Gifts for the Pizza Lover
Posted by CHERIE THOMPSON
We bet you have at least one pizza lover in your life. Or perhaps almost everyone you know. But we aren’t talking about eating pizza. We are talking about those who love planning, creating, building and serving the perfect slice.
The ones experimenting with different doughs to find the perfect texture, the ones that lovingly craft sauce from scratch, the ones precisely positioning every topping to achieve the ultimate bite. Because that’s what true pizza lovers do.
This holiday season, toss some professional quality tools into your cart for the pizza lovers in your life.
Here’s a list of 18 products chosen by the Pizza Lovers at ChefEquipment.com:
1.
SignatureWares | Pizza Pan, Aluminum
A staple pan for busy pizzerias. With this simple, coupe-style pizza pan you can prep, bake, cut and serve on the same pan. Light weight, easy to use and simple to clean makes it the perfect choice for those who sling pies day after day.
Your pizza lover will know this must-have pan can be used for more than just pizza – reheating slices, leftover chicken and even baked quesadillas. With many sizes available you will find the perfect one no matter the size of their oven.
CHEF NOTE: Our pizza pans are designed for commercial ovens...the larger sizes may not fit in a home oven.
2.
Browne | Dough Scraper with Wood Handle
Working dough is hard - but worth the time - so give your pizza lover a great tool to make their life easier. A dough cutter, also called a dough scraper, is designed to cut dough into smaller pieces, help work dough into shapes and can get every last morsel off the counter. But can also be used to level off measuring cups and spoons.
The stainless steel blade is strong and durable while the handle is comfortable and ergonomic to reduce hand fatigue.
3.
SignatureWares | Perforated Pizza Pan, Aluminum
If crispy crust is the preference of your pizza lover(s), this is the pan they want. A lightweight aluminum pan with many holes.
These holes allow for air ventilation to reach the crust which causes two things: a crispy crust and decreased cook time.
CHEF NOTE: Our pizza pans are designed for commercial ovens...the larger sizes may not fit in a home oven.
4.
SignatureWares | Pizza Screen, Aluminum
Really, a screen with a rim, these specialty pizza pans create the crispiest crusts in the fastest time. It has the added bonus of reduced condensation if the finished pizza sits for a bit of time before being served.
Time is money (and reduces the “how much longer” whines from hungry guests) and baking a pizza on one of these screens is fast but reheating foods is a snap.
CHEF NOTE: Our pizza pans are designed for commercial ovens...the larger sizes may not fit in a home oven.
5.
SignatureWares | Fibrewood Pizza Paddle
If your pizza lover is just starting their journey to making the perfect slice, this pizza paddle might be just what they need. Giving them all the measurements for pizza diameter, cutting guide for evenly sized slices and to help them develop their ultimate pizza topping ratio.
They can prep, cut and serve all on this durable pizza paddle.
6.
Browne | Pizza Pan Gripper, 7.5", Nickel Plated
Help the pizza artist in your life get a good grip on their creations with a pizza pan gripper. Perfect for safely and securely pulling pans out of the oven and getting them to the counter without mishap. Pan grippers including Browne's or American Metalcraft's nylon gripper or metal gripper for shallow pans are a must for pizzerias, including the home pizzeria.
Pizza trays, pizza pans, deep dish, pizza screens and even oven racks can be shifted, turned and moved with pan grippers. Sure, oven mitts can do the same job, but many times get in the way and can crush rising crusts or accidentally get into perfectly placed toppings.
7.
Vollrath | Traex Dripcut 4 Sided Box Grater, Stainless Steel
When it comes to graters, it’s hip to be square. Old school and low tech they may be, however, square graters (also called box graters) are a staple of kitchens big and small for good reason. Easy to use, stable to operate, with two types of shreds (coarse and medium), julienne and slicer and conveniently collects all together inside the box. Your pizza lover will wonder how they operated without this kitchen essential in their life.
They may even go outside the box with this grater and use it for waaaay more than shredding cheese.
8.
Labell | Paddle Board, 3/4" Thick, Edge Grain Maple
Presentation is just as important as the quality ingredients, care and detail in building a delicious pie. This Canadian maple paddle board is a perfect choice – practical for everyday use but still add some style when entertaining.
Your pizza lover will proudly serve their hand stretched smoky potato flatbread with honey thyme drizzle. Or, if they are smart, first put together a charcuterie board to keep family and friends appeased while their pizzas are baked to perfection.
9.
Dexter | Sani-Safe Pizza Cutter, 5" Blade
Assist your pizza lover in their attempt to achieve the Isosceles – a slice from a perfectly cut pizza. No tool is more iconic than a pizza cutter. A professional quality pizza cutter (also called a roller blade or pizza wheel) boasts a comfortable (ergonomic) handle with a finger guard for safety and strong, stainless steel blade wheel for smooth and even cutting through various types of crusts.
Used for more than just slicing ‘za, a pizza cutter is perfect for cutting pastry dough, phyllo, quesadillas and tortillas. Roll on, pizza cutter, roll on!
10.
