stone hearth & clown shoes

Everything you need to know about Stone Heath Pizza Co. can be read in this post from a dinner at their Porter Square, Cambridge location last June. Refresher: tasty organic pizzas, fantastic craft beers, killer meatballs, passionate owners and a deep dedication to locally sourcing ingredients and products. (Including - Clown Shoes Beer, Pete & Gerry's Eggs and Firenze Gelato). Last Wednesday Stone Hearth played host to about 20 bloggers at their newest location in a Citgo Gas Station turned modern pizza parlor in Allston. Clown Shoes takes an unpretentious, unabashed approach to brewing beer and they are doing so locally in Ipswich, MA. The Clementine is a zesty Belgian style white ale, it acts as a refreshing aperitif and pairs perfectly with the light, clean salads served ranging from Spinach and Avocado ($6.95) to the Fennel Salad ($6.95) where the shaved anise flavored vegetable accompanies black olives over crispy romaine hearts.
The India Pale Ale which Clown Shoes describes as "seductive" and "bodacious" is aptly titled Tramp Stamp and the Brown Angel is dubbed "A sexy American interpretation of an old-school brown ale." I love their sense of humor and predict good things for beer this good. I can't wait to see where else they show up around town. These beers pair exceptionally well with the pizzas and additionally the skinny strips of garlic olive oil infused Parmesan Flatbread ($3) served with Melanzana ($4) a sweet roasted eggplant spread. Definitely preface some pizzas with the pop-able Cheddar Covered Olives ($5). Cloaked in a cheddar cheese dough these plump green olives stuffed with sun dried tomatoes are baked giving them a light and healthy quality. Speaking of pop-able, you would also be wise to order some housemade mozzarella cheese stuffed Meatball Poppers ($.8.50) in either their spicy or signature tomato sauce, or a creamy roasted onion and herb sauce. Oven fired at 600 degrees, the pizza crusts embody an inherent crispiness, with just a little char and a hint of chew. Get your fill of greens in the Divine Goddess a mash up of spinach and broccoli highlighted by local ricotta cheese. The Farm Fresh uses a mozzarella cheese base and packs on worthy vegetables including cherry tomatoes, charred red and yellow peppers, artichoke hearts, Yukon gold potatoes and green olives. The toppings are evenly dispersed over the thin crust so they never seem to weigh the pizzas down. Original creations incorporating some meat include the Bacon & Blue and the Prosciutto & Pineapple. Both are table favorites. We also got to try Firenze's Purple Sweet Potato gelato, wonderfully colored and wildly flavored, this frozen confection company is onto something.

It was great to see lots of friends and eat delicious foods (and catch up over a pitcher of St Germain cocktails afterwords at Russel House Tavern!) Many thanks Stone Hearth for all they do, keep up the admirable and honest work.

