Two years ago, Stephen Ferruzza closed his restaurant, Al Forno Ferruzza, in
Portland after a pipe burst and flooded it. But in the wake of that crisis,
Ferruzza found an opportunity. Two years later, with the same restaurant
crew and equipment, Ferruzza has opened the new Al Forno Ferruzza in
Rhododendron, located at 73285 Hwy. 26.

“The mountain is a fresh place to start,” Ferruzza said. “I want it to be like a
community center where people can come, like in Italy.”

Ferruzza described his pizza as “authentic style from old world Sicily,” where
his father was born. They use stone deck ovens to reach 800 degrees
Fahrenheit, making the pizza come out “with a crunch and a chew.”

The restaurant will offer organic ingredients and in season foods, including
wild boar and elk, while their sauce and dough are both handmade. Ferruzza’s
father, Francesco, also makes ricotta cheese from scratch, used for cannolis
and calzones.

“We’re trying not to do the whole factory farm style that’s bad for the earth,
bad for the environment and bad for your health,” the younger Ferruzza said.
He added that the fresh, wholesome and local food will be high density and
nutritious, perfect for the skiers, backpackers and others who come to the
mountain to play.

Ferruzza also noted that the style of baking that the restaurant employs,
utilizing a high temperature, imparts a unique flavor where one or two
ingredients are enough to make a tasty pie.

“You don’t need to put a lot of toppings on there,” he said.

The restaurant will also offer fresh salads and a variety of canned goods,
including sauces, pickles, roasted peppers and more. Ferruzza’s family runs a
business in upstate New York that produces maple syrup, a product that
Ferruzza utilizes in a variety of ways, including the cannoli filling, salad
dressings and more.

Ferruzza and his crew have been hard at work since their previous location’s
disaster, traveling the country with pizza trailers to bring their food to various
festivals, while also renovating their new restaurant, in the same building
where the Rhododendron Post Office is. Included in their work has been a new
kitchen, new walls, ceiling, floor, roof, plumbing and electrical, with most of
the labor provided by Ferruzza’s pizza crew.

Al Forno Ferruzza was expected to open on Friday, Jan. 29. For more
information, visit 503alforno.com or call 503-622-1212.