In a serendipitous turn of events, yesterday I found myself walking past the Cheese Board in Berkeley just about dinnertime. I had been over at the Thursday all-organic farmer's market doing some research for an upcoming article (and yes, I snuck in a grapefruit and yogurt gelato while I was across the bridge).
When I walked past Cheese Board, something clicked in my brain and I remembered a friend gushing over their pizza. I stopped in, took a look at all the cheese on display -- they must have hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties -- and noticed a stack of cardboard boxes near the register. The sign advertised the pizza of the day as mushroom, green pepper, feta, mozzarella, garlic and parsley. Mr. Food Musings loves pizza, and I love the spontaneity of nabbing dinner on the fly, so I ponied up $18, verified cooking instructions with the man behind the counter (5-8 minutes at 400ยบ) and went on my merry way.
I stopped for a bottle of water a few shops down and as I was paying, the man said, "That from Cheese Board?" When I nodded yes, he clucked his tongue in a congratulatory manner. Good omen, I thought.
Good indeed. The crust was thin but not Neapolitan-thin - it had some toothsomeness and some give to it, too. The flavors were wonderful, and I gotta tell you: good feta + good pizza = real genius.
Cheese Board Cooperative, 1512 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, 510-549-3055
Always great to find another good pizza place (remember the one I told you about in that tiny NC town?)! Should be relatively easy to remember that address!
Posted by: Mom | July 21, 2006 at 03:30 PM
Glad you made it, but it's cruel to have to read about your pizza from here! On future visits, target the ginger shortbread (zippy!), chocolate things (bread and chocolate never tasted so good), and cornmeal scones with dried cherries (and I don't usu. eat sweet stuff in the am). At the cheese counter tasting is obligatory (yay!), but go during the wk bec the crush and the wait on Sat will drive you up a wall.
Posted by: Robyn | July 23, 2006 at 03:58 AM
I LOVE THIS PLACE! I used to go there everyday and almost didn't leave Berkeley to move into the city, then I found Arizmendi (the sister to Cheeseboard). On Sundays, they melt (or used to melt) the odd bits of cheese leftover from their counter onto their fresh sourdourgh English muffins...so divine.
I only wish I had brought my Cheeseboard cookbook with me. Very nice to find your lovely blog today!
Posted by: Janice | July 25, 2006 at 05:23 AM
Janice -- Those English muffins sound like they'd merit a return trip across the Bay. Hmmm, cheesy muffins for brekky, and gelato for dessert!
Posted by: Catherine | July 25, 2006 at 11:20 AM