It has been a topic of discussion amongst pizza lovers over the decades and there has always been a divide in the world. Is pineapple an acceptable pizza topping?
So, what’s the origin of Hawaiian pizza?
The modern pizza evolved from dishes created in Naples, Italy in the 18th and 19th centuries. But, the Hawaiian pizza was not an Italian invention. Plus, despite the name being similar to the US island state of Hawaii, there is also no connection to the Americas.
Pizza was actually created in Canada in 1962 by a Greek immigrant called Sam Panopoulos who owned a restaurant in Ontario. Inspired by a recent trip to Naples, Panopoulos decided to introduce pizza to the menu that first started off with basic toppings like pepperoni and bacon, and eventually included more adventurous combinations like sweet and sour chicken and pineapple. Soon, he discovered that it was a sweet and savoury winner with his customers because at the time, it resembled flavours of Tiki culture.
The combination spread across North America, but pineapple pizza has remained controversial. One of the arguments is that it’s a fruit so it has no place with pizza. But, then one might use the fact that some consider tomatoes and cucumbers a fruit too and they can be found on pizza. Others claim that it’s a crime against science because of the double acidity with pineapples and tomato sauce being combined together.
But in the end, I feel that when it comes to pizza, the toppings are a personal choice and that technically anything can be put on a pizza, as long as it’s edible and to the liking of the tastebuds for the person eating it. So, love or hate it, pineapples on pizza are here to stay. And just so you know, my favourite pizza is Hawaiian.