We've entered the period of summer when local produce gets so plentiful and bold that it almost becomes overwhelming. Farmers market tables bulge with color and are rivaled only by the swell of the crowds that flow between them. It's the pinnacle of the season for anyone that enjoys gastronomic adventures at home. I often find myself returning from a farmers market with bags full of vegetables and no idea how I’m going to use them all. It’s a dilemma I look forward to.
But this dilemma nears a fever pitch when, limping through Monday evening traffic, the idea of ordering a pizza creeps into my head. Most days, I'm eager to go home and decorate canvasses of dough with my farmers market score; fresh summer tomatoes require it. But on a day like this, I need a lazier solution. How can I ignore my bounty and still feel good about my decision?
I can feel the heat of the light bulb over my head: Galactic Pizza.
Galactic Pizza has garnered quite a reputation already with their energy conscious philosophy and super hero adorned couriers of pie. What they haven’t gotten enough credit for is being one of the few pizza places in town offering pizzas comprised of almost entirely local ingredients. I happily nabbed a few of their locally focused selections.
Galactic takes its “CSA Pizza" literally: it's made with whatever contents come in their Harmony Valley farm share that week. This particular incarnation was a variation of their "Thailander" pizza: a very gingery peanut sauce topped with gorgeous cheese from Brunkow Cheese Co-op, and slices of fresh Harmony Valley carrots. The carrots were an “uh-oh” moment at first glimpse – but they were cooked perfectly, not too crunchy or overly soft. They marched perfectly in step with the Thai theme.
The "Paul Bunyon" is a more traditional red sauce pizza which features bison sausage from Buffalo Gal in Houston, MN, along with wild rice and morels from unspecified local sources. The wild rice provided a nutty dimension that was exciting, different, and paired well with the subtle sweetness the of the bison sausage. Unfortunately, the morels were almost invisible and just not pronounced enough to stand out among their friends in cheese. Overall, both pizzas were excellent; the freshness of the local ingredients really stood out compared to heavier, salt loaded flavors of competing pizzerias. The crust had a great New York-type constitution, but with enough body to retain a little crunch without drying up.
What surprised me about Galactic was their balance. So often it seems a pizza is heavy in one area, whether it’s sauce, cheese, or too much of both. And an under- or over- cooked pizza just amplifies topping mishaps. Attaining that topping/baking zen is one my benchmarks for good pizza, and Galactic does it well. Each of my orders was cooked perfectly, and the ratio of cheese to sauce and toppings was precise. Added bonus: Galactic Pizza loves vegetarians and vegans - and the feelings are mutual.
Best of all, Galactic Pizza is easy on my conscience. Eating it is a great way to support local farms and still give in to a guilty pleasure.