Tre Monté Delivers in Downtown Woburn

Chef/Owner Anthony Contarino opened TreMonté Restaurant & Bar in the bustling downtown area of Woburn Center back in 2003. As a boy growing up in Medford with not one, but two Italian Grandmothers, his curiosity in the kitchen stemmed from a young age. Sunday mornings rolling pasta dough with his grandmothers combined with formal training from Johnson and Whales, his food is a heartwarming exemplification of both passion and technique. I arrived at the complimentary blogger dinner to a table set for ten with bread baskets and accompanying red pepper and herb infused olive oil, uncorked bottles of wine ready to be consumed and a waitress eager to take our drink order should wine not suffice. I helped myself to the bread and started with the 2009 Colterenzio Pinot Bianco Weisshaus a light bodied combination of fresh fruit with a hint of minerals that paired nicely with the array of appetizers that shortly followed. Each antipasti presented was impeccably prepared with an unmistakable Italian authenticity. I would not hesitate to recommend every single one, the only deciding factor should come down to what you're in the mood for. The Arancini ($8.99) deserves my highest compliments. Living in Boston's Little Italy, I've tasted some of the best and this is right up there with it. Melted cheese encased by ground meat cascades out of crispy fried rice balls. Flavorful marinara, fresh grated Parmesan and a chiffonade of basil prove no detail was overlooked. In the Melazana ($8.99) breaded eggplant is layered with tomato basil sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked and generously topped with a silky, creamy, basil pesto alfredo sauce. That sauce was something to appreciate, often individual toppings are a pesto or an Alfredo, however, the combination of both, to me, felt adventurous! (Maybe I have just been missing out?)The egg battered Shrimp Grand Mariner ($11.99) offered something entirely different to the antipasto round up. Foregoing the typical savory sauce, the citrusy orange liqueur is reduced to a sweet glaze that complimented the well cooked, lightly battered shrimp. The next appetizer is simply labeled on the menu as Sausage ($9.99) which is a grilled garlic and cheese sausage over a bed of spinach and cannellini beans. That flavorful broth lent a comforting element to the dish, proving another worthy antipasti choice. Often the defining factor of an Italian chefs prowess, the Bolognese ($17.99) uses Chef Contarino's own special recipe combining beef, pork and veal in a white wine based sauce. When the hearty flavorful sauce meets with long flat strands of undeniably fresh homemade tagliatelle, this dish outshines even some of the most satisfactory Bolognese I've tasted in the North End. (I can't help but compare!) At this point I decided a glass of the red wine was in order. The 2006 Villa di Vetrice Chianti Rufina Riserva is a classic Italian dry red wine, it had rich red berry notes and a clean finish. For my entree I chose the Veal Saltimbocca which was one of the evenings specials. Given a choice of homemade pasta, I chose the Fusilli at the strong urging of the waitress. Two generous slabs of breaded veal are pounded thin and topped with melted cheese and salty slices of prosciutto. Long thick grooved ribbons of al dente fusilli were tender while remaining firm, their freshness unparalleled. Bright, lemony flavors bring the dish together enhancing the veal and fusilli all the more. The entire table was equally as impressed with their entrees, many ordered the same thing as me, others the classic Chicken Parmigana and Grilled Swordfish. Preceding dessert, we were offered coffee or espresso. I added a "tini" onto the latter and our waitress happily obliged. With a full bar and a lengthy martini menu to match, it only felt right to sample one at some point. The cold frothy Espresso Martini ($9) did not disappoint. Neither did dessert. While it's not made in house, imported Italian sweets include Tiramisu ($6), Cannolis ($6) and Profiteroles ($6.50). The desserts remain traditional with exception of the profiteroles, which are filled with cappuccino gelato! (Usually it's vanilla or pastry cream.) I loved this swap! Our waitresses genuine hospitality resonated throughout dinner; as well all our dishes were delivered timely and with precision. As for Chef Contarino, I could embark on a paragraph about the characteristics that make him who he is, and as a result, this restaurant what it is. However, I'd simply like to let this snapshot speak for itself. If you find yourself seeking an alternative to all that city dining entails, look no further than Woburn's TreMonté Restaurant & Bar. I actually found it refreshing to experience Italian fine dining outside the confines of the North End. Serving up hearty portions of Italian cuisine from the classics to some new creations in an unpretentious space with reasonable prices to match, Tre Monté is deserving of all the praise I have to offer.

Stone Hearth Pizza Co.

