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At the peak of quarantine, when everyone was baking banana bread and cooking three times a day, my husband and I also found ourselves experimenting in the kitchen. 2020 has been a year of culinary experiments for sure. One of the finer things I discovered on this home chef's journey is the pizza stone. I've gone from reheating my leftovers in the oven to now only using this tool. It adds a layer of warmth akin to that brick-oven feeling at your local pizza joint.
We found this round pizza stone ($54) on Amazon, and let me tell you: it delivers some fine margherita pies. It comes in two other shapes (square and rectangular) because options are good to have. You'll get a workout from carrying it up the stairs, but you'll want to use it as soon as you open it (and then the day after that).
We typically order two pies (one Margherita and another topped with meat and veggies) from a nearby restaurant, and depending on how hungry we are, we'll let them cool off just so we can use the pizza stone. We throw it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes, then reheat the pies one pair at at a time for two minutes each. I don't know how my husband arrived at this science, but it's the optimal time for the stone to warm up and the pizza to become crispy with a golden-brown crust.
That's about all it takes to have some restaurant-quality pizza in the comfort of your home. You don't need any cooking skills to use a stone, just an empty stomach and adventurous taste buds. Set your timer at each step and come back when it's done. The only potential side effect is a burnt tongue, but it may still be worth it, or you can just wait a few seconds before savoring your slices.
If you're up for the challenge, I've included some highly-rated options to shop. Get ready for Netflix and pizza nights at home!