GalloLea owners demonstrate easy, homemade pizza at The Market

One of the best things about getting to cover events at The Market at Washington and High is that it is such a delicious assignment to get. I get to talk to wonderfully nice people, and I get to sample and enjoy the food there.

Visiting with the owners of GalloLea Organic Pizza was a special treat. These pizza kits give busy cooks the chance to prepare a homemade pizza and customize it to their family’s “favorites.” Owners are Susan Devitt and Tom Gallo, a husband and wife team from Chandler, N.C. Tom used his grandmother’s recipe, “tweaked” it a bit and came up with the recipe for the sauce he uses in the kits. They make their kits in a commercial kitchen at The Blue Ridge Food Ventures in Asheville. Their goal is to offer a “from scratch” experience, without all the time and mess for the busy at-home cook.

In the kit there is a package of dough (for two pizzas), two packages of sauce and two parchment papers. Also included is a wonderful information sheet with recipes. The Market also carries their gluten-free line, which Tom and Susan introduced in January of 2011 and has been a hit for the company.

One of their signature pizzas suggests toppings of cubed sweet potatoes, walnuts, gorgonzola and mozzarella cheeses. It was the first time I had walnuts on a pizza (they didn’t put the sweet potatoes on the one they did for the demonstration, or it would have been a first for that, too!). I loved it!

For more information on these great pizza kits, which I think will also make good gifts, check out their website at www.gallolea.com. And don’t forget to check The Market’s website for upcoming events at www.themarketinmaryville.com.