Last Monday night I had the pleasure of being treated to dinner and a beer tasting by the folks of Stone Hearth Pizza Co. The company with locations in Porter Square, Belmont and Needham are committed to sourcing sustainable and organic ingredients from over 30+ local farms. Their well rounded selection of beer is also sourced locally from New England craft breweries. In addition, they offers a variety of Gluten Free items on the menu. Local and sustainable? Buzzwords echoed throughout many restaurants in this city. Gluten Free menu? Not so much! However, both are commitments that deserve praise and speak to the high standards by which the owners hold themselves accountable. I can't even remember the last time I was in Porter Square but lets just say it was long enough that I had no recollection of how massive the three levels of escalators in the T station were, and I had no sense of which way the city was once I got outside. I need to get out this way more often! The space at 1782 Mass Ave is charming and modestly decorated. The heartfelt dedication and genuine pride emulating from chef / GM Michael Ehlenfedlt and marketing woman extraordinaire Alex Chamberlain was clear to our table of bloggers from beginning to end. This attitude appeared to translate to the rest of the patrons as smiling faces (and plates of good food) filled every table in the room. The food is best described as casual gourmet - Neapolitan style thin crust pizzas, garden fresh salads, baked pastas and more served at reasonable prices. (Which are noted, even though I'm eating on the house.) As we settled in, I was offered a beer right away and I chose Cisco Brewers Summer of Lager which was coincidentally the first in a series of tastings presented to us by Dave Aresty, the craft beer distributor rep for Stone Hearth. A classic bavarian style larger with citrus notes proves light and refreshing, complimentary to a warm summer evening. The meal started with an excellent Summer Gazpacho ($3 mug / $5 bowl.) Right away I noticed the use of red fiestaware (collectible vintage dinnerware) which I thought was an original touch. Michael noted it was no easy feat to collect all those red mugs.Out came the Parmesan Flatbread ($2) made from their organic dough which has been oven-fired with garlic infused olive oil, grated parmesan and salt and pepper. It was accompanied by Melanzana ($4) a delightful roasted eggplant dip. The contrast of the cold, refreshing gazpacho with the warm rustic flat bread made for an ideal start to a summer meal. Meatball Poppers ($5 for an order of three) are made with organic locally raised beef, stuffed with fresh mozzarella, sauteed onion and assorted spices. These poppers are a superior meatball indeed, baked and served piping hot; one version bathing in a spicy tomato sauce, the other a creamy onion sauce. The extremely flavorful sauce is also perfect for dipping thick slices of soft Foccacia bread. Meanwhile, the Wachusett Green Monsta IPA was up for sampling. An All-American yeast teams up with Cascade, Amarillo and Centennial for a homerun of hops in every sip. Fantastic!Salads are simple and delicious, offering the freshest vegetables (and fruit) in lightly dressed heaping portions. The blanched asparagus spears in the Spear Me The Details salad were hand picked from the farm that morning, their apparent freshness delighted the table. This blackboard special salad also boasted cashews, radishes and oranges in a honey orange ginger dressing. The Stone Hearth Caesar ($6.95) offers a mix of romaine and radicchio with housemade croutons and grated parmesan. This salad satisfies the caesar craving with finesse. The avocado in the Spinach and Avocado salad ($6.95) was perfectly ripe, complimented by shaved red onion. Next we drank a beer called Sweet Action brewed by Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn, New York. A golden amber ale, the sweet is from the sugars in the barley malt, the action from the bittering spice in the hops. Finally, the pizza! Their signature thin crust is spectacular, even and perhaps especially the Gluten Free. The Divine Goddess ($12.50) a white pizza where mozzarella and ricotta cheese mingles with hearty chunks of broccoli and warm leaves of spinach was the recipient of a GF crust. It was easily detectable in the fact that it was a little thicker than the signature paper thin crust, a little more doughy and chewier while remaining crisp around the edges. They chef has worked hard at perfecting this recipe for months and his efforts have paid off. The Bacon & Blue ($12.50) hits just right notes with smoked crumbles of bacon that don't overwhelm. Great Hill Blue as well as provolone cheese melts into julienned zucchini, summer squash and roasted cherry tomatoes. The pie is finished with garlic oil and freshly chopped basil. The third pizza was the Farm Fresh ($12.50) and while appropriately named, you could also call this one the Kitchen Sink as it contains everything but! Garlic oil, roasted cherry tomatoes, charred red and yellow peppers, Yukon gold potatoes, artichoke hearts, green and black olives and mozzarella are topped with a salad of arugula, red onion and prosciutto. A heck of an ingredient list produce a remarkable pizza that is the epitome of freshness, a true vegetable lovers delight. The last beer we had was Pretty Things Once Upon A Time, the only one of the bunch I have previously tried. I first tasted it over Memorial Day Weekend at Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar where they offered it on draft. I was instantly a fan of the East India Porter for its roasted flavors possessing an easy drinkability. I was glad to try it again and also appreciated that I was exposed to a bunch of new beers over the course of the evening. Our visit wouldn't have been complete without a taste of what they offered in the dessert department, which was Local Vanilla Geltato over a Gluten Free Molten Chocolate Cake. Cool vanilla gelato melts into the moist cake cascading with warm velvety chocolate. It's a heavenly combination that has an embraceable lightness to it. As with all the food at Stone Hearth, it feels healthy without being classic health food. It's fresh, it's local, it's organic, it's not your typical greasy pizzeria joint.

Many thanks to Stone Hearth Pizza Co. for their generosity and hospitality, for exposing me to some quality new beers, Gluten free pizza and all around fantastic fresh tasting food. And of course to Elizabeth for organizing the dinner which was also attended by Megan, Bianca and Emily. It's always fun to photograph and enjoy good food with these ladies!