SMOKIN. wild caught coho salmon.

We met Kenny last week at the Fixin' To (one cool bar). He's Pizza Contadino's new best friend.  Kenny, the friendly stranger, is an Alaskan fisherman, new resident of St. Johns, and an awesome dude.  While enjoying a lovely evening at the bar, we got to talking about possibly purchasing some salmon from him later on down the road.  The next day Kenny stops by the cart in a hurry, on his way to Eugene, with three monster salmon - probably 40 lbs worth, and promptly runs off before we can even discuss compensation.  We'll get you back, dude!

Well, friends and pizza lovers, get ready for some smoked salmon pizza, pasta salads, and specials galore.  We've never smoked salmon before, but we gave it a try and it turned out great.  Especially considering our lack of experience, fillet knives, and actual smokers.

Here's how it all began...

Then we made the brine...

The salmon took a long luxurious bath....

Then it dried on our ridiculous system of cooling racks for a few hours.....

We MacGyver-ed a smoker out of a Weber grill, some tinfoil, and a tuna can....

Smoked it for about four hours and here you go!

Seriously folks, it's delicious.  We're pretty excited about how it turned out and about the fact that we'll be serving home-smoked fish straight from a neighbor who caught it himself.  

the JIM HARRISON.

Roasted potatoes, bacon, rosemary, ricotta cheese:

PIZZAS! come and git 'em!

The cart has been open for a couple of days now and it's been awesome!  St. Johns seems so excited about the food carts and people seem to like the pizza.  Check out one of yesterday's specials:

THE GARDEN DELIGHT!  homegrown eight ball zucchini and their blossoms with goat cheese, local roasted corn from Kruger's farm, cracked black pepper and red sauce. Delightful!

The sourdough has been getting into full swing, and yesterdays crust was the best it's been.  The specials yesterday were pretty rad in general - cherry tomatoes and homegrown mint with a balsamic drizzle... the always delicious cheese and basil... kale, gorgonzola, green apples, and hot coppa salami (that one will probably be back as it turned out to be a crowd favorite).

Cool!  Blog done.  Come eat pizza!

THANKS!

WE ARE ON THE LOT!

on the lot! come eat pizza! it is dang good.

FIRST POST! FIRST BLOG!

hi!  we are starting a sourdough crust pizza cart in portland, or.  in NOPO.  at the "crystal food garden" in st. johns.  we are kris and max.  friends and neighbors.  st. johns and kenton residents.  men who enjoy eating and preparing food.  pizza dudes.  your new best friends and the owners of your new favorite (we hope) pizza place.  OPENING SOON!  like next week?  this friday?  tomorrow?  AS SOON AS WE CAN.  can't wait to feed you.

more on this thing soon.