Long ago — though nobody’s quite sure how long ago — a secret family pizza recipe drifted ashore on the banks of the Rainy River. Some say it floated down from Canada, others claim it was smuggled in by a school of walleye during spawning season. Whatever the truth, that recipe was guarded for decades by the hard-working, hockey-playing, fishing-obsessed folks of Lake of the Woods County.

One winter so cold the snow squeaked under your boots, four brave souls joined forces to bring that recipe to the people. There was Drew Dorholt, a master of turning dough into legend; Chuck Lindner of Warroad, who could spot a good idea from a mile away (especially if it came with cheese); and Tracy Pogue and Scott Andersen of Bemidji, both veterans of northern Minnesota’s “get-it-done” tradition. Each brought their own talent — and all shared a love of the outdoors, big fish stories, and a healthy dose of friendly competition.

They found an old hardware store in Baudette, Minnesota — a town with roots as deep as the pine trees, founded in 1907 as a lumber hub and steamboat landing. With sawdust still in the rafters, the dock visible from the front door, and the Rainy River flowing past on its way to Lake of the Woods, they transformed it into something new: Lake of the Woods Pizza Company — a place where locals and visitors could relax, laugh, and eat like legends. Could this be the most northern pizza bar in the United States? We’ll have to see.