HOW TO Get top marks for a pizza topping

Why cheese is the key to a great pizza topping.

For some, pizza is all about the base. Thin and crusty, deep dish, stuffed crust, al taglio’…we all have our favourites.

But whichever is likely to get our vote, we’re a lot more picky when it comes to the topping. Once there was the simple Margherita, or pepperoni, or the upstart Hawaiian. Now the world is your oyster. And yes, even oysters, especially the smoked variety, are fair game today.

However, the average pizza customer is unlikely to give a great deal of consideration to the most important pizza topping of them all…cheese.

Think pizza. Think cheese.

Of course, some pizzas don’t feature cheese in the traditional sense…vegan options, for example, along with those built on a Béchamel sauce.

But by far the huge majority of pizzas do boast a gloriously golden layer of cheese’s creamy goodness. And the way that cheese ‘performs’ is down so much more than taste.

It’s about texture. It’s about appearance. It’s even about the ‘theatre’ of pizza and the way it stretches when we pull it apart.

And it’s because cheese is so critical in making the perfect pizza, that Ornua Ingredients Europe has been working to perfect an entirely new process for producing cheese that will deliver outstanding results – time and time again.

Spinneyfields Consistent Shred™ – created specially for chefs

At their Ledbury facility, OIE has created TCS Technology™, an industry-leading breakthrough that now dominates the output of an entire production line.

TCS Technology™ allows pizza cheese to be produced in a way that was previously impossible, resulting in a remarkably consistent shred and an end product that’s exactly what chefs are looking for. Cheese with a mild, creamy, rich flavour, a generous even melt, reduced blistering, brilliant coverage and a fantastic stretch.

In fact, it’s everything you want from a pizza cheese…from appetite appeal to visual appeal. It’s even ideal for pizzas produced for delivery, simply because it stays softer and more palatable for longer.

And one more piece of good news…it’s a cost saver too, because TCS Technology™ means no fines which, in turn, cuts down significantly on wastage.

Ornua Ingredients Europe calls their new cheese Spinneyfields Consistent Shred™ …the latest addition to the newly-branded Spinneyfields range and already available as a premium Soft Melt Mozzarella and Cheddar blend and the added-value-for-money Pizza Topper.

Now for something completely different

So, now you know the secret of the perfect pizza cheese, the rest is down to what other toppings to add. And if you’re looking for a little extra inspiration, here are a final few insights into what will be ‘on trend’ in the months to come.

The flexitarian lifestyle is becoming more and more popular, with up to 45% of consumers saying meat-free options are now a factor in selecting an eating out venue. So vegetarian toppings are bigger business than ever.

Vegan demands are also growing, and OIE is promising some imminent big news on their exciting plant-based cheese alternatives.

All day breakfasts are here to stay as a menu staple too. So think about everything from the classic ‘full English’ ingredients to eggs benedict, from smoked salmon or mackerel to a kedgeree…but maybe without the rice!

And remember, travel influences our eating today. So replicating the flavours discovered in Thailand, India, Korea or Vietnam is all-important, as well as introducing some of the worldwide tastes and delights we now enjoy ‘tapas’ style.

There’s seemingly no limit to how you can top a pizza. But you have to go a long, long way to top cheese as the best topping of all,

Richard Thorpe is Head of Marketing for Ornua Ingredients Europe. For more insights and information on Spinneyfields Consistent Shred™, TCS Technology™, or the entire Spinneyfields range, email sales@spinneyfields.com

Comments

Are there any pizza trends you’ve noticed? Or would like to see? Anything that drives you mad? Let us know in the comments below.