Pomodori Pizza - Images by Ceci

Valley Viewer - March 31, 2009
Local Pizzeria making pizza, while staying green-friendly and organic.
POMODORI PIZZERIA - FOCUSED ON LOCAL FLAVOURS
By Ceci Flanagan-Snow
Across Canada a movement toward Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) has been quietly gaining strength as people realize
that the goals of eating well, reducing transportation costs and
enjoying fresh, locally produced food can be achieved with a little
forethought and planning.
Janice MacPherson, her husband Keith Dunphy and their friend
Stephen Goddard opened Pomodori
Artisan Pizza and Gelato last year in
Rothesay - a unique pizzeria whose
menu is based on the principles of
CSA.
“Our pizza sauce is made in-house
based on a recipe discovered by Steve
and Keith in Milan,” says Janice. “We
use canned organic tomatoes from
Ontario (the closest supplier), garlic
from Sunshine Farms in Fredericton is
used in our sauce and offered roasted
on our menu, and our meats are
prepared by Quinshoeve Meats just up
the street. They get their meats from
New Brunswick farms and all are preservative free.”
Vegetable toppings offered vary according to seasonal availability.
Even their magnificent copper pizza oven hood was created in nearby
Skowhegan, Maine, and signed by the artisan himself.
The trio of foodies personally follow the philosophy of CSA for
eating and purchasing food. “This is how we eat and live, so it made
sense to incorporate that into our business,” says Janice. “We’re
offering a tasty, healthy option. For us, it’s all about good food. And
that comes from not having to travel too far to find things you can put
together to create unique flavours using all natural ingredients.”
The recipe is working. Canadian Pizza Magazine named the less than
one-year-old Pomodori as one of the top three pizza restaurants in
Canada.
From April 6 to 8, Keith and Stephen are pitting their skills and
recipes against the very best at the World Pizza Championships in
Salsomaggorie Terme, Italy. They have entered four competitions.
Stephen will compete in the Pizza Napoletana STG
(SpecialitàTradizionale Garantita) and Classico categories and Keith
will compete in the Classico and Fastest Dough Stretch categories.
They’re even taking their own flour, organic tomatoes and water to
ensure that their version of the classic Margherita-style pizza
replicates what they serve at home.
The restaurant’s operators are also focused on operations based on
strong green principles. Their take-out containers are made from
potato or corn starch, making them completely compostable. All of
their recyclable beverage containers are donated to a different
community group each week as a way of contributing to the
community.
“I recently spoke to the Saint John
Sustainability Network,” says
Janice, “and they were surprised
when I told them that we only put
out one small bag of garbage and
two huge bags of compostable
items.”
They encourage patrons to eat in
the restaurant for two reasons. “Our
pizzas are best enjoyed right out of
the wood-fired oven,” she says,
“and that minimizes the use of the
100% biodegradable containers and
cutlery.”
The restaurant also is a supporter of The Big Rothesay Read and is
hosting an Early Bird Discussion Night on Tuesday, April 7, at 6:30
p.m.
To follow Canada’s Team Pomodori’s progress at the World Pizza
Championships, check out their website at www.pomodori.ca.
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