Meet Daniel Garrow - @pizza_n_riffs
Meet Daniel Garrow of Portland, OR. When he’s not playing guitar in a bunch of rock bands (links below) he’s baking amazing pizza WITHOUT A PIZZA STONE in a standard home oven. Check out his setup and give him a follow @pizza_n_riffs.
How often do you make pizza?
2-3 times a month
How long have you been making pizza?
About 6 months
How do you describe the style(s) of pizza you like to make?
Somewhere between a Neapolitan and a NY. Probably leans towards a NY if I had to choose.
What’s one piece of pizza making gear you can’t live without?
Out of necessity, probably my scale. But I have a strong feeling when I get my pizza steal that’ll take its place haha.
I think it’s wild you’re getting such great pizza on that perforated pan. What’s the deal with that?
I bought that pan on a whim at Williams-Sonoma. I saw the lip on it and decided that you’re definitely supposed to build and launch in the pan. But I decided to preheat it like a stone, and I saw much better results. It actually conducts a pretty good amount of heat! My stone I don’t think is anything special. I got it at Target.
What or who is your pizza inspiration?
I take inspiration from a lot of different people and places! Home chefs, local pizzerias, etc. Some local pizzerias here in Portland are Scotties, Apizza Scholls, and Pizza Jerk which we are absolutely spoiled with. But it’s been social media accounts like this that have been such a pivotal point in my journey!
What advice do you have for a new pizza maker?
It’s not as hard as you think! If you really love pizza, pay attention to what others are doing that seem to work for you. Accumulate knowledge, and make it your own. Your hands, taste, and interpretation is what makes pizza beautiful.
If there’s anything else you want people to know, I’d be delighted to share it as well!
Follow my IG and TIKTOK @pizza_n_riffs. I play guitar in a couple of bands! One of which, “No Bragging Rights”, was a career for some time but has been on hiatus since 2014. We have recently recorded a new EP which will release sometime this summer via Pure Noise records. IG: @NBRBAND FFO: Shai Hulud, Stick To Your Guns, Counterparts, Ignite. The other is an Alternative Rock band I play with here in Portland called “The Fireside Story”. IG: @thefiresidestory. FFO: Brand New, The Dangerous Summer, Citizen, Can’t Swim. [Ed: FFO means For Fans Of. I didn’t know that.]
BONUS! Here's Daniel's guitar rig. It's a Fender Jazzmaster and a Vox AC30 with a bunch of pedals in between.