Deli International Gluten Free Pizza

It’s frozen pizza time again. D.D. can’t get enough of the stuff. She actually picked this one from the store herself and was very excited to bring it home to me. I think part of the excitement was due to the fact that frozen pizza in our house has become synonymous with family movie night. Whatever her motivation, I heard little else from the moment she got home from the grocery store but how excited she was about her “real gluten free boxed pizza”. (So cute!)

Excitement is contagious, I suppose. I was even more excited when I saw that the Deli International Gluten Free Pizza she had picked came with the CSA (Celiac Sprue Association) Seal of Recognition. I got glutened a little while ago, so it was nice to have that extra bit of security in the gluten free status of dinner. As for the pizza itself, well, read on...

Contes Margherita Pizza

This gluten free product review comes from a lazy day and a search for convenience : )  I'm still looking for that perfect gluten free pizza experience.  Contes Margherita Pizza with roasted garlic and olive oil offered me another option to try.

Ease of Use

In the grand tradition of frozen pizzas, Contes Margherita Pizza is super simple.  Heat the oven, pop the pizza in and you're done.  I cut mine before eating, but nothing says you have to...

Appearance

Before and after it is cooked, Contes Margherita Pizza looks like any other frozen pizza.  The cheese is a big shred size and covers very well.  The crust is thin and looks crispy.  There are no chunks on the pizza, despite what the picture on the box shows.

Taste and Texture

The flavor of this gluten free pizza is fantastic!  It has a fresh tomato and garlic flavor that is quite pleasing.  Be prepared to have pretty potent garlic breath for awhile after you eat it.

The outside crust is nice and crisp.  It has a good flavor and texture.  The crust under the toppings is a different story.  It doesn't crisp up and stays very soft and "stick to the teeth chewy".  It still tasted good, but gave the impression of being undercooked (even after baking ten minutes longer than specified).

Versatility

You can top Contes Margherita Pizza with just about anything.  Other than that, despite my best efforts, I haven't been able to use pizza for anything other than pizza.

Overall Value

 Contes Margherita Pizza costs about ten dollars for a 16 oz. pizza.  It's a decent size and value.

Rating

For the fresh tomato and garlic flavor, I would recommend this gluten free pizza.

Gluten Free Cheese Based Crust Pizza

Van Harden has introduced the Cheese Based Crust Pizza. The slogan is, "No bread, no kidding!" A pizza with no bread? This I had to see.

It is an interesting concept. With no bread, there is no gluten, but what about crust? I set out to do this gluten free product review with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Ease of Use

Super, super easy! This pizza even comes in it's own pan. You pop it in the oven for ten minutes. After it is baked, let it stand for about five minutes to firm up the crust. After that you can cut it just like any other pizza.

Appearance

Cheese Based Crust Pizza is very thin. It bakes up the perfect golden brown color. It is very greasy, which really comes as no surprise when you consider that the entire gluten free pizza is made of cheese.

Taste and Texture

I was shocked by the fact that the Cheese Based Crust actually had a texture like bread crust. It was firm and held up pretty well.

The crust had a sharp, complex flavor that proved the claim on the box that several cheeses had made the whole thing possible. It was great! I loved both the taste and texture, but the grease was a bit much for my stomach.

Versatility

You can change the toppings a million different ways. Either way you slice it, pizza is still pizza.

Overall Value

Gluten Free Cheese Based Crust Pizzas cost ten dollars each in the store. One pizza will give you eight average sized slices. The price itself is comparable to most pizzerias, and less than a lot of other gluten free pizzas. Most gluten free pizza crusts by themselves run about the same price and you have to top them yourself.

Rating

Tough call on this one. As great as this gluten free pizza is, I can't give it the highest possible rating. The grease is just too much. I definitely recommend it for an occasional late night pizza fix.