Page 11 - The Valley Table - Summer 2021

SUMMER CRUSHERS
POWER TO THE PIZZA
By Francesca Furey
New York is a mecca for pizza. But did you know that the Hudson Valley is also home to a global leader in Italian-manufactured pizza ovens?
Founded by Dutch chef Peter de Jong in 2004, Forza Forni manufactures its industry-leading ovens in Italy. They are then assembled at its headquarters in Brewster and installed on-site at restaurants across the country.
If you’re a pizza connoisseur, chances are you’ve chowed down on a slice from a Forza Forni oven. The Parlor in Dobbs Ferry, Ollie’s Pizza in High Falls, Sloop Brewing Co. in East Fishkill, and Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. in Elmsford are all clients.
For Sloop’s Executive Chef Adam Slamon, investing in a powerhouse oven was a big deal. “We knew that we needed an oven that could both meet the quality of pizza we wanted to offer and have the durability to tackle such a big space,” he says.
Chefs and clients are able to book appointments and classes at the Brewster HQ to test ovens, experiment with baking styles, and strategize on personalized menus.
Whether it’s Neapolitan, traditional rotating,
or Roman, building an oven takes three to four hours. First, engineers set the base and legs; then they install the stone plate. Finally, they finish with exterior design work, from customized, branded tile facades to even hiding ovens
in walls.
“[Our] oven has become a workhouse of the kitchen. Being able to give our customers a consistent product has been a game changer for us,” says Slamon, “At this point, I can’t imagine using another oven to cook our pizza.”
Hop Culture founder Kenny Gould shares three of his favorite super crushable summer beers from Hudson Valley farm breweries.
FROM THE GROUND BREWERY Summer Sunset Golden Saison
Red Hook; fromthegroundbrewery.com Farmers in Belgium brewed
saisons to drink when the
weather got warmer. At
From the Ground Brewery,
head brewer Jakob Cirell
uses his saison as the base
for many of his fruited sours.
But in summer, nothing
beats the mild, slightly
sweet original, which uses
100% New York State hops
and barley.
LONG LOT FARM BREWERY
Long Shot Pilsner
Chester; longlotfarmbrewery.com
Few things go down more smoother than a cold pilsner on a hot day. This lager uses 100% New York State Black Dirt and pilsner malts, as well as Perle hops, grown on Long Shot’s fifth-generation farm. Perle, a German-hop varietal, adds a subtle, earthy spiciness to the beer while creating a clean background to highlight the malts.
PHOTOS BY ANDREA & KAARSTEN HARRIS (FORZA FORNI); JAKOB CIRELL (SUMMER SUNSET); ASHLEY BOHAN (BROOKIE LAGER) JUNE – AUG 2021 VALLEYTABLE.COM 9
WEST KILL BREWING
Brookie Lager
West Kill; westkillbrewing.com
Low-ABV “fishing” beers are lighter, refreshing beers you can drink all day long and still feel great. Named for the colorful brook trout that slip through the streams of Upstate New York, Brookie is a crisp classic with a light corn sweetness and a touch of floral Cashmere hops.