The Allure Of COLD Pizza - What Am I Missing???

Fresh and hot, please. If the pizza was good enough there won't be left-overs. If it wasn't good enough the left-overs aren't worth saving.

Very well said Daniel! My thoughts exactly but expressed much better than my "stream of thought" rambling...

Jeff

Jeff, not a fan of cold pizza either. Just seeing it in the fridge turns me off.
However, I have been known to dip into a pan of cold lasagna from the night before. Somehow that tastes pretty good to me! (Of course, I'd still RATHER have it hot.)

Oh yes, I love lasagna! I do need to warm it up if it has been in the refrigerator but I can enjoy lasagna much easier than pizza in leftover terms. Must be that pasta "retains itself" more deliciously to me than bread/dough does when chilled, I don't know...

Jeff

Jeff - I am not a fan of cold pizza either. I just find it greasy and gummy.

I'd say just the opposite. Hot is greasy, cold isn't.

I almost never have pizza with meat, so that reduces the grease quotient when hot. Those litle pieces of pepperoni that turn into grease cups gross me out.

I think that touches on part of the un-appeal of cold pizza for me as well. I don't care for how the grease/fat/cheeses harden and solidify to the point where its texturally and visibly noticeable. It reminds me of when you make a big pot of chili or beef roast or something and then chill it as leftovers - when you go to re-heat it there's that film of hardened grease/fat in it. As flavor its, of course, essential and always there but its still something that turns me off when I can visibly see it solidified and chilled. Now when its fresh, hot and the grease is "liquified", then yummy! In that state it's just an "ignorance is bliss" kind of thing...

Much like a good hot dog - it can be one of the most delicious food items so long as one doesn't literally THINK about what it truly is when you're eating it.

Jeff

Well I can't say I've ever met or recieved personal breakfast recommendations directly from Mr. Bernays. But if his "picks" are all the above breakfast foods versus cold pizza, then I would gladly follow his way of thinking! Just far more variety and comfort to me in the former selections. I just don't like cold pizza as "breakfast". That's just my own humble opinion of course.

It was his pick that now has you eating bacon and eggs in the morning. He was hired to make you want to eat that breakfast. He was damn good. And about as evil as a person can get.

Case Study: Bacon for Breakfast

It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when having bacon and eggs for breakfast was unheard of. Prior to the 1920s Americans saw bacon as a staple of lunch or dinner. Back then, a typical breakfast consisted of toast and a cup of coffee. However, a company called Beech-Nut Packing needed to boost sales of their bacon and asked PR man Edward Bernays for help. Rather than push the product through traditional means (billboard and magazine ads), Bernays took on the monumental task of creating an entirely new market for his client.

He started by commissioning a research study of the eating habits of Americans, and then found a doctor who concluded that, since the body loses energy during the night, a robust breakfast was preferable to a light breakfast. Bernays then sent the survey and the doctor’s recommendations to 5,000 physicians, along with a publicity packet touting Beech-Nut bacon and eggs as a hearty breakfast. Soon physicians were recommending bacon and eggs to their patients and word of mouth – the most coveted form of advertising in the world – spread throughout the United States. And just like that, Beech-Nut’s profits soared and the all-American breakfast of bacon and eggs was born.

It was a stroke of genius so well hidden that even now, most people don’t know the real story behind their favorite breakfast treat. Today, this type of marketing would fall under the term “Blue Ocean Strategy” and is attributable to the success of Cirque du Soleil, the Home Depot stores, and the Nintendo Wii. But in Bernays’ day, there was no buzzword to describe this innovative marketing ploy because he was the first person to employ it.

Piling on to agree with all those who say that pizza gets too gummy when cold.

That said, pizza is so good that I can enjoy it in its dimished state and have been known to eat it cold when there were no other options.

But, when I make pizza at home, usually I even put the last slices back in the oven because they've cooled off too much while eating the rest of the pizza.

I love cold pizza and eat it for breakfast...or lunch. If I do warm it, it goes in the nuker for 10 seconds only. But usually it is cold Mine is always a thin crust with minimal toppings. I also love cold stuffed cabbage rolls and will eat them for breakfast. Why you ask? Don't know, I just do!

