The Waterside location of Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers is celebrating the last of winter with the Chattanooga Rail Jam Saturday, Feb. 23 from 4-10 p.m., bringing tons of snow and fun to Chattanooga.
"It's just an interesting and super-fun event," says owner Samantha Jones. "At the beginning of the day we'll have snowball fights with kids and face painting.
We've paired up with Dodge City who is building us a snowboarding ramp for the competition.
"Nothing like this has been done in Chattanooga before. We want to do these pop-up events that are fun for everyone."
Mellow Mushroom Waterside will be transformed into a winter wonderland playground with plenty of snow - 6 tons - a mini snowboard park and live music by Rosedale Remedy and Baby Baby. A snowboarding competition will be held for guests who want to compete for prizes.
To register for the snowboarding competition, Shroomers should visit http://railjamsignup.pgtb.me/fGqzpb.
This first installment of Chattanooga Rail Jam focuses on raising money and awareness for Tennessee Riverkeeper. Though admission to the event is free for Shroomers of all ages, participants are strongly encouraged to donate $5 to the nonprofit that protects the Tennessee River and its tributaries. In return for donations guests will receive a voucher from Mellow Mushroom for a complimentary SweetWater draft or Red Bull cocktail.
After working up an appetite in the snow, guests can warm up inside over a few slices or a whole pizza pie. Each pizza at Mellow Mushroom is prepared fresh; the staff fabricates each by hand using vegetables, meats and cheeses that are sliced or chopped fresh every morning. The kitchen also works with from-scratch pizza sauce and hand tossed dough.
"The hand tossing allows for more uniform stretching of the dough and allows the dough to breathe, making for a softer, lighter crust," says Jones. "It's also a lot of fun to watch. One of our team members has even gone on to join the U.S. Pizza Team! Bradley and I are going to Italy for the world competition in April!"
After the dough is tossed and the sauce and toppings added, each pizza is baked to order on a stone oven until the crust is crispy on the outside and a nice golden brown. Right before serving, the crust is basted with a house-made garlic butter and Parmesan cheese sauce and brought to the table piping hot and ready to eat. Whether ordering the House Special, Mega Veggie, Kosmic Karma or the new Bayou Bleu, which is topped with blackened shrimp and Andouille sausage over a spicy bleu cheese base, Mellow's kitchen staff focuses on creating the best taste every time.
MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERSLOCATIONS:Downtown at 205 Broad Street, 266-5564andWaterside at 2318 Lifestyle Way, 468-3737HOURS: Every day from 11 a.m. to midnight
"All of our team members are cross-trained such that they become experts in each aspect of the kitchen," Jones says. "Once someone becomes proficient in one area, then they are taught how to master another, so that anyone can lend a helping hand at any time. Our staff are taught to use only the freshest ingredients, and how to arrange and prepare them in such a way that the guest first experiences the deliciousness in front of them not with the tongue, but with the eye. Our food is not just delicious, it's beautiful!"