Old Stone Pizza Kitchen | Rectangular Pizza Stone
Old Stone Pizza Kitchen | Pizza Stone, Round
As much as your pizza lover would love a commercial pizza oven or outdoor brick oven for baking their pies – budget and space (and spouse) may not allow it. The next best thing is a pizza stone. Designed to replicate the brick floor of professional ovens and give the crust its signature crispy texture.
Perfect for high-heat baking that’s needed for pizza, a pizza stone (also called a baking stone) won’t burn the crust before the top is done. That’s because the stone is a poor conductor of heat - don't worry, that's a good thing!
11.
SignatureWares | Pizza Peel, 12" x 12" with 22" Handle
A tool from professional kitchens and pizzerias worldwide, a pizza peel is the best utensil for moving whole uncooked and cooked pizzas in and out of a pizza oven.
The long 22" wood handle (we also have a 14" x 14" blade version) stays cool and keeps them safely away from the heat and the thin metal peel (blade) makes it easier to place and remove entire pizzas. They can even prep pizza directly on the peel. Smaller kitchen? No worries, we have a 12" handled pizza peel as well!
Paired with a pizza stone, your pizza lover is one step closer to pizza perfection when you give them this a-peeling gift.
12.
American Metalcraft | Round Pizza Stands, Stainless Steel
Pizza deserves a noble presentation. Pizza will always bring people running to the table, but why not get a few "wow's" as they approach. These stainless steel stands can handle a variety of pizza pan sizes and with two heights, your pie maker's 'za will be above the rest.
How about a contemporary swirl style pizza stand, instead? Flippable to accommodate a variety of pizza pan sizes, these are easy to clean
13.
Lloyd Pans | Deep Dish Pizza Pan, 10.5" x 6" x 1", Aluminum
If they are ready to get regional in their pizza repertoire, add this rectangular deep dish pizza pan to their inventory. Sicilian-style pizza has a thick, spongy dough with delightfully crispy bottom. In fact, sfincione, the name for this pizza in Italian, loosely translates to thick sponge.
Slices of this specialty pizza are square - trust us, there will be a fight for the corner pieces!
14.
SignatureWares | Deep Dish Pizza Pan, 1" Deep, Aluminum
Give your pizza lover the pan they need to try out some Chicago-style pizza recipes! Simply referred to as deep dish pizza, a pizza pan with sides is imperative to achieve the high edge crust typical of this type of pizza. Do they prefer a deep dish perforated pizza pan - we got you covered!
With the tall crust edges, a deep dish pizza looks more like a pie than a pizza. Which is good if you love toppings, because your pizza lover can layer them on thick!
CHEF NOTE: Our pizza pans are designed for commercial ovens...the larger sizes may not fit in a home oven.
15.
SignatureWares | Stock Pot, Stainless Steel
Stir up your pizza lover’s sauce game with a professional quality pot and lid. This heavy-duty stainless steel pot can handle any type of sauce. Exceptionally durable with a thick base means they can simmer their secret sauce all day long.
Give them the tools to do it like the professionals and prep ahead in big batches. Maybe start dropping hints that you’d love a jar or two or three of their delectable sauce.
If their batches are smaller, check out SignatureWares | Sauce Pan, Stainless Steel instead.
16.
Waring | 7” Light-Duty Quik Stik Immersion Blender
Get saucy! Sure, the crust of a pizza is important, but most of the flavour of a pizza comes from the sauce. So, if their attention to detail includes making sauces and drizzles from scratch, an immersion blender is likely on their wish list.
This must-have tool of professional kitchens everywhere, can give their secret tomato sauce the perfect texture, make a smooth butternut squash soup or a raspberry-cranberry coulis – all right in the pot or bowl!
17.
Kitchenaid | Commercial Series 8-Qt Bowl Lift Stand Mixer
Feel the knead. The knead for speed. Power when you need it (pun intended), but quiet enough for the home kitchen, this stand mixer is a thing of beauty. If your pizza lover is serious about dough or wants to take their hobby to a professional level, they would love this mixer.
Ready to start working right out of the box this versatile mixer comes with a spiral dough hook, flat beater and stainless steel wire whip with added safety features that include a stainless steel bowl guard and speed control protection to prevent accidentally turning on the mixer.
The smooth and easy bowl lift gives the best support for large loads and offers better bowl contact (for you non-bakers/pizza makers that means it gets really close to the bowl for better kneading, mixing, beating and whipping and means less scraping and checking).
18.
Waring | 3.5 qt Combination Bowl Cutter Mixer & Continuous-Feed Food Processor w/ Liquilock
Who doesn’t wish they had an extra set of hands in the kitchen? Your pizza lover will be on cloud pizza when they unwrap this professional food processor.
Built for commercial kitchens, this unit can undoubtedly handle anything your pizza lover needs help with. It may even give them the boost and confidence to take their pizza making game to the masses.
With 20 processing options including blending sauces, dressings and drizzles to slicing, dicing and shredding this unit can handle all the prep for your pizza artist’s recipes from start to finish. Everything they need to start helping with prep – right out of the box.