Heirloom tomatoes are a unique fruit (yes, tomatoes are a fruit!). Unlike regular tomatoes, they can grow directly from the seed of a previous tomato fruit, hence the name heirloom. Similar to family heirlooms that get passed from generation to generation, so do heirloom tomato seeds. Heirlooms can be difficult to grow for profit because they take longer to bear fruit and have lower yields than regular tomatoes. But what’s important is the end result ― heirloom tomatoes are known for their wild colors, bursting juiciness and folkloric appellations!

It is easy to forget that not all ripe tomatoes are red. In fact, heirloom tomatoes can come in a multitude of colors including red, pink, orange, black, purple, brown, white and green. Some of the names given to these exceptional fruits are truly out-there. With names like Burgess Mammoth Wonder, Green Zebra, Bloody Butcher or Chocolate Stripes, heirlooms make Hothouse and Roma the tomato version of Smith or Jones.

Don’t be fooled by these peculiar names though, each unique tomato has a sweet, earthy and distinct tomato-esque flavor. Try out our latest pizza featuring a variety of diverse heirloom tomatoes. Heirlooms top our Original cheese pizza after baking along with fresh basil and sea salt. The Heirloom Tomato Pie is available through August 4th.

If you really want to see how crazy heirloom tomatoes can get, just head down to your neighborhood farmers market. There has got to be at least one stand with a Burgess Mammoth Wonder pushing twenty ounces!

Jared Gamble from Edmonds wins our box folding competition.

How does Pagliacci celebrate the 4th of July?  By declaring independence from our pizza ovens of course. 

It has become a tradition to shut down on the 4th of July and throw a picnic for our crew.  We usually take over a spot at Golden Gardens in Ballard.  As soon as our signs go up, people in the park begin asking us if we are selling pizza.  While we think every day is pizza day, there are a few times when pizza just doesn’t suit the holiday.  The 4th is all about barbecue.  And that’s what we do for our crew.  A lot of it.  Burgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, chicken, hot dogs and sausages.  After fueling up and socializing, we have our crew show off in our annual Pizzalympics. 

The first event was Fastest Box Folding.  The goal is to be the fastest person to fold three boxes.  In an event that is usually dominated by drivers, this year’s winner was a cook – Jared Gamble from Edmonds Delivery Kitchen.

The next event was Fastest Toss.  Cooks had to toss out pizza dough to 17” without tearing a hole in it before anyone else.  Mike Baxley, General Manager of 145th, proved he is the fastest dough tosser in the west.  At least this year.

Cooks had a second chance to prove themselves in the Biggest Dough event.  They had 45 seconds to toss out the biggest dough without tearing a hole in it.  Sam Kosala from Ballinger took home the ribbon.

Kenmore shows their might in our tug-of-war.

Then it was on to the team events, starting with our relay race.  Every year our relay race changes.  This year the first leg of the relay required one person to fold a box blindfolded.  The second leg required two people to toss a pizza together with one hand behind their backs (our version of a three-legged race).  It works fine pounding and spreading out the dough on the table.  The challenge was that they had to toss the dough in the air at least once and the dough had to be 15” before it was put in the box.  The final leg of the race involved just one person who spun around 10 times with his or her head on a baseball bat before attempting to deliver the boxed pizza dough to the finish line.  Edmonds emerged victorious.

The finale was a good old-fashioned tug-of-war.  It came down to 85^th verses University in the finals.  It could have gone either way.  In the end, University toppled the competition. 

Looking forward to next year!

The Loki fishing vessel.

This year both Pagliacci and Loki Fish Company are celebrating thirty years of business in Seattle!

In 1979 Pagliacci sold its first slice on The Ave in the University District. Meanwhile, off the coast of British Columbia in the Clarence Straight, local fisherman Peter Knutson was bringing in his first harvest of wild caught salmon for his new business, Loki Fish Company.

From the beginning, Loki Fish Company has promoted sustainability and a hands-on approach to their family operation. Salmon caught aboard their two boats, the Njord and the Loki, are gillnet-caught to reduce the number of non-targeted species caught in their nets. As soon as the fish is brought on board, it’s cleaned and stowed in a refrigerated sea water hold for freshness until it arrives for sale. Loki salmon is sold directly to the customer at a variety of Seattle farmers markets or right off the boat at Fisherman’s Terminal.

Loki at local farmers markets.

Another way to enjoy the bounty of Loki Fish Company is to try it on our latest seasonal pizza. We’re all about using fresh local ingredients, which is why we proudly feature Loki fresh caught and smoked Coho Salmon on our Salmon Primo ― this batch of Coho was caught in the first weekend of July from the same straight that the Knutson family began fishing three decades ago!

Peter and his son Jonah are up in Alaska running the straight right now for the next harvest but luckily Peter’s second son Dylan was around to tell us about the latest catch. On July 25th, look for Loki’s special deal on fresh halibut and rockfish at all of their farmers market stands!