It's no surprise that we love pizza, and that though cheese and tomatoes on the baked bread sound simple, the dish speaks to our hearts and mouths and fills us with joy.
Of course, many dishes like pizza have many variations. But nothing has taken the foodie community by storm quite like the Hawaiian pizza.
The use of pineapples on the Hawaiian pizza has polarised the foodie community with many of them strongly criticising it.
They said the use of pineapples on the pizza does not give them a satisfactory experience.
Chefs agreed that things like this might happen to them, as the extra sweetness and acidity don't go well with the tomato sauce, giving them an acidic eating experience.
Some might even dislike the pizza only because they do not like the soggy crust due to the use of the pineapples on it or the wet, slimy texture of canned pineapple slices, they added.
And such things happen only when pizzerias cannot balance the sweet and savoury elements of the pizza, sometimes regardless of the use of pineapples on the dish, the chefs noted.
Many pizza lovers also have the same opinion as chefs about the use of pineapples on the pizza.
“Pineapples make everything of the pizza better,” she said, adding that it adds a sweet tangy taste to the pizza,” said Nashita Behroz, a graduate from North South University (NSU).
Hasibul Kadir, a student from Manarat and a full-time pizza fanatic, said, “The use of pineapples on the pizza is not a yes or no question.
“If applied properly on a tropical fruit pizza, it tastes good. But if put with meat like in burgers and pizzas, it tastes bad. The sweetness with the citrus doesn't sit well with it.”
The texture is also important. Using canned pineapple slices saturated with sugar will always turn up a wrong texture, he added.
Food science doesn't define our food preferences. It’s very much a personal thing. That's why I recently conducted a small survey to see what the word is like on the streets. It turns out the results aren't much extreme.
Out of all the people who had tried pineapples on the pizza before, 70 per cent said they'd try it again. Even some who haven't tried it before are open to tasting it. It looks like the hate for pineapples on the pizza is not much wide.
A rang of answers also came from the survey detailing the tanginess of pineapples and how it complements the rich and meaty flavour.
Some respondents said they love the fruity punch and extra juiciness to the dry crust. This proves that when made with love and care, pineapples on the pizza can taste fabulous!
Some lovingly mentioned the slimy texture of the pineapple slices, while others speak of its lacklustre taste and clashing flavours with the rest of the pizza.
All these things mean that when made with genuine skills, pineapples can be a delightful topping. And it can elevate an otherwise regular pizza to new heights of flavour and ingenuity.
Seeam Marjan is currently finishing up his A levels from Manarat Dhaka International College. Email: [email protected]
