Cow & Quince: Pizza for Every Season

If the mood strikes you for made-from-scratch pizza using the best of what's in season, head to Cow & Quince in New Glarus on Thursday nights. With its screen door, well-worn wooden floor, sunny interior and laid-back vibe, this charming, farm-to-table restaurant feels like coming home.

Cow & Quince has been serving up innovative breakfast and lunch dishes—like their Savory French Toast—for a couple of years, but they recently added a pizza night on Thursdays because owner Lori Stern says that, like many of us, she simply loves to eat it. "And I love making pizza," Stern says. "I love working with dough and getting creative with the toppings."

Stern sees pizza as a vehicle for using all of the local, fresh-from-the-farm, seasonal ingredients for which Cow & Quince is known. "We are game for putting it on pizza if we can get our hands on it," Stern says.

Cow & Quince started Thursday pizza nights in late spring, and early summer toppings included green garlic and asparagus, while mid-summer menu items listed caramelized summer squash and fresh herbs like dill and fennel. Stern is also very excited about another ingredient that is just reaching its peak: "Yay! We are in tomato season!" Stern says.

All pizzas are 12 inches and served on a thin crust; pizza goers can choose from the specialty menu, which changes regularly, or build their own with seasonal toppings, cheeses from Hook's, Roth Creamery and Edelweiss Creamery, and meats from nearby Lucky Dog Farm and Jordandal Farms.

Stern says the pizza night will continue into fall and winter, when people can expect more pizzas made with ingredients like butternut squash and blue cheese. In addition to pizza, the menu includes a side salad, beet salad or pickle board, and homemade ice cream to end this perfect meal on a sweet note.