Well I can't say I've ever met or recieved personal breakfast recommendations directly from Mr. Bernays. But if his "picks" are all the above breakfast foods versus cold pizza, then I would gladly follow his way of thinking! Just far more variety and comfort to me in the former selections. I just don't like cold pizza as "breakfast". That's just my own humble opinion of course.

It was his pick that now has you eating bacon and eggs in the morning. He was hired to make you want to eat that breakfast.

I guess all I'm saying is, better that he was hired to promote "bacon and eggs" as breakfast than cold pizza! Again, that's just my humble opinion as to what TASTES better/more comforting to me.

Now whether it's "right" or healthy for cereals, bacons, eggs, pancakes etc to be the delicious breakfast foods they are (to my taste) is certainly a whole other issue. As is any "bad" yet savory food. But I wasn't even here when the above items were NOT a part of the typical standard breakfast so I really can't change or apologize for the pleasure or coming about of their use. It's just what I'm familar with and, thus, naturally love.

I did enjoy the article though! Indeed, I wasn't aware that the emergence of bacon and eggs as a breakfast staple was due to this.

Jeff

I love it. Generally not cold, but at room temperature. To me, it still tastes great even though the cheese is no longer gooey and the sauce is no longer hot. Not all pizzas work well this way - I find that the basic American style stuff (think Round Table and its ilk) is best suited for this. If the crust is too thin it gets too hard too fast and some deep dish pizzas are too wet to do well the next morning. But basic American pizza and what they call "New York" style out here work great. I personally can't see how anyone can't not like it!

Round Table any style sucks IMHO. Not a fan of cold pizza made by anybody.

Prefer hot pizza, but I've eaten cold pizza many times w/o any problem. The secret in such cases is to consider the item to be a different food. After all, you eat cold cheese, tomatoes and sliced meat in sandwiches w/o having to heat it.

I guess all I'm saying is, better that he was hired to promote "bacon and eggs" as breakfast than cold pizza! Again, that's just my humble opinion as to what TASTES better/more comforting to me.


Jeff

Maybe this is part of the difference between us, Jeff. I don't like bacon and eggs for breakfast. Of course, bacon is tasty anytime, but it's a bit much for me in the morning. Combine that with a couple of eggs and I end up feeling mildly ill. Something that combines starch with protein and some fat (like pizza) sits much better with me when I'm eating before 11 AM or so.

I guess all I'm saying is, better that he was hired to promote "bacon and eggs" as breakfast than cold pizza! Again, that's just my humble opinion as to what TASTES better/more comforting to me.


Jeff

Maybe this is part of the difference between us, Jeff. I don't like bacon and eggs for breakfast. Of course, bacon is tasty anytime, but it's a bit much for me in the morning. Combine that with a couple of eggs and I end up feeling mildly ill. Something that combines starch with protein and some fat (like pizza) sits much better with me when I'm eating before 11 AM or so.

Hi Mike. I can understand that aspect of it. If the truth be known, I don't routinely eat breakfast when I'm supposed to be eating breakfast. If I can help it, I'm always busy sleeping when I should be eating breakfast. I'm much more likely to have those "bacon and eggs" around that 11-12 hour or sometimes even as a dinner! I, too, can't handle much substantial food FIRST thing in the morning. But cold pizza would be just as hard on my stomach at say, 8am as any eggs, cereal or (modest) bacon would be. In fact pizza is generally more "substantial" on my stomach, just generally speaking. But I know peoples stomachs are wired differently as well.

But most of my preference for eggs, cereal, pancakes, bacon etc over cold pizza is admittedly one just born out of what I like the taste of better combined with memories and familiarity. We often make scrambled eggs and bacon as a Christmas morning style tradition. Then there's the countless memories of having omelettes or French toast at hotels on family vacations or at a grandparents house. And I can't help but have more "emotional" connections to the scent of bacon frying when waking up in the morning - much like coffee - it just seems more "right" to me personally, not to mention much more varied and delicious! I simply don't have such warm memories or cravings for cold pizza.

Of course, if WARM and fresh as a DINNER, then its definitely an indulgent favorite!

Jeff

I guess all I'm saying is, better that he was hired to promote "bacon and eggs" as breakfast than cold pizza! Again, that's just my humble opinion as to what TASTES better/more comforting to me.


