Is there a frozen pizza worth eating? [Moved from Pacific Northwest]

[wetdawg]

Let me anticipate your reaction - why would you want to? The answer is logistics while staying a friend's condo in Birch Bay with a dog. Little Caesars is the local choice and is just not worth it. The take and bake option has fallen short. Looking at the frozen food aisle in the grocery seems to indicate that somebody is eating all those pizzas. Are they all just cardboard crust and fake cheese?

[OCAnn]

No. Usually, we go to Buca di Beppo and do their pizza take-out. If you like thin crust, we enjoy it more than CPK's take-out.

[NellyNel]

Does anyone remember the Toaster pizza from the '70's?
I can't remember the name now ...but it was a round disk with a creamy tomato sauce inside (sauce and cheese - the cheese would melt to create a creamy red sauce)
God they were good!
They had a really disticnt taste which I can remember so well...I haven't seen them for years! I miss them soooo much!

Oh - I just googled it - and found this http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/370788
so I guess I am not alone!

[mrbigshotno.1]

Hey, after a few shots and about 10 beers Totinos are just fine and only a buck each!

[libgirl2]

HAHAHA!

[HDinCentralME]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/350820

[piccola]

Amy's organic spinach pizza is great. My boyfriend, an admittedly super picky eater, ate an entire pie in one sitting, despite its flashy green colour.

[mcsheridan]

No. I'd sooner buy a Boboli crust if there were no other options, and get the sauce, cheese and toppings to throw the goodies together in my own oven...or even toaster oven.

Anything but frozen.

[kchurchill5]

I use Boboli quite a bit, add some great sauce sometimes just a good herbed oil, sometimes a bechemel with parm or a light creamy tomato. Lots of various toppings ... a variety It actually isn't bad for a semi quick not frozen but not fresh pizza.

[mcsheridan]

I use it now and then when I can't or won't get a real pie from the local mom & pop shop, and once made it the base to replicate what (for me at least) is an unusual pizza I first enjoyed in San Diego at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza: Garlic Shrimp Pizza. It's the kind of thing I would never have tried had I not been travelling. When I'm home, I'm all for pepperoni pizza or pepperoni and mushroom.

This one had sauteed mushroom, red bell pepper, red onion and a roasted garlic sauce (No tomato), and of course, shrimp. Not a bum ingredient in the lot, and the whole is well-worth replicating. :)

At the time I was joking with the waiter about air-shipping the pie back to NJ. He thought I was kidding. (I knew it was a no-go, but damn that was garlic-lovers' heaven on a plate.)

[kchurchill5]

Sounds good to me!!

I don't use often, but now and then or a last minute. I've done several white one with wild mushrooms a simple parm cream sauce, fresh arugula, roasted garlic and roasted red peppers ... similar to yours. Also fresh thyme, sweet potato, spinach, carmelized onions and goat cheese was a big hit. Just a thyme infused olive oil over boboli, then some roasted butternut diced, carmelized onion, just frozen spinach and then goat cheese. It was decadent. You could of easily added pancetta to this or bacon, but this was a veggie party for a good friend. It was great tasting

[dmd_kc]

As JK Grence the Cosmic Jester says below, the Italian ones Target sells under their Archer Farms house brand are totally edible. They're still a bit on the dry side, and nobody's ever going to mistake it for a real stone-oven pizza. But I get them occasionally on a Friday night when I'm not in the mood to cook.

On the other hand, Totino's Crisp Crust Party Pizzas are absolutely delicious crap. Nothing -- NOTHING -- at all like actual pizza, but wow are they good junk, particularly the three-cheese one.

I know, I should be shot...

[kchurchill5]

I agree with the Target ones. I add some fresh olives, some roasted onions and cheese and some garlic of course. Not bad. Usually what ever is in the fridge. It is basically using leftovers and works great.

It isn't a bad pizza. No stone oven but hey, it doesn't bother me. Better than delivery

[Bobfrmia]

My son loves Totinos. I asked him how he could eat it, he said, "don't think of it as pizza".
OK.

[cstr]

Skip the frozen, choose another poison.

[embee]

Oetker frozen pizzas are actually okay, all things considered. I think of these as emergency food, though. One pie feeds one, and they are not especially cheap. This is a "global" brand, but IDK if they are available in your area.

[Tatai]

I agree with you, embee, Dr. Oetker pizzas are quite decent.

[porker]

Dr. Oetker is the only frozen we buy, but I don't know if its available in the US. I remember a thread awhile back and some Americans were assuming they'd have to get Oetker in Germany.
They run about $6 in the Montreal area, but regularly go on sale for $3.

[lagatta]

This week (starting on Thursday) they are $2,99 at Loblaws and 3 for $10 at Métro (don't think the extra 33 cents is very significant).

On another thread, they seem available at Costco in the US, but only the pepperoni type. I much prefer the meatless ones - spinach, mushroom etc. Not vegetarian, but picky about cured meats!

[NellyNel]

There was a frozen pizza I used to get in the UK which was actually pretty darn good - The name Dr. Oetker sounds right - it was a German or Dutch company.
They did a 4 cheese variety that was actually delicious - with blue cheese as one of the cheeses....the crust was good, very thin and cracker like.

The Top Chef contestant - Fabio - has just signed a deal w/ Dr. Oetker - to launch their US debut!~
So look out for it - it's worth trying!
(and I hate frozen pizza!)

