Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Mushroom Florentine Pizza - Product Review #63

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Mushroom Florentine Pizza

PRODUCT NAME:                      Mushroom Florentine Pizza

BRAND:                                     Conte’s

COST:                                        $9.50

SIZE:                                          16oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.59/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

VEGAN:                                      NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           New Jersey

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Rolled out dough blanketed with tomato sauce, cheese and other delicious toppings; it can only be one thing…PIZZA! Pizza is a favorite among many. Have a guy night out, what do you get?...Pizza and wings. For celiacs and the gluten intolerant, it’s tough because a good gluten free pizza is a rare find. We were delighted when Conte’s out of Vineland, NJ decided to send us a few of their products to try, which included their gluten free pizza. Their pizza is gluten free and all natural.

We decided to try their Mushroom Florentine Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Olive oil. Pick up the box and look at the front, and you will see a beautiful pizza that looks crispy with gobs of melty cheese over it. Just looking at the picture makes you hungry. We couldn’t wait to try this pizza out. The directions on the box said to bake it at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Because we don’t have a formal kitchen, we did the cooking in a small toaster oven. Actual cooking time for us was about 15 minutes. I’m not sure if it was because of the moisture from the toppings, but the outer crust was crispier than the middle of the crust. Maybe if we left it in for just a little longer, but by then, the toppings would’ve burned.

We were busy here at the office today and didn’t get to lunch right away so we ended up leaving the pizza to sit for a while. By the time we got to it, the pizza was lukewarm. We were surprised to find that this pizza was still good. It had tons of flavor and the crust actually had a nice texture. This pizza would be best classified as a thin crust pizza, which I think helps with its texture. The thin crust made it easier to make to a nice golden brown crisp. We also liked the toppings. Many of the frozen pizza have toppings that for some reason taste artificial, probably from the flash freezing. The toppings on this pizza actually tasted how they were suppose to taste with no weird flavors or aftertaste. Conte’s did a fine job with this pizza.

Looking at the nutrition fact on the back, the recommended serving size is a quarter of the pizza. With 240 calories, 10 grams of fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol and 610mg of sodium, these nutrition facts seem to be marginally better than similar frozen pizzas that are not gluten free. When eating products like this, you have to remember to take into account the daily values for each category. Remember to have everything in moderation to follow the recommended daily values.

Overall this pizza was great. A gluten free pizza that not only tastes great, but also has great texture? A few years ago, people probably wouldn’t have believed us, but Conte’s has done right and made a product that they should be proud of. If we’re going by taste alone, this pizza easily gets a perfect. One tip though is to make sure you practice portion control and pay attention to the nutrition facts so you know exactly how much you are eating. If you’re interested in this pizza, contact Conte’s to find a retail location near you or go to their website: www.contespasta.com for a list of retail locations by state.

Taste: Tons of flavor packed in cheesy goodness over a crispy crust. What more can you ask for in a pizza?

Labeling: The picture on the front is an attention grabber. Take a look at it and it will have your mouth watering. While what you end up will probably not look as good as the picture, it is close.

Packaging: Your typical frozen pizza packaging. You will find a vacuum sealed frozen pizza in a cardboard box.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:         5
Taste:             5
Value:            2
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 020311 by Calvin C.