Latest news with #SamPanopoulos
Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- Indian Express
Gulab jamun paratha, rasgulla sabzi to Maggi momo, these food innovations are not for the faint hearted
I usually refrain from turning up my nose at any community's food, because I genuinely believe that food and spices are a window into the history and culture of a people. But I draw the line at dishes that seem to exist solely as an assault on the senses – creations that have nothing to do with culinary tradition. Gulab jamun parathas or rasgulla sabzi fall in that category. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for innovation in the kitchen. Without it, we wouldn't have French fries, baked Alaska, or even something as everyday as vada pav. But I do think innovation should have some taste in it. Pun fully intended. This week, I've decided to list all the culinary eccentricities I've come across after seeing yet another video criticising one of my favourite innovations, the Hawaiian pizza. Now, you either love pineapple on your pizza or you don't. I fall firmly in the first camp. I enjoy how the sweet pineapple cuts through the sharpness of the cheese, the saltiness of the ham, and the spiciness of the pizza sauce. Yet, I know many who would rather go hungry than eat Hawaiian pizza. It takes me back to a childhood appetiser I was once served at a friend of my parents' house – cubes of cheese, pineapple, and olives skewered on toothpicks. The pineapple was the surprise element, and in a good way. A post shared by Sarah Hussain (@zingyzest) Hawaiian pizza was not invented in Hawaii. It was created in 1962 in Canada by a Greek-born chef named Sam Panopoulos. The name came from the brand of canned pineapple he used. And honestly, after trying the monstrosity that is Chicago's deep-dish pizza, I'll take Hawaiian any day. In its own way, Hawaiian pizza reminds me of another oddball 'delicacy' – the American chopsuey, which my father adored. It is crispy noodles topped with a slightly sweet tomato-based vegetable sauce thickened with cornstarch. No Chinese person has likely ever eaten it, but it was a huge hit in the 80s and 90s. That said, some food 'innovations' truly baffle me. Case in point: Momo Pizza. I haven't had the courage to order it, and I doubt I ever will. The photo alone was enough. Pizza slices were twisted at one edge around a single momo per slice. This was then baked, which means the momo covering was crisped up. Who is ordering this? Now that I've mentioned momos, what in heaven's name are Maggi momos? Who came up with it? This is not Maggi noodles cooked with momos in it. It's quite the opposite – it's momos filled with Maggi noodles. If the salt content doesn't kill you, the carbohydrates and your dying senses surely will. Tandoori momos look so frightening, both as a concept and in their lurid red looks, you have to marvel at the people who order these. There are, of course, combinations which I don't understand, but others swear by. Malai cheeni toast is one of them. It's India's answer, and a vegetarian one at that, to the French toast. Thick slices of bread are slathered with butter and toasted, then topped with a thick layer of cream and sprinkled with sugar. Instant heart attack on a toast. I shouldn't scoff though, because Jamie Oliver – the chef who revolutionised school meals in the United Kingdom, written multiple cookbooks, hosted many more television shows, and has multitudinous restaurants in his name, recently put up a video of ice cream with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt! The sea salt I understand, but EVOO on ice cream? And just after that, I saw a reel showing a mango-Coke float – mango pieces muddled in a glass and topped with Coke. Why? My uncle used to relish having boiled rice with ghee and ketchup. So really, there's no accounting for taste. And if the British – with all their stiff upper lips – can eat blood pudding and call it a delicacy, then why should rasgulla sabzi be singled out? Write in or tweet to me and share the strangest food combinations you've ever tried or come across. Author of The Sweet Kitchen, and chef-owner of Food For Thought Catering ... Read More
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Unusual 2-Ingredient Upgrade A Small Midwestern Chain Gave Hawaiian Pizza
Pizza is ubiquitous. Estimates say that 350 slices are eaten every second in the United States, so it's almost hard to believe it's only enjoyed mainstream popularity since the 1940s. In fact, when Canadian restaurateur Sam Panopoulos introduced pizza to his menu in the early 1960s, it was relatively unheard of. Panopoulos quickly grew bored with the common pizza toppings of the time and decided to switch things up by adding ham and pineapple. The result was a definitive — if controversial — success, and Hawaiian pizza was born. While the classic Hawaiian pizza toppings remain ham and pineapple, some creative pizzerias put their own spin on the pie. Donatos Pizza, for example, adds some "not-so-secret ingredients": cinnamon and sliced almonds. Donatos, founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1963, now has close to 425 locations in 28 states. This number includes 175 Donatos restaurants and about 300 partnership locations. The chain is known for its famous thin crust and, as stated on its website, a dedication "To serve the best pizza and make your day a little better." In addition to the cinnamon and sliced almonds, Donatos' Hawaiian pie comes with smoked provolone, shaved ham and pineapple. While it comes on the thin crust by default, you can also request a thicker crust, hand-tossed crust, cauliflower crust, or a more traditional gluten-free option. Other Twists To Pineapple Pizza Although pineapple on pizza is hotly debated (Icelandic President Guðni Jóhannesson stirred up international outrage in 2017 by saying he wished he could ban it as a topping option), putting fruit on pizza (or at least, pizza's culinary ancestors) is a historical concept that dates back at least 2,000 years. And while Panopoulos didn't invent Hawaiian pizza until the 1960s, a similar idea, Toast Hawaii (ham, cheese, pineapple and a maraschino cherry on white bread) was trending in Europe several years before. So, love it or hate it, pineapple pizza is perhaps both inevitable and here to stay. Besides Donatos' spiced and crunchy twist, other pizza restaurants have not only embraced the Hawaiian pizza, they've added their own intriguing takes. Hideaway Pizza, a popular chain with locations in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, puts canned mandarin orange slices on its Maui Magic specialty pizza. Tandoori Pizza, known primarily for its Indian-inspired flavors, adds pineapple to its BBQ Chicken Pizza. Even Pizza Hut, although not one of the best fast food pizza chains, thinks outside the box by foregoing the ham for chicken (and bell peppers) on its Hawaiian Chicken Pizza. And Mellow Mushroom has not one, but two, pineapple pizzas: the Pacific Rim (with the notable addition of jalapeños) and the Maui Wowie, which substitutes red sauce for pesto and kicks up the heat with jerk chicken and banana peppers.
