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Any Way You Slice It: Talking Time's Top 50 Pizza Toppings

Lokii said:
I love an anise but I'm having a hard time conceiving the flavor combined with tomato sauce and cheese
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The pizzas I've had with fennel generally use a base other than red sauce. Usually olive oil and garlic or a garlic white sauce.
 
Issun said:
#48
Monical's Seasoning Blend
35 Points, 1 Vote (Torzelbaum)
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Monical's is apparently a very Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin) pizza chain
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Monical's started in downstate/Central Illinois and most of the locations are in small to medium-sized cities. I have been eating Monical's pizza my entire life. It has a lot of nostalgia for me from all of the times I've eaten there with friends and family or gotten their pizza solo. I consider it to be a quintessential pizza place.

Kalista said:
I'm a twenty years Wisconsinite and haven't heard of Monical's. looks it up ah, just one location in the state, and nowhere near me, alas.
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Monical's is good pizza but I can't recommend taking a trip just to get it. Stop if it's on your way or nearby.
 
#46
Corn
38 Points, 2 Lists, Highest Vote: JBear (#14)
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I, myself, have never had corn on pizza, though I can see how it would work well with the right base and toppings. The mildly sweet crunch could pair well with spicier ingredients and, in fact, Johnny Unusual (our other corny voter) specified Mexican Street Corn, which consists of corn with mayo and or a crema, spices (at least cayenne pepper, with possible others as well), lime and cotija. A street corn pizza sounds like it would be really good if done right.

Looking around Google it was surprising how many people get very mad at the concept of corn on pizza. Oh well, can't please everyone.
 
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#45
Meatballs
39 Points, 2 Lists, Highest Vote: Purple (#15)
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Meatballs are what it says on the tin. There are many variants around the world but we're specifically talking about the Italian style. Meatballs usually consist of ground meat (beef, pork, or a combination thereof usually, though ground chicken is also popular) with a bonding agent, usually breadcrumbs, mixed in with any desired seasonings. They are usually added to pasta dishes so it makes sense to have them on pizza as well. Meatballs on pizza tend to be smaller than ones you would find in spaghetti for obvious reasons, but they can really liven up a pie with otherwise mundane ingredients.
 
I had meatballs at #18 on my list. They're a nice change of pace without being too far out there for my tastes.

Issun said:
Meatballs on pizza tend to be smaller
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I've also seen them cut in half and placed flat side down so that you don't have to worry about losing the poor things.
 
Issun said:
specified Mexican Street Corn, which consists of corn with mayo and or a crema,
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The thing is about corn in general is when it is not on the cob, I'm not a fan. There's something about niblets I don't like. Don't hate but its my less liked way to consume corn. But I love Mexican street corn. And this Summer I had a fantastic Mexican Street Corn pizza in a little restaraunt called the Pink Crow in Charlottetown. Delicious.

When I was living in South Korea, corn was actually on EVERY kind of pizza you order, pretty much. That said, the taste on those is... well, you can barely taste them. I think the freeze drying process or whatever did something to them.
 
I am a firm believer that most pizzas are improved by a bit of sweetness, as represented by somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of my list, and corn is a solid choice for that.
 
I’m not mad about corn on pizza, but like chicken, it’s an ingredient for people who aren’t me. It does feel like corn has become more widely accepted in the west recently, especially as that Mexican street corn gets more popular, since the early days when it was a “look at the crazy toppings Japan puts on pizza” thing.

Meatballs just seem like a more awkward than usual way to put meat on pizza, though I suppose the method Torz described would work fine.
 
Kirin said:
Meatballs just seem like a more awkward than usual way to put meat on pizza, though I suppose the method Torz described would work fine.
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Yeah, that's sort of where I'm at. I've never had meatballs on a pizza, but I'm sure it's fine? I'd just as soon break those meatballs up into smaller pieces, though...
 
Oh, huh, meatballs. Kinda forgot about those, which shows you how often I order a pizza with 'em. I don't mind them but I would generally rather pivot to spaghetti if I had a hankering for them.
 
Also meatballs reminds me of the infamous “none pizza left beef” meme, even though that was probably technically sausage bits or something…
 
#44
Fresh Mozzarella
44 Points, 2 Lists, Highest Vote: RT-55J (#3)
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RT-55J voted for "Sliced Mozzarella" and I assumed they were talking about fresh mozzarella, which is the type that is usually sliced and put on pizza.

Fresh mozzarella has a higher moisture content than your run of the mill style, which makes it much softer. It also melts differently, making for a softer, even chewier than regular experience with a salty, briny flavor that can really enhance a basic cheese pizza. Screamin' Sicilian's "Bessies Revenge" is the best frozen cheese pizza you can find specifically because it has fresh mozzarella in addition to the shredded moz, cheddar, parmesan, and romano cheeses. Obviously this makes it very rich so it's hard to eat a lot at once.
 
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now, this one is my first "aw I shoulda included that in my list" hit. I do appreciate this stuff!
I have it much more frequently on its own or as part of a salad, but I would perk up if somebody suggested getting this as the day's star pizza option.
 
To be clear, in my mind, mozzarella is structurally part of a basic pizza. Aside from the extra cheese option it's not a topping to me. As for fresh, I can only think of one specific pizza that applies to regularly, the Neapolitan Margherita. It's not something I would request on its own.
 
The Margherita is certainly its native environment, but I’ve definitely used it as a component of build-your-own options too when available. Also shows up as “fior di latte” if the place is fancy and Italian, and then there’s the buffalo mozzarella variant which can be even creamier…
 
Kirin said:
The Margherita is certainly its native environment, but I’ve definitely used it as a component of build-your-own options too when available. Also shows up as “fior di latte” if the place is fancy and Italian, and then there’s the buffalo mozzarella variant which can be even creamier…
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Oh I'm not denying that, just stating my own experience. Besides, all the places I've ordered from never offer it anyways.
 
#43
Sundried Tomatoes
45 Points, 2 Lists, Highest Vote: #10 (Johnny Unusual)
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Sundried tomatoes are exactly that, a fruit (usually treated with sulfur dioxide like most dried fruits), but dried in the sun. This leaves them very sweet and chewy, with a taste very different from the basic tomato. They can even be paired with regular tomatoes, the two offering interesting contrasts in flavors. They go better with milder meats like ham or prosciutto than stronger flavors like pepperoni or salami, in my opinion, and the right combination of herbs can really make them pop.
 
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