What is a Palmer Pizzelle Iron?
Have you ever had a thin, crisp cookie that is shaped like a snowflake? If you did, have you ever wondered how they were made? The cookie you are thinking of is actually called a pizzelle. There is actually an interesting origin to this cookie as well as how they are made. One of the most popular pieces of equipment used to make the pizzelle is the Palmer Pizzelle Iron. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Origin of the C. Palmer Mfg Company
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The origin of the Palmer Pizzelle Iron dates back to 1946 when Carmen Palmieri started making small heated irons in his basement.The word pizzelle literally means "little pizzas" because of their small round shape. In actuality, this term was used in reference to a heated iron that was used to bake small Italian cookies. At first these irons were heated by fire to get them hot enough to bake the cookie, but as time went on Carmen looked for ways to better automate the process. The earliest electric version of the Pizzelle Iron was actually called the Palmer Sandwich Toaster. As the business expanded, the company developed their own Tool and Die department which allowed them to create a number of different shapes and sizes of the iron. They began to develop a whole line of baking and cooking irons that were used to prepare foods such as hot dogs, sandwiches, waffles and pies. While they still produce a number of different products, they are still best known for the pizzelle iron and the wonderful Italian style cookies they make.
Styles of the Palmer Pizzelle Iron
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There are several different styles of the Palmer Pizzelle Iron, but they all serve the same purpose: baking delicious Italian style cookies that are thin and crispy, light in texture but big on flavor. They currently produce three different versions of the pizzelle iron: the #1000, #3000 and the #3600. The main difference between each of the models are the patterns they produce on the actual pizzelle cookie, however the #1000 does offer a non- stick version.
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Making a Pizzelle
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Once you have a Palmer Pizzelle Iron you are ready to start making your pizzelles.The primary ingredients used to make a pizzelle are eggs, sugar, flour and usually anise (licorice) flavoring. While there are many different recipes that can be used to make a pizzelle, one that stands out from the rest, is Grandma Fante's. This time honored recipe captures the true essence of the pizzelle and produces an excellent finished product. Grandma Fante's pizzelle recipe can be found on the Fante website as listed in the resources below.
The Advantages of the Palmer Pizzelle Iron
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If you search the Internet for pizzelle makers you will find that there are several different brands you can buy. What makes the Palmer Pizzelle Iron stand out from all the rest is the fact that this is a heavy duty cast iron piece of equipment that has an automatic thermostat that bakes a perfect cookie every time. They also stand behind their irons by offering a ten-year warranty on everything they make.
Other C. Palmer Products
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In addition to manufacturing and selling the Palmer Pizzelle Iron, some of the other unique cooking and baking products they produce are outdoor products designed for use on an open flame or grill. These include items such wiener forks, sandwich toasters, roll-ups and pie cookers. The entire product line can be found on their website which is under the resources section below.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit www.cpalmermfg.com
