Ermanno's Three Guys Pizza, Revisited

I felt it only fair to post a follow-up review of Ermanno's Three Guys Pizza located in North Canton, Ohio. In my previous review, I had mentioned that they were using a convenience product, Garlic Mist from Par Way Tryson, to add a decidedly garlic flavor to their pizza crusts before topping with sauce, cheese, and the toppings of your choice. In my previous review, I noted that when the pizza was hot, the chemical flavor of the Garlic Mist was barely noticeable. However, when you pulled the pizza out of the refrigerator the next morning for a cold slice, it was unmistakable.

Over the course of time I managed to develop enough of a relationship (always as a paying customer) with one of the managing partners at the North Canton location that I finally felt comfortable enough to bring it up to him. After confirming that they did use the Garlic Mist as a convenience product (which I already kind of knew), he initially said that he didn't think that the Garlic Mist was that bad. It turns out that he had never tried a slice of their pizza cold. Over the course of the following couple of weeks, he admitted that when he took a pie home and tried it himself, the realization that something was truly amiss finally hit home.

In the conversations I've had these last couple of weeks with Alan, he has shown me that he is a business owner who not only cares about producing the best pie that he can, but also producing one that is cost effective to make and affordable for his customers. We had a lengthy discussion about how he was working to get flour with a very specific protein level so that his pizza dough had just the right amount of elasticity and chew. He talked about how their pizza dough goes through a multi-day cold fermentation in the refrigerator to allow the bacteria and enzymes that are naturally found in the flour to break down the larger starch molecules into simpler sugars for the yeast to feed on. All of this develops texture and flavor in a way that no commercially made additive can.

When I stopped in last Tuesday, Alan most excitedly began telling me about a product that they had found, a garlic infused olive oil, that they would be receiving a sample of the following day. He told me to come back on Thursday and he'd do a test pie for me. So, dutifully I waited the two days and went back. He showed me the bottle and indeed the only two ingredients were garlic and olive oil. It had a lovely garlic nose to it without having any kind of chemical overtone to it. As I waited for my pie to finish cooking, Alan and I discussed how he is also looking to adjust the cheese blend on top of the pizzas. Originally it was a blend of Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses. He was thinking about adding a third cheese, in just a small amount, for added flavor and meltability.

When my pie finally came out, I insisted that Alan and some of his crew members share it with me (as this was the very first pie they had made with the new oil). The garlic flavor was definitely still there, but it was now much more subtle and woven through the other flavors in the slice of pizza. When you had just bites of crust, or just bites of crust and sauce, the garlic was more pronounced. The Garlic Mist had been much more in your face with the garlic flavor. The new oil was smooth and subtle and became more of a supporting character than the primary lead. I was a little torn about this, because while I appreciated the better overall balance the new oil lent to their pizza, as a lover of garlic, I liked the aggressive garlic flavor that came through in every bite of pizza, not just the crust. It's not that I dislike this new version of their pizza, it's definitely still an excellent pie. I just had to readjust my expectations to accommodate the new, more integrated garlic flavor.

It wasn't until the next morning that I was able to try the refrigerated slice test. I pulled the box from the fridge and gingerly opened the lid. I was pleased to find that there was absolutely no chemical smell whatsoever. And even better, my cold slice for breakfast was equally as delicious as it had been hot the night before. I was a happy camper.

I stopped in for another pie last night, giving them a week to make adjustments to their pie-building process. Alan informed me that they had moved to the new cheese blend and had continued to use the new garlic infused oil for the last week with great success. I was eager to give him the feedback that I had been saving all week and it seemed that my feedback was very similar to what others had been telling him.

I won't go on too much more about the Garlic Mist issue any more. You have to understand that when I complained about it before, it was more a matter of wishing that an owner would recognize a weakness in his flagship product and proactively work to correct it. With the changes that Alan and his partners are making, I think that Ermanno's remains one of my top American style pizzas in the area. They are clearly committed to making solid ingredient choices and a great pizza dough with just the right flavor and texture. They are also open to customer feedback, which is always a welcome sign that the business can grow and change as the customers' tastes do.

Check out Ermanno's Three Guys Pizza in both North Canton and Louisville. They still offer a unique pizza that is well-balanced, delicious, and now equally good hot AND cold.

The Three Broomsticks Inn Live At Stoddard's

It was such a gorgeous evening tonight after I got out of work that I decided to roll the windows down, put some tunes on the radio, and just drive around and soak in the wonderful setting sun. My meanderings happened to take me to my old home town of Stow. As I drove down Kent Road and crossed the Stow/Kent border, I noticed a sign out of the corner of my eye. It was a sign for Stoddard's Frozen Custard & Yogurt. What caught my eye were two words on that sign:


They are right there at the bottom of the sign: "Butterbeer Drink". Knowing that the latest Harry Potter film had opened up just two days ago, I quickly put two and two together and realized that Stoddard's might be trying out something that tied in with the movie. I quickly pulled in and walked up to the counter to find out more.

