Sticks and Stones Review ****

All day yesterday it seemed like winter was bearing down on us.  The skies were dark and grey, cloudy, with a bit of rain.  The temps were in the 30’s, cold enough to keep the dogs indoors and warm.  All in all not that cold, but the dark skies and damp air sent a chill through my bones.  I stayed in most of the day and baked a Rustic Apple Crisp Tart, which I will share soon.  Baking and sipping on a steamy cup of “orange” tea kept me from hunkering down under a blanket in front of the fire.  Around lunch time I got a call from a friend inviting us to meet up at Sticks and Stones for a little local beer and pizza.  The thought warmed me up right away.  Wood fired pizza and ice-cold chocolate beer sounded like a good way to end this winters day.  I accepted the invitation and went back to my hot tea.

Around dinner time we headed over to meet up with our friend and chow down on some yummy pizza.  Here’s what Sticks and Stones website has to say about the restaurant.

“We figure that if the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts, let’s start with the freshest ingredients of the highest quality. Here, we celebrate sustainability and the organic operation by purchasing as many fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients as we can get our hands on. We use all-natural, free-range, grass-fed beef and pasture-raised hogs from Bradds Family Farm inClimax, NC. Our fresh milk, cream, and butter, all of which are free of hormones and anitbiotics, are provided by Homeland Creamery in Julian, NC. The goat cheese is from the Goat Lady Dairy in Climax, NC. Our all-natural, free-range eggs come from Eggman Eggs in PleasantGarden, NC. We receive much of our local, organic produce from Faucett Farm in Browns Summit, NC, as well as from other local farmers, letting the season dictate available selections. Fresh herbs are often picked from the beds right outside our door.”  “Pizzas are baked in an oven that is solely wood-burning – no gas or electricity – with an average temperature of 700 degrees. We not only recycle cans and bottles, but we also use paper products made from recycled materials.”

Fresh, local and seasonal – count me in!  Sticks and Stones is in a hip area of Greensboro.   Popular, groovy, happening places to dine and drink.  A short walk from UNCG, University of North Carolina @ Greensboro.  The crowd was a mix of a few young college kids, and those of us out of college taking up most of the tables.  Low, glowing lights, big screen TV’s strategically placed, and a mix of music, not too loud in the background; simple and comfy.  There is a lovely outdoor seating area that I look forward to enjoying when old man winter has blown out of here.

Plenty of beer on tap and a chocolate stout to boot!  Here is a list of whats’ on tap right now:
Current Draft List 2/1/14
Ballast Point- Tongue Buckler, Guajillo Pepper Calico Amber
Boulevard- Rye on Rye
Founders- Imperial Stout
Lagunitas- Hairy Eyeball
No-Li- Crystal Bitter Ale
Rogue- Chocolate Stout
Unibroue Ephemere Apple
Foothills- Hoppyum IPA, Torch Pilsner
Highland- Gaelic Ale, St. Terese’s Pale Ale
Lonerider- Sweet Josie Brown
Mother Earth- Weeping Willow Wit
Natty Greene’s- Old Town Brown, Southern Pale Ale

Dan ordered the 2014 Sexual Chocolate Stout and declared it to be heavy, chocolatey and smooth.  One glass would be enough.  I’m a light weight when it comes to dark beers so after our cheerful, tattooed, dark-haired waitress brought me a taste, I ordered a Blonde Ale, which is always on the menu.  It delivered a smooth and soft texture on my palate.

Choosing which pizza to order was not too hard.  I found several immediately that made my mouth water.  We decided on New York New York.  Tomato sauce, Giacomo’s sopressata, arugula, fresh mozzarella, pine nuts, parmesan.  Giacomo’s is the Italian deli I reviewed recently.  We love their meats and especially the sopressata.  I am pretty sure this had everything to do with why we chose this one.  The pizza arrived with just the right amount of sauce, loads of sopressata, and silver dollar size rounds of melted mozzarella.  The spicy arugula and crunchy pine nuts, generously sprinkled about, added just the right flavors and textures to our pie.  We made the right decision this time and are looking forward to trying one of these pies on our next visit. Mockingbirdsing, topped with walnut pesto, wood roasted chicken, fennel, tomatoes, spinach, mozzarella and gorgonzola or Magnolia Mountain loaded with local wild mushrooms, olives, arugula, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil.  If reading about those pizzas didn’t make you want to head to Sticks and Stones for a fresh made pie check out the entire menu here.  It boasts a complete menu including appetizers, salads, and sandwiches.  The tap beers rotate frequently and there is also a standard beer and wine list.
Enjoy!
Sticks and Stones Rating
**** 4 Stars

Coming next Oatmeal, Pear and Date Cookies.