Traverse City Record-Eagle

Life

March 15, 2010

Cook's Corner: Mancino's pie is a winner

Cherries play role in international favorite

Mancino's Traverse City Cherry Chicken Pizza is a winner.

The pizza, developed over the last two months, came in second in the Eastern U.S. division and sixth overall in the nontraditional category at the International Pizza Expo held March 2-4 in Las Vegas, according to Tony Consolino, Mancino's director of advertising. There were 60 competitors; the winner was from Australia, he said.

The cherry chicken pizza was invented by Linda Gutowski, owner of Mancino's Pizza and Grinders of Traverse City. She said they especially were interested in a pizza that reflected the region. Gutowski said this is the second-biggest pizza competition in the world; the largest is in Italy.

Mancino's has stores at Chum's Corners, near the Civic Center and on West Bay Shore Drive in Elmwood Township.

The word came down late that Mancino's was in the contest at all, Gutowski said. They originally were wait-listed. They had to hurry to pack up their own ingredients and fly to Vegas. "You want to talk about inspections? Try little baggies of flour," she said.

The exact recipe is secret, Consolino said. The buttered crust is made with a special dough that's infused with pecans and walnuts, the sauce is a white sauce (but not Alfredo) and there's a five-cheese blend -- fontina, asiago, white cheddar, mozzarella and romano. Oh, and of course dried cherries from Traverse City -- "a generous amount," Consolino said -- and marinated chicken breast.

The pizza is available in large, which has 8-10 slices, for $21.99, though it's on special for $19.99 right now. The pizza also is available on a traditional crust for people with nut allergies or non-nut-lovers.

Consolino said they're also offering free slices of the Traverse City Cherry Chicken Pizza. For more information, go to www.tcmancinos.com or call any of the three locations.

-- Cafe Habana is closed. The space will be taken up with The Shed, the microbrew-serving portion of the Blue Tractor, as well as a rooftop deck for summer fun. Cafe Habana was a Cuban-inspired restaurant on Union, near Eighth Street.

-- Tickets now are available for The Taste of Grand Traverse, a benefit for the Women's Resource Center.

The event, styled after Taste of Chicago, will be held from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 18 at the Great Wolf Lodge Conference Center. There will be around 19 restaurants and five beverage companies offering small samples of their foods and drinks.

Tasting tickets will be $1 each at the event. Admission is $15 and includes three tickets.

To buy tickets, go to www.TasteofGrandTraverse.com or call the Women's Resource Center, 941-1210.

-- Pleasantview Vineyards Winery in Harbor Springs has set its schedule of wine education seminars.

Seminars are held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays as long as at least six adults have registered. Private seminars also are available for six or more.

Each seminar costs $20 per person. Upcoming dates are April 13 and 27, May 11 and 25, June 8 and Oct. 12. Call 526-8100 for more information.

-- Rusty's Pizza & Subs has opened at 2749 W. Silver Lake Road in the former Green Hill Grocery.

Owners Rusty and Lori Yarrick are baking authentic East Coast pizza on bricks, with a crispy and chewy crust. They also serve calzones, subs (including the Steak Bomb, a two-handed sandwich for $6.99 with hand-sliced steak, grilled onions, mushrooms and green peppers with melted cheese), and salads, including an antipasto plate for $7.99. Appetizers include hand-cut french fries ($2.75), homemade chicken fingers ($6.50), garlic bread, onion rings and more.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They offer free delivery within a 15-minute drive. Call 421-3374 or see the entire menu at www.myrustys.com.

-- Have you had a chance to get together with fellow eco-minded people? Try the next Green Drinks gather, 5 to 7 p.m. March 25 at The Shed, next to Blue Tractor. There will be discounts on drinks. Go to www.greendrinks.org/MI/TraverseCity or join the Facebook group for more information.

If you have food news or questions, send them to: Cook's Corner, Traverse City Record-Eagle, 120 W. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49685; call (231) 933-1511 or (800) 968-8273; or e-mail jtaylor@record-eagle.com.

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