[Scargod]

Red Baron? Just kidding. I wonder if those are still around? US pizza...

[porker]

I hopped over the border just today to Northern NY. Happened to spy Dr. Oetker in the freezer case in a Price Chopper and it was listed as "New Product"
I was previously led to beleive Dr. Oetker was unavailabe in the US, but they are there. Took a look at the box, seems to be coming out of Mount Laurel (or something like that) New Jersey.
I like the vegetal.

Funny, the 'Red Baron' pizzas were next to them. Never heard of them before, but yeah, they're still around, I guess.

[burritto]

Q: Is there a frozen pizza worth eating?
A: No.

[kchurchill5]

I think so. I can eat most frozen, I add this and that and I make it work. Just me. I can make just about anything work. It may not be the best but certainly edible. I'm NOT picky. It's not my homemade and not nearly as good, but what do you expect? My local brand is just fine. I just add to it and presto, descent pizza for frozen. It still was better than take out or fast food.

[Scargod]

I can eat most frozen too. I would have to be tied down and I would consider it akin to water-boarding. Wait a minute! I think I need to call the Pentagon...

[Passadumkeg]

Frozen pizza? Right up there w/ Spam and lite (They can't even spell)beer. Would rather diet.

[Passadumkeg]

Another vote for no.

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

There are two great grocers for pizza: Trader Joe's and Super Target. Both carry private label pizzas made by Italpizza. They're handmade in Italy, and the ingredients are easily pronounceable. At Super Target, make sure you find the ones that say on the label that they're handmade in Italy.

[billieboy]

I live in a small town with 2 pizza joints both of which are awful. The no-name frozen stuff in the yellow box is better. :-(
Delisio is tolerable with extra stuff on it.

[schrutefarms]

Trader Joe's "fresh" (refridgerated as opposed to frozen) are one of my favorites ever.

[KevinB]

A Canadian chain called "M&M Meats" had a meat lover's rising crust on special for $5.99 Cdn. this week. Tried one tonight - surprisingly good (although, because I like a lot of cheese, I dropped a handful of grated mozza for the last five minutes). Decent crust, lots of toppings, and a tasty enough sauce. I don't think I'll ever order a large take-out for $14+ ever again.

Unfortunately, I don't think they have shops in the USA, and a drive up to Vancouver seems a little extreme for a few pizzas!

[Bill Hunt]

I've had fair luck with the "California Kitchen" frozen pizzas. Now, I do add quite a bit to each, but as a base, they seem to work pretty well.

When given a viable alterntive, I would gladly do otherwise.

Hunt

[libgirl2]

I had one once with most of the toppings on the bottom, between the crust and cardboard. Complained to company, never heard a thing from them. It was not the first time we got a pizza with most of the toppings of, or in another case, not much on it to begin with.

I buy the Palermo's pizza at Jewel and have been fairly pleased with them. I like thin crust and theirs comes out nice and crisp.

[bu dat]

trader joes has a line of pizzas that are imported from italy and are quite good. i've only had the margarita pizza, so can't speak about the others - but it's excellent. this is the only one i've had that i've purchased more than once.

[jinx342]

Can't you go to a local parlor, but a fresh piece of dough and make your own? Othewise, I concur that California Pizza Kitchen is edible -- you can jazz it up with fresh mozz, etc...

[akq]

Yes! Pizza Romana, imported from Italy (I bought them at Metropolitan Market in lower Queen Anne that used to be Larrys...). I've had both the black truffle & wild mushroom and the porcini & fontina - excellent! They were on the spendy side ($8-12, I think), but excellent.

[christy319]

In the Seattle area at least you can buy "A New York Pizza Place" brand (they have a restaurant in Maple Leaf) and it's not bad. It'd definitely real cheese, and better than those awful national brands.

[dagrassroots]

I second this, probably the best frozen pizza I have had. You can doctor it up a little to make in better. I get it at PCC.

[Simpatico]

I'm partial to the California Pizza Kitchen extra-thin crust, Sicilian style. I've been known to use this as a "plate" to hold a salad of micro-greens tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

[kchurchill5]

Not bad, yes maybe not great but isn't the time you spend with your friends more important than the pizza or just you and your family enjoying the time. I get a local grocer generic pizza and jazz it up with my ingredients and presto, descent. I know not perfect but not bad

Also out of town I bought a jar of sauce, yes a jar, some fresh mozz, some ingredients and pre made crust. Pizza. About the same cost and it was great. Loved every last bite So yes I don't mind frozen, I find it ok, not like homemade, but not picky, I love mine fresh but I learn to just eat whatever and accept it. California Pizza was ok, my homemade for the same price was just as good and made two vs one. even though it had a jarred sauce. Or jazz up a standard one, It still is ok for me. And no offense micro greens with pizza would never work for me, A cold beer and some fried stuffed jalapenos (is my families favorite with pizza) Micro greens would never work. Sorry, I do I like micro greens however.

[Divamac]

My favorite pizza at CPK is the one served with a pear and gorgonzola salad atop it. For some reason, I've never thought to do the same thing at home.

The CPK pizzas from the market are my current favorite, too. But I buy more of the Palumbo's thin crust from costco because of the price. I like to fix it up with fresh herbs, roasted or sundried tomatoes or other toppings to make the pizza taste fresher.