BBC News
09-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
National Pizza Day - What are the most common myths?
Pizza is a hugely popular topic on social media. In fact, there are more than 75 million Instagram posts with the hashtag # also a firm favourite in the UK, with a 2024 Mintel report revealing that 65% of Britons either dined in or ordered takeaway pizza in the previous how much do we really know about this fast-food favourite?Was Hawaiian pizza really invented in Hawaii? Did pizza originate in America? And, is pepperoni an Italian topping?When is National Pizza Day?National Pizza Day is on 9 February each year and was created back in 2000 to celebrate one of the most famous dishes in the these pizza facts or myths? 1. Hawaiian pizza was invented in Hawaii It's a myth!Pineapple on pizza is a controversial topic that's hotly debated. It is however, one of the main ingredients on a 'Hawaiian pizza'. The pizza – which tends to split opinion among foodies – usually consists of cooked ham or bacon, pineapple and cheese on a tomato sauce base. But where was it invented?Hawaiian pizza most likely wasn't invented in Hawaii – but instead, the popular version we know today is believed to have originated in in the mid-1950s, the term 'Hawaiian' was used to describe pizzas topped with fruit, however the pineapple version became popular after Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos and his brothers started serving it in 1962 at their restaurant in brothers first added pizza to their restaurant's menu following a trip to Naples and, according to a BBC interview with Panopoulos, as he became increasingly adventurous with the dish, the restauranteur decided to add pineapple to a pizza with ham. It proved a success with customers and became known as a Hawaiian after the brand of tinned pineapple that was used.2. Pizza originated in America It's a myth!While the US has given us some classic variations on pizza, such as the New York, Chicago and Detroit, the origins of the dish stretch much further which are often considered a forerunner to pizza, have been around for thousands of years in the Middle East. In Ancient Greece, flatbreads known as plakous were baked in mud ovens and often topped with oil, spices, garlic and cheese - similar to modern focaccia residents from Greece settled in a new city called Parthenope – in the area now known as Naples - they brought their recipes with them, and the word pizza was first documented in 997 AD in Gaeta, a city just north of the region. In the late 18th century the idea of takeaway pizza was popularised by street vendors in Naples who sold pizzas with simple toppings such as garlic and popularity of pizza around the globe is credited to a number of factors, including the migration of 26 million Italians who left Italy in search of work in countries throughout Europe and in the US between 1870 and 1970. North-east America saw a huge number of pizzerias opening in the 1970s – almost half of which were operated by Greek end of the second world war is also often seen as a factor because of the return of Allied forces who served in wartime Italy, however, this is disputed by others who say pizza would have been in short supply in Italy at this time.3. Pepperoni comes from Italy It's a myth!A Dailybase study from September 2024 ranks pepperoni as the UK's favourite pizza topping, but where did it come from?According to Tasting Tables - an American media brand - pepperoni is believed to have been invented by Italians who came to the United States in the early 20th century. The sausage was created by adding paprika and chilli-based spices to dry salami, with the spices giving pepperoni its distinctive red Italy, finding 'pepperoni' on a pizza is rare. Instead they serve up a 'Diavola' pizza which comes topped with spicy salami - this pizza is also popular in other parts of the world. The word 'peperoni' in Italian (pepperoni without the extra p) actually means bell pepper, so be careful you know what you're ordering if you're on holiday in Italy! When reading comments and seeing posts online, it's worth using multiple sources to check any facts or opinions for bias and when it comes to food and drink, make sure that you also consider nutrition and health advice from professionals and trusted sources. It's also worth making sure you double check the source. Using a reliable source can help you decide whether or not a post or comment is article was published in February 2025