I've written about Stoddard's before and have always been impressed with the frozen custard treats I have had from them in the past. When I got to the counter, I was pleasantly surprised by a sign of the daily specials for the next couple of days:


Both Stoddard's (which has just the one location in Kent) and Strickland's (multiple locations throughout Akron and the suburbs) are unique in that they offer homemade flavor(s)-of-the-day. The list at Stoddard's was tantalizing, but I was here to dig deeper into the mystery of the advertised Butterbeer. When the young woman working the counter slid open the window, I immediately inquired about the often quaffed brew from the Harry Potter novels. Her eyes lit up as she recognized a fellow fan. She confirmed that yes, it was inspired from the novels and they had mixed up a concoction that consisted of their homemade vanilla frozen custard, root beer, and butterscotch. This was then blended together and served with a straw. I was instantly sold and ordered one.

After a few minutes, I was presented with a cup (I'd say 20 ounces or so) of this frothy beverage:


Gentle reader, I have to tell you that this was a cool and delicious cup of brew. They had expertly mixed together the flavors of vanilla, root beer, and butterscotch. Each could be tasted separately and at the same time, each harmonized well with the others. The consistency was thicker than soda, but not nearly as thick as a milkshake. I'd say somewhere about the thickness of whole milk. I tried to control myself from taking large gulps through the straw, but my willpower weakened considerably after my first taste. It took me all of about 90 seconds to go from a full cup to this:


If I might be permitted to channel Charlie Brown: Good grief, that was an excellent drink! I thought about going back inside and ordering another one, but my sense of restraint (sometimes it sucks being an adult, no?) kicked in and I simply slurped up every little bit I could through the straw, wiped my mouth, and got rid of my trash in the nearest receptacle. While this version didn't warm me up like it did to the characters in the novels, it certainly refreshed me.

I'm not sure exactly how long they are going to offer this (although the ingredients are certainly things they would have on hand any given day), so I suggest you and your Harry Potter loving little ones drive over as soon as you can to pick one up. Don't blame me if you get addicted to this; I'll be the one pushing and shoving people out of the way in order to get to the front of the line to get a refill.

Old World Hungarian Pastries at Tulipan

While wandering around the downtown area of Wooster, Ohio on a recent trip, I just happened to find a quaint little pastry shop and cafe snuggly tucked away in a series of little shops and restaurants. What I had found was owner Elizabeth Lakatos's charming Tulipan (pronounced twee-li-pan) Hungarian Pastry and Coffee Shop. Located at 122 South Market Street, they can be reached at 330-264-8092 and the website is located here.

Thinking that this would be a lovely way to cap my lunch at the Broken Rocks Bakery and Cafe, I decided to investigate further. Here is a shot of the front of the shop:


And a picture of the door to the cafe:


When I walked in, I instantly fell in love. Glass case after glass case of wonderful Hungarian treats were on display. I asked the woman behind the counter whether the various pastries were made in house and she pointed to the back of the restaurant at a sign indicating that there was a bakery in the basement of the restaurant. Everything, she said, is homemade. Here is a bit of what I saw in those glass cases:




Tortes, strudels, Kolachy, oh my! Dorothy would've had a field day and I knew I was in for a real treat, too.

Behind the glass cases are the equipment for freshly brewed teas, coffees, and various espresso concoctions. Here is a shot of the bar behind the pastries:


And a shot of the handwritten menu posted on a chalkboard on the wall:


Tulipan also offers various breakfast and lunch items such as rolled omelettes, pastries (obviously), open faced sandwiches made with decidedly European spreads and daily homemade soups.

But today, I was here to try some of these Hungarian pastries for myself. I decided that to accompany my treats, I would order a nice single shot of unsweetened espresso:


This was a nicely bitter and refreshing cup of espresso and really helped to cut through the sweetness of the desserts. The only problem I had was that there was no crema on top of the liquid. I know, a stickler to be sure, but a proper cup of espresso should have the crema.

Following the suggestion of the woman helping me with my order, I decided to try two of Tulipan's desserts. First up is a lemon-glazed Hungarian cheesecake:


This was a wonderfully creamy cheesecake filling layered on both sides (top and bottom) with cake layers and finished with a sweet lemon glaze. This was the sweeter of the two treats I had, but it was still so well balanced. The texture from the layers of cake were a nice touch to what Americans normally think of when they order cheesecake. The filling was a lighter, creamier style than the New York variety, and the whole bite just sort of melted in your mouth. Of the two desserts I had, I think this one paired better with the espresso I ordered.

My other dessert choice was a slice of the classic European dessert, the Dobos Torte. Tulipan's version was on par with any that I've had in the past:


Seven layers of impossibly thin vanilla cake sponge and rich creamy chocolate buttercream frosting were topped with a nice crunchy layer of caramelized sugar. Not only impressive to look at, but delicious as well. Despite all of that cake and frosting, the sweetness on the Dobos Torte was very controlled. It was an excellent study in the difference between American desserts and classic European desserts. I truly enjoyed Tulipan's version, although getting that fork successfully through a crunchy caramel layer all the way to the plate was definitely a challenge. But a fun challenge, nevertheless.

