By thedihedral Posted on

Rome Pie Iron

Gear Review: Pie Iron

Manufacturer: Rome

Product: The Original Rome Pie Iron

Have you seen the number of people hitting the road this summer. Car Camping is back in vogue! It took a pandemic, and the general 2020ness of 2020, but here we are. Tents are flying off the shelves, new couples are losing their shit about how to put on a rain fly, and Yogi & Boo Boo are back on top of the world.

Responsible social distancing and reprieve in nature seem to work in unison, and theDIHEDRAL is here to consummate that marriage with a perfect wedding gift and regrettable metaphors!

To all camping newcomers – aside from a tent, some bug spray, a headlamp, a sleeping bag, a sleep pad, a deck of cards, first aid kit, a box of matches, a small axe, a knife, extra batteries, a lantern, some camp chairs, hand sanitizer, a hammock, a camp pillow, a sleeping bag liner, aside from all these, the most essential camp gear is a Pie Iron.

Now before you click away and think you would be fine with a stick and a roll of tin foil, hear me out. You probably would be fine with a stick and tin foil, but fine is for through hikers and ultra light backpackers. This is the world of car camping, and car camping can provide a little bouj!

Not all pie irons are created equal, if you aren’t rolling with cast iron you’re wasting your time and money, those knockoff teflon coated pie “irons” could barely handle a veggie dog let alone a hearty fire roasted meal fit for camping royalty.

You may be thinking to your self…’what’s so good about a pie iron, I mean doesn’t DoorDash deliver?’

STOP that! Excessive bouj isn’t a good look while camping, you want just the right amount of bouj, and that’s why a pie iron should be the eighteenth thing on your gear list. It’s perfect amount of glamour to portmanteau with camping. It’s the perfect amount of glamping!

Finally, what can you do with a pie iron? You can put food between bread, and make it hot. Granted that doesn’t sound like much, but it’s more that you think. Let me give you some of my favorites! Bring pizza sauces and mozzarella, and now you can make hot pockets in the fire. I like cheddar and sliced green chilis, boom the perfect grilled cheese. How about blueberry stuffed pancakes, or a toasted PBJ, use tortillas for a stuffed taco, or quesadilla. You can bake crescent rolls stuffed with peach preserves, or English Muffins stuffed with fresh raspberries and lemon curd. With a pie iron you will only be limited by your imagination. As a kid we used to stuff apple pie filling into cinnamon bread for delicious apple pie. Of course if you want to ditch the bread, you have a mini dutch oven, how does corn beef hash sound (Actually it sounds awful to me, but if your into that type of thing, go nuts). You can make eggs of all styles, and perfect s’mores, you can make potatoes au gratin, and white bread stuffed with beans – don’t judge, that tastes better than you think.

The point is you can make some really great food with very little effort or supplies. So as you’re gearing up for your first car camping experience, make sure to take it easy on your partner, a rain fly can be challenging, and go ahead and treat yourself to that Pie Iron, you’ll thank me in the long run.

Recommendation: Car Campers

Specs: Cast Iron construction, Casting measures 4.25″ x 4.5″  Overall length of 28″

Cost: Varies on Model and Store ($11.97 – $35.95)

Web-Site: RomePieIron.com

16 Replies to “Rome Pie Iron”

  1. Sarah Davis says: Reply

    Love it! I’m thinking of trying car camping, sleeping in back to my Subaru. Do you have any tips or can you direct me to some resources? Thanks.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thedihedral says: Reply

      If you are sleeping in the car, treat yourself with some extra amenities (Wine and Cheese for example – don’t forget a corkscrew), since you won’t have to carry the extra weight in your back pack. I’ve recently been turned on to the sea to summit sleeping bag liner, it’s useful for hot summer camping when you don’t need a full sleeping bag, and in the winter when you need some extra warmth. If you are brand new to car camping my best advice is to buy a camping storage container, and keep all your gear (flashlights, tools, first aid, cups, plates, TP) in it, then you just grab it and toss it into the Subaru when you’re ready to go. Everything is there pre-packed for you. Let us know if you have any specific questions or would like any more camping tips, we’d love to help!

      -Carrot

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Sarah Davis says:

        Awesome!!! What do you do for all the windows to reduce light? Besides the sleeping bag liner, how to you stay cool? I’m in Tennessee, so I don’t want to crack windows and let all the bugs in.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. thedihedral says:

        I was going to say crack the windows if possible. You could buy some mosquito netting and drape it over the windows you leave open (If you close it in the carder, it should stay on place, but that is a tough one in the summer in Tennessee. For the light, I use an eye cover. Mine is sea to summit, and so it’s a little more durable, but I’m sure any would do. That way you don’t have to worry about trying to cover all the windows. For privacy I have hung t-shirts or towels from the windows/doors, but for light I use the eye cover.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. thedihedral says: Reply

      It’s a luxury reserved for the car, but you will love it…they come with a little recipe book too, not that you’ll need it, but it’s a fun little add on!

      Like

  5. PeteB says: Reply

    Jaffles are amazing when camping. Thank you for reminding people about them. As they are so tasty and easy to make but always forgotten about. Though just a warning. If you put tomatoes in there then you will burn off the top of your mouth.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. kymlucas says: Reply

    Love our pie iron, though we have the round kind. This trip we ended up splitting it and using like two little pans for our burgers. And I’ve made chocolate croissants in it (chocolate and crescent rolls). No one but me liked them so I had to eat them all. Shame.

    Liked by 1 person

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