Open Post: Hosted By Pepsi-Flavored Pepperoni
The pizza wars have always been hotter than a slice cooked at 500˚F. Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papa John’s, Little Caesar’s, and your local pizza joint are always coming up with new ideas for snatching the coins out of your wallet. Some work (Pizza Hut’s stuffed crust) while others don’t (Papa John’s John Schnatter’s sweaty interviews). Well, it looks like Pepsi’s getting into the stunt game by unveiling its unholy creation for the humble cheesy pie: Pepsi-flavored pepperoni a.k.a Pepsi-roni!
If you’ve ever spilled your diet soda onto your pizza dinner, ate a slice, and thought, “Hm, this is really tasty!” then Pepsi has tailor-made its bizarre concoction for just you, you freak! If you’re planning on making your own version tonight, you might wanna hold on to your can. Pepsi-flavored pepperoni is a bit more complicated than spritzing some soda on meat, apparently. Food & Wine explains what goes into the delicacy:
Launching on May 20, the Pepsi-Roni Pizza is billed as “a complete reimagining of this American staple.” And though Pepsi-infused pepperoni may sound like it was dreamt up by someone with late night munchies, the soda giant actually turned to the experts to get the job done: the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
Working with CIA Consulting (the school’s business arm) Pepsi and CIA chefs undertook “painstaking research and innovation to find the optimal way to infuse pepperoni with Pepsi,” according to the soda brand. The final recipe replaced pepperoni’s usual water content with a reduction of Pepsi Zero Sugar resulting in “a delightfully sweet and citrusy Pepsi kick [that] complements the salty, fatty, umami flavors of smoked pepperoni.”
“The concept is quite simple. Pepperoni brings a smokey spiciness and the Pepsi adds a citrusy sweetness,” David Kamen, director of client experience for CIA Consulting, stated in the announcement. “It’s an intriguing combination we think pizza fans will be excited to try.”
The second coming of pizza was served for free in New York City this past week and will be terrorizing other cities such as LA, Detroit, Miami, and Chicago during its US tour. Reactions about the announcement appear to be mixed on social media, but a few people are saying the pizza isn’t too disgusting. I suppose I can understand that sweet and salty can go together, but as a Coke and real sugar fan, I don’t think I personally could stomach the combo. I guess it does save you on time since you don’t have to be gulping down soda while eating your ‘za. So I guess if you’re high or simply a businessperson on the go that can’t waste their precious time drinking and eating simultaneously, then the Pepsi-roni Pizza is for you!
Pic: PepsiCo