In a recent trend report by Pizza Hut, pizza-lovers voted and came clean about the toppings that should be completely banned from pizza: fish (23%), beets (21%), blueberries (15%), plums (14%) and kiwis (14%). I understand where the hate for the sweeter ingredients is coming from (pineapple on pizza has been contested since the dawn of time), but I think the idea that they should be rid from pizza is worth reevaluating.
Take blackberry pizza for instance. It’s been on the rise with over 130K views on TikTok (and counting). The growing interest in this new food concept could be coming from the #haters, but all signs point to it being received with positive acclaim. After all, my generation (heyyy, Gen Z!) is all about finding new flavors, according to Rachel Antalek, the Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut.
“Younger pizza lovers in particular are seeking out bigger, bolder, more complex flavors,” she says. “This is a generation that can travel anywhere in the world on their phones and find all the latest culinary trends on social media. And, 40% of Gen Z has at least one parent born outside of the US, exposing them to a wealth of global flavors.”
Photo by solod_sha / PEXELS
Blackberry pizza lies in between the realm ofdessert pizza and traditional pies – you can pair it with bechamel or ricotta – you could even do a berry-infused sauce like this cool gal– honey, basil, or even habanero peppers. Any of these ingredients even out the sweetness of the blackberries to create the most delish slice! And trust me, it beats regular ol’ pepperoni.
“We’re seeing the blackberry pizza trend falling more into the sweet-savory category,” Antalek says. “It's all about layers of balanced flavor with sweet-tart blackberries, savory herbs and creamy cheese coming together to create something delicious.”
Image via Pizza Hut
Antalek would likely vouch for the aforementioned combo of blackberries and habaneros on pizza. In fact, Pizza Hut understands that the whole sweet n’ spicy thing (some call it “swicy”) isn’t just a food fad – it’s gonna be sticking around. The chain will start serving hot honey offerings via their Hot Honey Pizza + Hot Honey Wings starting in February.
If you’re not brave enough (YET!) to try blackberry pizza, Antalek offers some in-the-kitchen guidance to try out sweet + savory + spicy pairings for yourself:
“As exemplified by the tremendous success of our Hot Honey test that has evolved into a nationwide rollout, we believe hot honey is a great introductory point for this trend,” she says. “And it’s pretty simple to try it at home on a pepperoni pizza with ingredients most people have in their pantry – a light dusting of cayenne pepper and a simple swirl of honey is a good place to start.”
And if fear of judgment is gooding you back, just remember, “the only wrong topping on a pizza is the one that you personally don’t enjoy. Lucky for us all, topping combinations are infinite and we’re in charge of our own flavor destiny!”
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