I briefly chatted with Elizabeth Lakotos after I had finished up my pastries and she graciously allowed me to take all of the lovely snapshots of her shop without even really knowing who I was or what I was up to. The next time I return, I hope to get some additional time to talk with her about the simply marvelous products she serves to her customers. I heartily suggest you give Tulipan a try the next time you are in downtown Wooster. You won't be sorry you did.

Broken Rocks Cafe And Bakery Saves The Day

Thankfully, Wooster, Ohio has more to offer culinary-wise than just the South Market Bistro. I have now been twice rebuffed from this eatery. The first time I tried to go, it was on a day that the restaurant was completely closed. Not to be beaten again, I checked the Local Yahoo website listing for the South Market Bistro and picked a day that they would be open for lunch. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me to also check South Market Bistro's actual website for hours. Sadly, when I arrived at my destination, I discovered that while this restaurant may have been open for lunch in the past, they were now only open for dinner. Crap!

Being that South Market Bistro is located exactly in the middle of beautiful downtown Wooster, I figured there had to be something else good to eat within walking distance. And boy, how! I saw an Italian restaurant called El Grande that looked promising, but what really piqued my interest was when I rounded the corner onto East Liberty and stumbled upon the Broken Rocks Bakery & Cafe. They are located at 123 E Liberty St, Wooster, OH 44691 and can be reached at 330-263-2949.

Here is a shot of the front of the building:


What convinced me to walk through the front door was a little blurb posted in the window talking about how the owner had developed a sourdough culture and that had fueled his bakery and now this cafe. Real sourdough bread? I'm SO there. I was there around 12:45 pm and the place was maybe 1/3 full. Fortunately, my hostess sat me near the front of the building where there was a lot of light coming in through the windows. She handed me the menu and walked away to get my glass of water.

The menu is divided into standard areas, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, and entrees. The front side is here:


And the back side is here:


Everything is made from scratch and today I had a choice of four different soups. They had tomato and roasted garlic, sausage and lentil, asparagus and shiitake (vegetarian option), and another one that I have now forgotten. Because it was lunchtime, there was also a smaller lunch-specific menu that listed the daily specials.

While I sat there pondering what to order, I decided to take some ambiance shots of the restaurant. First up, the bar area across from my table:


There are additional tables behind the half-wall on the left side of the photo. In the very back of the space is the open kitchen and bakery.

A shot of the lovely table adornments, each table having it's own set of flowers:


Having decided to go with the asparagus and shiitake soup for a starter, my server brought some of their signature sourdough bread and nicely softened butter for me to try prior to the arrival of the soup.

Here is a shot of the bread:


And a close-up of the crumb:


This was excellent bread! A very good example of an Eastern European sourdough. The dough contains a blend of both wheat and rye flours and the sourdough component was not overwhelming in the way that a San Francisco sourdough can be. This had a mildly acidic kick and was absolutely fresh and wonderful. The irregular hole structure in the crumb also tells me that this was a more highly hydrated dough which makes them harder to handle. Clearly this was handmade by someone with knowledge and expertise.

Shortly after my bread arrived, my soup arrived:


The soup was hit and miss. Besides the lovely pieces of asparagus and shiitake that were in the soup, it also contained bits of onion and potato as well. The concept for the soup was a good one, but it missed in two ways. First, the soup base was not pureed well enough. This meant that the potato could be "felt" on the mouth. This gave the soup a gritty texture as opposed to a smooth one. Second, the soup lacked a flavor punch. It wasn't that the soup lacked salt; it didn't. But it just didn't have the kind of character that grabbed hold of your taste buds and didn't let go.

For my sandwich, I decided to go with the Blue BBQ burger with Jo Jos. Here are some shots of the burger and "fries":



The burger is a half-pound ground beef burger from a locally sourced farm served with Maytag blue cheese, a homemade spicy BBQ sauce, a honey Dijon mustard dressing, and lettuce and mild red onion served on some of the bakery's focaccia bread that has been split and grilled. I ordered it medium and that was how I received it. This sandwich was fantastic. The burger was hot and juicy, the various toppings and sauces all complimented each other so well and the Maytag blue cheese added the nice sharp, salty flavor that really brought everything together. The grilled focaccia also helped to keep the integrity of the sandwich as there was plenty of liquid coming out of this guy.

Jo Jos, for those of my gentle readers not from the northeast Ohio area are simply potato wedges that are baked or more commonly fried. Sometimes they are battered, sometimes not. These jo jos were simply fried until crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside and then treated with a bit of seasoning. Served with a side of ketchup, I wouldn't call them the ultimate version of this Ohio delicacy, but certainly a tasty version.

After the bowl full of soup and the 1/2 pound burger and jo jos I had just enjoyed, the thought of dessert was simply too much to think about. However, I did decide to take a photo of the dessert menu, in case you want to check it out:


Doesn't the Apple Pecan Crisp sound just delicious? Yum. Next time I go back to Broken Rocks, I'm definitely going to have to check out the actual desserts they serve.

I'm very happy that I stumbled upon the Broken Rocks Bakery & Cafe after my original plans were dashed. I'm also happy to discover that Wooster is much more than a one-restaurant destination stop. If you are planning a trip into Wooster, or if you already happen to live there, I heartily recommend you stop in and try some of the delicious bakery and restaurant items that they have to offer.