CrateChef is a bi-monthly food & cooking subscription box, curated by a different chef, food-related celebrity, or author every other month. Each box includes artisanal foods sourced from around the globe, kitchen gadgets, plus a cookbook or recipe cards from the featured chef to help you put your ingredients to good use.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About CrateChef
The Subscription Box: CrateChef
The Cost: $49.00 per box + $8.00 shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first order!
CODE: ADDICTION10
The Products: Artisanal foods, recipes, and kitchen tools curated by a different chef every other month.
Ships to: The U.S.
Good to know: CrateChef recently added a "build-your-own" box option, where you can curate your first box from a selection of products featured in past boxes!
CrateChef April 2021 Review, featuring Tony Gemignani
CrateChef is great when it comes to curation. Every other month, they team up with a different chef and build a box around a new theme. This month's box features Tony Gemignani, and he's kind of a big deal. When it comes to pizza, Tony is the man. He's a 13-time world pizza-making champion, two-time Food Network gold medalist, and successful restauranteur. (He's launched over 30 different restaurant concepts!) As you can probably guess, this month's box is all about pizza.
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Inside, I found a card outlining the contents of the box. There's a description for each item that outlines why it was selected for inclusion, and there are recipe cards that utilize items in this CrateChef box.
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Lloyd's Detroit Style Pizza Pan (8" x 10")- $29.68
If you're new to Detroit-style pizza, get excited because there's a lot to love. It's traditionally made in a deep-dish pan, and the crust is thick, chewy, and crunchy along the edges where the cheese hits the pan. Toppings are typically pretty traditional, but they're layered in an unexpected way; the sauce goes ON TOP of the cheese.
Detroit-style pizza currently holds a special place in my heart. My favorite local pizza joint recently added it to the menu, and it. is. everything. The sad thing is, I'm not the only one who thinks so, and about 50% of the time I call up to place an order, they're fresh out of my new favorite pie. Now, thanks to CrateChef, I can try my hand at making it myself at home. This commercial grade 8" x 10" non-stick pan is coated in PTFE-free, hard-anodized coating. It's easy to clean and heat safe up to 700 degrees.
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Tony Gemignani Hot Pepper Olive Oil, 8.1 oz- $10.75
This hot pepper oil is made with extra virgin olive oil and Calabrian chilies. It contains no preservatives, artificial flavors, or artificial colors. If you're making a dish that usually calls for red pepper flakes, CrateChef recommends giving this oil a try instead. Flavorwise, it has a mild fruity flavor and just enough spice to give your dish a boost. You can use it on pizza, pasta, or even popcorn.
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Tony Gemignani’s “California Artisan” Type 00 Pizza Flour, 2 lb– $4.99
I've made enough pizza at home to know that if you want incredible dough, you've got to use the right flour. Without question, the right flour for pizza dough is type 00. Chef Gemignani worked with the Central Milling Company for three years to create the perfect pizza flour, and the result is a proprietary blend of different hard wheat varieties. (He worked with the flour in his restaurants for a full six months before ultimately giving it his stamp of approval.) While made with pizza in mind, this flour is also great for focaccia, baguettes, and breadsticks. So far, I've used this flour to make a batch of breadsticks, and the flavor was great. Pizza is up next.
CrateChef Low Diastatic Malt, 2 oz- Estimated Value $1.52
If you're making pizza yourself at home, diastatic malt is supposedly a secret ingredient that can help give you restaurant-quality flavor. First of all, adding a small amount to your pizza dough will give it a nutty, caramel flavor. It also contains an enzyme that breaks down sugars and browns the dough-- giving it an appearance that makes it look like it came straight out of a professional pizza oven. This item is a CrateChef branded product, and it's not available for sale online, so I've estimated the value by looking at similar products available on Amazon. This is one of those ingredients I've heard a lot about, but I've never actually played around with in my own kitchen before. I added some to my batch of breadsticks, and it did seem to affect the color and flavor. I think more experimentation will be required, but so far, I'm into it.
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Hormel Pepperoni Cup N' Crisp- $3.99 for 5 oz.
I'm something of a pizza purist (cheese, sauce, and basil are perfection IMHO), but I do enjoy the occasional addition of pepperoni. Unlike most pepperoni that lay flat when they bake, these are designed to curl up into a little cup shape. This creates a pool of tasty oil in the center and allows the edges to crisp into a crunchy little circle of delightfulness. I used some of these to make a French Bread pizza, and they were spicy and rich. Want a pro tip? Add a drizzle of honey after cooking. It'll pool in the center of the pepperoni and meld with the oil to add a hint of sweetness that is out-of-this-world good.
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Mezzaluna Pizza Cutter- Estimated Value $11.99
The final item in this month's CrateChef box is a pizza cutter that's designed with thicker pies in mind. The handheld rollers don't have the necessary depth to cut Detroit-style pizza properly, but a sharp mezzaluna cutter works like a charm. Simply place the cutter on top of the pizza and press down in a rocking motion to slice up the pie. (And don't forget to add the blade cover when you're done. This baby is pretty sharp!) I couldn't find this exact cutter online, so I've estimated the value based on a similar cutter found here.
Update:
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I made the pizza! I had my doubts that 3-day dough would be worth the wait, but oh my goodness. Guys. This recipe is incredible. As I mentioned previously, there's local place near me that makes Detroit-style pizza, and I kid you not. THIS IS BETTER. On the bottom, the dough has an almost buttery crunch, but in the middle it's soft and pillowy. The fridge fermentation gives it a depth of flavor that almost starts to resemble sourdough, but it's not nearly as tangy. Just... flavorful. Ugh, it's so good it makes me a little mad because now I don't want to go back to my old recipe. I think my standing pizza night just got a heck of a lot more complicated.
Verdict: I wholeheartedly believe that there's little in life better than pizza, so this month's CrateChef box is a huge win for me. Chef Gemignani did a great job curating a box that feels fresh and inspired, with somewhat non-traditional pizza tools that most subscribers probably won't already have in their kitchen. I'm happy to put the pizza pan and cutter to good use, and I'm sure the remaining ingredients will be gone in a flash.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes! If you sign up today, you can choose to receive this box as your first one or wait until June for your first shipment.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first order!
CODE: ADDICTION10
Value Breakdown: Food boxes are often more about curation than sheer retail value, and I thoroughly enjoyed this CrateChef experience. The curation was on point, but getting a good value is always a welcome bonus. This box's items totaled up to an estimated retail value of $62.92, which isn't too shabby! I will use every single item in this box, and I'm excited to play around more with the diastolic malt. CrateChef bi-monthly subscriptions cost $57.00 per box ($49.00 + $8.00 US shipping).
Check out all of our CrateChef reviews and lots of food-related boxes in the Food Subscription Box Directory!
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What do you think of the latest CrateChef? What are you most excited to cook from this box?
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