As long as I can remember, this pizza shop has been a part of my family’s life, and checking their online bio, I see they opened when I was about 6. I don’t remember exactly when my family started to buy pizzas, they’d call ahead, my dad would go and pick up (no delivery back then) and prior to that (and for a time after, I can imagine) family pizza nite meant a Chef Boyardee mix out of a box – contents were pizza dough mix, a can of tomato paste and small envelopes of powdered cheese and herbs.
It was pretty awful. Whereas Sammy’s is spectacular, and a Minnesota favorite, with a dozen or more locations sprinkled across the Upper Midwest, mostly descendents of the founder.
But the Lakeside outlet was our stop, it’s only in its second location since its origin, moving 2 blocks east of the original outlet. Each of the Sammy’s pizza recipe is standardized, but each offers something a little different than other outlets. At Lakeside, it’s broasted chicken for as long as I can remember, tho I have never tried it. “Broasting” is a registered trademark of the Broaster company in Wisconsin that sells the equipment and licenses the method to independent restaurants and groceries. It’s a combination of deep frying and pressure cooking, resulting in a fried, breaded, marinated chicken that is “less greasy” than conventional frying offers.
I digress. Our Minnesota Burger Bureau Chief, Kawika, a large supporter of Sammy’s Lakeside, today trekked out to try their calzones. The “Americanized” version of a calzone usually entails dough folded in a half moon shape, stuffed with pizza-like ingredients, and baked. In Italy, you’ll often see a fried version, as well.
Kawika ordered his calzone stuffed with pepperoni, green pepper, and mozzarella cheese. Although the ingredients were right out of the pizza fixings, and thus adored, he said the dough wasn’t really to his liking, he was expecting them to use pizza crust dough. He is sure that this product will appeal to a large audience.
And they sure are pretty!
Earlier review of Sammy’s.
Calzones
(photo @ Kawikamedia, all rights reserved)
(Note: The Urbanspoon link below is mis-labeled. The address is for the Lakeside outlet, but the caption sez “West Duluth.” I have notified Urbanspoon of the error)
