Spartan Recreation Center serving up pizza Saturday at the craft fair

Jim Sundin and his pizza pie
Photo by Patricia Guthrie

La Strada Dolce Pizza at the Spartan Recreation Center, Saturday, Nov. 23; 9am to 4pm for the Shoreline Ninth Annual Holiday Crafts Market

By Patricia Guthrie

Almost every day, Richard Gaeta can be found inside the Spartan Recreation Center sweating a little and gabbing a lot with other weight room regulars.

This Saturday, he’ll be outside tossing flour, throwing dough and slicing and dicing ingredients for his other favorite pastime --- making and eating pizza!

Richard Gaeta
Photo by Patricia Guthrie

Gaeta, a Shoreline resident for about 10 years, is co-owner of La Strada Dolce Pizza, a wood-fired earthen oven-on-wheels that travels to farmers’ markets and caters private events. The pizza rig and gig is part of the Ninth Annual Shoreline Holiday Crafts Market which will feature 65 artists’  booths and holiday crafts packed inside the two gymnasiums. Look for the pizza guys’ warm toasty oven and chimney smoke outside the gym entrance from 9am to 4pm.

Jim Sundin, of Ballard, constructed the round oven and red trailer platform four years ago, then experimented with sauces, herbs, toppings and crust. He’s best known for his creation of pear, caramelized onion and gorgonzola cheese. A little bit sweet -- and popular for breakfast! Sundin’s also known at Home Depot’s Bitter Lake store where he works in the electrical department and delivers non-stop puns to his co-workers. For example: “While walking through this aisle, I always feel flushed” (plumbing); “The prices on these brushes always makes me bristle” (paint);  “Hey, I hear you guys are getting bored down here” (lumber.)

This will be waiting for you outside the
Shoreline Crafts Market Saturday
Photo by Patricia Guthrie

La Strada Dolce has become a familiar sight, sound, taste and treat at the Edmonds Farmers’ Market every Saturday for the past four summers. Gaeta started working with Sundin two years ago and retired as head cook from the University of Washington’s Rotunda Cafe in April.  “We’re not exactly rolling in the dough,” he said of his new seasonal gig. “But we have lots of steady customers and we have lots of fun.”

Sundin couldn’t help breaking out into a familiar church tune, with own lyrics, of course: “We all have a friend in cheeses.” The guy’s jokes come free; the pizza is sold by the slice or whole pie. As they say, “Eat it while it’s hot, eat while it’s cold, eat our pizza before it’s ten days old.”