Why Pineapples?
You bite it, it bites back: the fruit everyone loves to hate.
What did you say?
"What would you like on your pizza?" A question so simple, so basic and straightforward no one would have imagined it would lead to some of the most heated debates. I've never seen friends, family, and loved ones turned into enemies faster by saying one word...Pineapple. This one fruit can cause an entire office to shutdown simply for being mentioned.
While the exact date when pineapples made their debut on the fmailer circle cut into triangles in a square box are unknown. I mean really who would keep track of something like that? The date credited with this historic event is a lot more recent than you would have imagined. I suppose that is determined by your concept of time. Nevertheless it's age may not even be the biggest surprise. Doing some digging will leave you ( just like it did myself) scratching your head and saying "huh really?".
History 101
It all started way back in 1962 by a Greek canadian named Sam Panopoulos. Sam had a small little diner in Ontario, Canada where he and his brother served classic staples such as burgers and pancakes. One day inspired by a recent trip to Naples, Sam decided to add pizza to the menu. The world would never be the same.
Sam was known for experimenting with new ideas, so he decided to give pineapples with ham a shot. Not knowing whether or not customers would find is idea appealing or appalling. Thus, the three S trinity was born. Sam and customers learned that by taking a savory element, and combining it with something sweet and something salty, you get paradise.
Okay the last bit may have shown my bias a little but hey, at least I admitted it. Seriously though, Sam's customers were actually enjoying this new dish of pizza topped with pineapples and ham. He needed a name for this new found dish, so he turned to the star and inspiration.
Hawaii had just became an official American state in 1959 and island fever was still hot. The company canning the fruit Sam used was called Hawaiian. So in the Canadian spirit of friendship and respect, Sam named his pizza the Hawaiian Pizza; to honour the roots of the main ingredient.
Fast forward a few decades and we stand in the middle of a great war. Funny enough much like a pizza, the pineapple argument typically has three points or sides if you will. Those who enjoy pineapple, those who don't, and those who enjoy pineapple on pizza. If it's not already obvious, I am always down for a slice of pizza topped with pineapple, arugula, olive oil, feta cheese and shredded BBQ chicken thigh. Or I'll pretty much try anything if there's pineapples envolved.
Science 101
Pineapples main attraction has always fallen on two categories. How sweet it is, and how tart it is. Like most fruits we judge heavily on if like something or not based on how sweet or tart - sometimes labeled sour - it is. It's why some people prefer green grapes to red ones. Or white wine to red wine. Fresh pineapple juice vs. processed juice stands the same. The sweetness of processed pineapples has a mass appeal for the general public. It's easier to digest and some people even claim to use pineapple juice to substitute sugar in their dishes.
Now fresh pineapple has a significantly more tartness to it typically has pulp in it and can even be more expensive depending on who and where you buy it. The tartness of pineapple can be accounted for by bromelain, a mixture of two protein-digesting enzymes (called proteases), a corrosive chemical that breaks down amino acids (that's why pineapple is an effective and delicious meat tenderizer). This is also the reason our mouth and tongue feel tingly after diving into some fresh pineapple slices.
A study put out by the university Malaysia, from the Bioengineering department found that fresh pineapple juice when compared to processed pineapple juice. Fresh juice had more Magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). In an experiment using electrodialysis, researchers were able to pull out some of the tartness of pineapple juice and discovered the juice was actually becoming more acidic. You would assume removing acid from something would make it less acidic, this is why I never became a doctor... However, this did manage to also slightly increase its sweetness without adding other sweeteners. This is why I believe people do not like pineapple pizza. They simply can't get past the sweet taste on a pizza.
Graduation
So I encourage you, those who say no to pineapple pizza to try again. Grab a fresh pineapple and give it one more chance if not for yourself, than do it for Sam. A Greek Canadian immigrant who dared to be different and gifted the world a recipe that will forever live in food paradise.
Sources:
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.563.4704&rep=rep1&type=pdf
