A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting George Schenk, founder of American Flatfread bakery. He is a man with a mission beyond making the most delicious organic, natural pizza. He handed me a handmade cookbook that was hand bound and done in handwriting – his own.
Try the Compound Salad recipe, which was published in Relevant Times magazine, now found on RelevantTimes.com . Even the packaging has a story to tell – about artisan bread making, about organic goodness, and about the benefit of supporting your local farmers!
I spoke to George recently and I was reminded of his warmth and passion for local food activism that I believe helps make the pizza so special. George is an avid localvore (eats locally produced food) and back in 2006 produced a wonderful act of civil disobedience through his chicken event.
Their home-base is in the beautiful mad river valley in Vermont, but they have hearth-side dining in three locations in Vermont, one in Virginia, and in order to be sustainable about their production, which is booming, they’ve opened a bakery in California to accommodate the stores that carry the pizzas in the west.
You can find the pizzas in many stores – go find one!
Sharon Troy
Megan, I’d love to know what this civil disobedience “chicken event” you speak of is. Do you have any more information on it?
:-)
Megan McWilliams
there is information on their website, but for the life of me, i couldn’t find it when i needed it for this post! if you find it, let me know. perhaps i can go back and add the link.
;)GD Meg
Kendra Holliday
Yeah, I’m interested in this chicken event you mention, too. Here it is:
http://www.vermontlocalvore.org/events/chixevent.htm
Megan McWilliams
thanks Kendra. i was having some kind of mental black hole. i knew it was there yesterday . . . :)
Carly Heissenbuttel
MMM.. I love pizza I think this company should open up a pizzeria/dough factory in NJ/NY!!! they would have one good customer in me!
Sage
Hey Megan,
Great site and mmmmmmm you get me hungry!
Rita Gudgion
Any chance they’ll make their way to New Zealand? Plenty of organic farmers here!
Bubsie Bond
PIZZA PIZZA and organic to boot. Yes they should start up in NJ :)
Surf's up braaa
Dude, hook a brother up and tell me where the bakery in California is?
As a famous wise man once sang….”There is a road, no simple highway, between the dawn and the dark of night, and if you go, no one may follow, that path is for your steps alone.”
Megan McWilliams
hey surf’s up braaa . . . good GD quote! hey, it looks like they sell these pizzas @ our favorite whole foods in your hood – can’t wait to come out there again. here’s a link to see ALL the listings in CA – http://www.americanflatbread.com/stores/index_west.htm#CA
:)
GDMeg
Robin McDermott
Hello to those interested in the American Flatbread Chicken Event. I helped George organize that event and also organized Chicken Event II. I was actively involved in the legislative process to change the regulations that prevented restaurants from serving chicken from local farms which happened in one short year thanks to a farmer advocacy group Rural Vermont and a proagriculture legislature.
Here is a great article that George wrote about the importance of Local Food:
http://www.vermontlocalvore.org/events/localfoodlogic.htm
Here is information about Chicken Event II:
http://www.vermontlocalvore.org/events/chixevent2.htm
Robin
Ms. Smarty Pants
Are we inventing new words here in this blog? Really people is “localvore” a real live organic word or is this just a made up world by some alleged green diva?
Beth Bader
Not sure about “localvore,” but the Oxford English Dictionary officially recognized “locavore” in 2007.
Margaret Mead
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
Hats off to the Green Diva
Shakespeare
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
Megan McWilliams
hey, mr. poopi pants, the word was used by mr. schenk himself. i probably just had a typo. THANKS beth for chiming in! dude, please don’t post if you are going to be nasty and negative.
Sharon Barkauskas
Great website and great article by Megan McWilliams….look forward to spending some quality time reviewing the site.
Renton Bond
Megan, good going. I’ve bookmarked your site. Look forward to future postings.
Pizza is great invention. First pizzaria of the Italian Oven pizza chain started in Somerset PA. Used wood-fired oven shipped from Italy. Scrumpdilyicious! Good chow. Ciao! Renton
Leo
Great article! If you’re looking for good restaurants in the area check out http://www.foodjoker.com. Great selection of places to eat and great site.