"The Turning Peel was born out of the pandemic. Like many, Yiu started experimenting with sourdough in the early days of 2020, growing bored with the tech industry and feeling lost. "Dough is like a therapist," she says. "It felt so good to make bread." What started as loaves eventually turned into pizzas — sturdier than the typical Neapolitan, with a nice balance of crunch and chew, in her words. When she was laid off, she decided to pursue sourdough full-time, landing a spot at the People’s Co-Op farmers market. For the nerds out there: Yiu slow-leavens her 64 percent-hydration dough for a whopping three days, eventually throwing the pies in an 800-degree oven for around 90 seconds. In terms of toppings, she likes to stay simple — pepperoni, margherita — and incorporate local produce. For example, her "summer splash" pizza comes with rotating seasonal vegetables depending on what’s available, which she roasts beforehand; a previous iteration arrived topped with garlic oil, cherries, roasted cherry tomatoes, morels, yellow zucchini, beets, and corn. Beyond the actual pizzas, the menu will include a salad and, in her words, "a real bombshell tiramisu." Yiu wants to try to keep prices low for meals; for example, she plans to price her margherita at $12, serving it as a part of a combo with a beverage — beer, wine, basic cocktails — for around $16 or $17. "People can just enjoy the evening without spending $50," she says. "Anywhere you go, it’s about $50." Yiu hopes to open The Turning Peel in late August at 4546 SE Division Street. Those interested in trying her pizzas beforehand can reserve a spot at a recipe tasting pop-up on August 4." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
