Neapolitan style pizza is now available at one of downtown McCall’s most popular bars.
In November, Foresters started serving pizza by the slice from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. The daily menu features slices of pepperoni, cheese, and rotating specialty pizzas.
Whole 18-inch pizzas can also be ordered for carryout, including by ordering online. Customers buying a whole pizza have the option of customizing toppings, which include pepperoni, sausage, olives, jalapenos, roasted red peppers, onions, and mushrooms.
This Saturday, slices will be offered all day during the McCall Winter Carnival.
2020 vision
The pizzas are cooked in a stone deck oven that was installed in a kitchen added to Foresters as part of a remodel David Carey completed when he purchased the historic bar, which has been in operation since 1947.
“Since we bought Foresters in 2020, we had planned on having a food offering as part of the business,” said Carey, who also owns Hotel McCall and Jug Mountain Ranch.
Carey landed on pizza as the best fit because “everyone loves pizza” and it can be done as a “high-quality product without a huge and complicated team or facility.”
Offering pizza by the slice also helps differentiate Foresters pizza from other pizza options in McCall, Carey said.
“The pizza quality is great, but it has also been well received to have a slice option while having a drink,” he said. “Not everyone wants an entire pizza every time.”
Guido’s influence
The recipe for Foresters pizza was crafted by Rupert’s Restaurant chef Gary Kucy and Glen Fiertl, the founder of Guido’s Original New York Style Pizza in Boise.
“He came in and consulted with me, helped us set up, from dirt to concept and getting it open, and helped train some of the initial employees,” Kucy said.
Fiertl, who once worked alongside Kucy in the kitchen at Rupert’s, helped finetune the recipes for the sauce and the dough, which is made daily.
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“Neapolitan style has to be a lot higher moisture dough and quick cooking,” Kucy said. “Our pizzas take about six minutes for 18-inch pie.”
The daily specialties range from well-known favorites like Hawaiian pizzas to pizzas with brie cheese, apple, and roasted butternut squash.
Kucy is known for his mastery of fine dining as the head chef at Rupert’s since 2009, is known for his mastery of fine but his involvement in Foresters pizza marks a return to his culinary roots.
“My first job out of high school for probably eight years was pizza,” he said. “I loved it and it got me hooked on wanting to cook for a living. It’s kind of a cool full-circle thing.”
