thanks to the lack of crowd, I was able to really admire how long and incredibly well stocked with bottles the bar was.

Also, not being in the weeds greatly improved how quickly I got my food and how well it was executed, and the staff was able to be more attentive in checking on me, bringing food to me promptly, and removing finished service ware.The atmosphere was much more relaxed and casual, rather than leaning on the frenetic side during my last visit.

Oven & Shaker, Cathy Whims, Wood fired pizza, Portland

While I awaited my meal, I enjoyed a drink that had caught my eye on a previous visit and had remembered, so this visit I didn’t hesitate to reward myself. The Oven and Shaker’s Pepper Smash comes with lots of mint leaves, Krogstad Aquavit (a caraway/anise flavored vodka), lime juice, maple syrup, and freshly extracted yellow bell pepper juice for a very smooth liquid taste of… the description that comes to mind is je ne sais quoi.

It had citrus flavors and a little tartness from the lime but not too sour or acidic thanks to the maple syrup, and then add in that freshness of the bell pepper with the flavors of caraway and anise… it all came into to a unique medley that is refreshing and easy to drink but that you want to sip to have those flavors roll and rest on your tongue.

Oven and Shaker Pepper Smash cocktail, Oven & Shaker, Cathy Whims, Wood fired pizza, Portland

Meanwhile, the pizzas are all cooked in the wood fired oven so it is ever so lightly scorched for some burnt smoke flavor: this time when it arrived rather than soggy it was a nice thin crisp yet doughy consistency which I enjoyed.

Oven and Shaker Cauliflower Pizza, Oven & Shaker, Cathy Whims, Wood fired pizza, Portland

The ingredients on the pizza of the roasted cauliflower, mozzarella, provolone, olive, spring onion, Mama Lil’s chilies, crumbled salami was a wonderful mix of the crispy salami and the soft creamy cheese with the tangy bits of olive and taste of smoke from the slightly scorched pizza foundation.

I’m coming for you Bianca pizza… I’m coming back for you.

Filed Under: Cocktails, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: aracine, aracini, cauliflower, cocktail, oven & shaker, oven and shaker, pepper cocktail, pizza, risotto, wood fired pizza

Tastebud Farm Pizza at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU

Oven and Shaker Chef Series: Ox’s Clam Chowder Pizza

Life of Pie in Portland

Oven and Shaker- the Bianca pizza

Oven & Shaker: a second visit for Aracine and Cauliflower Pizza

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