We tried Wallace Centers' Pizza on the Prairie
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Menu offerings change as the 40+ varieties of fruits and vegetables grown at Wallace Farm are in season. Photos: Jason Clayworth/Axios
I snagged a reservation for this year's first "Pizza on the Prairie" last week.
Catch up fast: POTP is a Friday night event with live music hosted throughout the summer by Wallace Centers of Iowa (WCI).
- The from-scratch brick-oven pizzas lean heavily on ingredients grown or raised on the farm, which means menus change with the season.
The vibe: The event takes place on the lawn of the Wallace Farm near Orient, a historic site and birthplace of former Vice President Henry A. Wallace.
- Guests bring lawn chairs and can watch the sunset as they eat.
Driving the news: This year's event is overseen by WCI's new director of programming, Saralyn Smith — who is also the first Iowa chef accepted into the James Beard Foundation's Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change.
On my plate: I tried the "asparagus and baby bella" pizza ($15), which includes garlic parmesan white sauce and shredded mozzarella.
- For dessert, I ate the rhubarb crisp ($4), made with an oat crumble and topped with homemade whipped cream.
💬 My thought bubble: The food was tasty but the picturesque setting — lots of songbirds, the Wallace Farm's gardens and an orchard in the background — made this experience memorable and worth the hourlong drive from DSM.
If you go: Plan, because reservations book fast.
- Friday's, starting at 5:30pm through August and 5pm in September.
