Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza

A very favorite treat when we are in Ybor City eating lunch at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company, is their out of this world Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza.  I had to try to duplicate it last night and it was just about perfect.

I used the recipe for pizza crust from My Carolina Kitchen.  When I saw Sam throwing that pizza dough in the air, I knew I would make this recipe.  I loved it.  So easy to make in the food processor and it turned out perfect.

The only thing I did different than the original pizza, is that I did not have roasted garlic on hand and I just couldn't bring myself to heat the oven for just a head of garlic.  Instead, I slowly sauteed mushrooms and added thinly sliced garlic towards the end.  Onto this perfect crust I spread the mushrooms and garlic and then added finely chopped rosemary from the garden and topped it with goat cheese and mozzarella on top of  that.  It was wonderful, but yes, it does need that roasted garlic spread on the crust before the mushrooms.

We had a side salad of arugula with a lemon vinaigrette  and a bottle of Les Violettes Cotes de Rhone 2007, from Moillard, Meursault, France.  It was $10 or $12 and Wine Spectator rates it an 84.  It was perfect, just perfect.

Tampa Bay Brewing Company

Every once in a while, I do a post.  I have not been doing too much or feeling inspired enough to write, but am finally scheduled for arthroscopic surgery on my knee on the 16th.  Seems like I have a torn meniscus and my knee can't handle too much walking or standing.  The fact that this has been going on since March does not help.  So slowly, I am seeing the end of the tunnel and it is encouraging.  We have been eating, but nothing worth writing about.  Other than a quick trip to the grocery store, not much else has been going on.

But yesterday, we did go out for lunch.  The Trout saw Guy Fieri  from "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" visit The Tampa Bay Brewing Company in Ybor City, a suburb of Tampa.  He knew we had to try it.  This is a very  nice pub/restaurant and I know we will be back.  They usually have 10 beers that they brew on premises.  Having trouble deciding, we were both offered two samples to choose from.  The menu offers a little of everything.  Nice choices.  We opted to share Pan Crisped Pierogi with caramelized onions and mushrooms, served with sour cream.  Six large pierogis arrived, stuffed with a creamy, cheesy mashed potato mixture.  They were delicious.

I order the Tandoori Chicken Pita with romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion and house made tzatiki sauce with a side of black beans and yellow rice that was fantastic.  Nice choice.

The Trout had a very large Cobb Salad.  For some reason, he has a great love for this salad and it was right on.  Oh and the beer....on the right is my "One Night Stand Pale Ale" and the Trout had "Red Eye Ale".  The beers were very nice.  Overall, this was a delightful place for lunch or dinner and I know we will be back.

In case you are interested, the dish Guy Fieri ordered and raved about was "Brewhouse Barleywine Meatloaf with Wild Mushroom Demi."  Darn, they were out of it.  Next time.