Jeff

Maybe this is part of the difference between us, Jeff. I don't like bacon and eggs for breakfast. Of course, bacon is tasty anytime, but it's a bit much for me in the morning. Combine that with a couple of eggs and I end up feeling mildly ill. Something that combines starch with protein and some fat (like pizza) sits much better with me when I'm eating before 11 AM or so.

Hi Mike. I can understand that aspect of it. If the truth be known, I don't routinely eat breakfast when I'm supposed to be eating breakfast. If I can help it, I'm always busy sleeping when I should be eating breakfast. I'm much more likely to have those "bacon and eggs" around that 11-12 hour or sometimes even as a dinner! I, too, can't handle much substantial food FIRST thing in the morning. But cold pizza would be just as hard on my stomach at say, 8am as any eggs, cereal or (modest) bacon would be. In fact pizza is generally more "substantial" on my stomach, just generally speaking. But I know peoples stomachs are wired differently as well.

But most of my preference for eggs, cereal, pancakes, bacon etc over cold pizza is admittedly one just born out of what I like the taste of better combined with memories and familiarity. We often make scrambled eggs and bacon as a Christmas morning style tradition. Then there's the countless memories of having omelettes or French toast at hotels on family vacations or at a grandparents house. And I can't help but have more "emotional" connections to the scent of bacon frying when waking up in the morning - much like coffee - it just seems more "right" to me personally, not to mention much more varied and delicious! I simply don't have such warm memories or cravings for cold pizza.

Of course, if WARM and fresh as a DINNER, then its definitely an indulgent favorite!

Jeff

Mike, here's a way to get your bacon, starch & fat with some cheese thrown in - a bacon & cheese sandwich on toast with mayo. I grew up on these & they're good any time of the day.

Jeff, I get the emotional connection to food. One of my bacon memories is of walking on the beach as a kid with my Mom before breakfast and smelling bacon cooking. Needless to say, we had bacon too.

How about a Quesadilla for breakfast? We usually have fruit, toast, and juice during the week and something with eggs on the weekend. Breakfast Quesadillas are a favorite here:

The amount of each ingredient really depends on how hungry you are:

1 large or small flour tortilla per person
Grated cheese for each tortilla, jack or cheddar
Ground beef, chorizo, or spicy Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked
Salsa - mild, medium, or hot according to your taste
Scrambled eggs
Diced or sliced avocado
Sour cream

Turn your griddle up to about 400°. Have all the ingredients ready, except the scrambled eggs. Put the tortillas on the griddle. Start the scrambled eggs. Heap the grated cheese on the tortillas; next the cooked meat. Spoon on the salsa. The scrambled eggs should be done by now so put some of those on each tortilla.
Slide the tortilla off the griddle and onto the plate; fold the tortilla in half on the plate and garnish with avocado and some sour cream.

Sounds good to me Katie!

I enjoy quesadillas. I don't know that my stomach would be up for them as a true breakfast item but they still sound delicious! If I HAD to eat at 8am, I'd definitely prefer one or two of those to the cold pizza...

Jeff

Sounds good to me Katie!

I enjoy quesadillas. I don't know that my stomach would be up for them as a true breakfast item but they still sound delicious! If I HAD to eat at 8am, I'd definitely prefer one or two of those to the cold pizza...

Jeff

Well, we don't eat 'breakfast' on weekends until about 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. More like 'brunch'.

[Jenise]

Sounds good to me Katie!

I enjoy quesadillas. I don't know that my stomach would be up for them as a true breakfast item but they still sound delicious! If I HAD to eat at 8am, I'd definitely prefer one or two of those to the cold pizza...

Jeff

Well, we don't eat 'breakfast' on weekends until about 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. More like 'brunch'.

Katie,

Several out of town trips commencing in Bellingham in the last three months have left me stuck at SeaTac for 2-3 hours in the early hours waiting for my next flight. If you are ever so inconvenienced and are not already a fan, I highly reccomend having a breakfast burrito at the Mexican restaurant in the food court--can't think of the exact name but it's something like Qdoba. At least based on every flight I took in 2009, no airport in America has anything as good. You choose your own ingredients--all are very fresh and healthy (for Mexican food, their staple filling is chicken they grill right there behind the counter all day) and their salsas are outstanding (I like the habanero). At breakfast, they offer a lean meat chorizo. Bob has his with scrambled eggs and I get mine with fried potatoes (not an egg eater). Between this concession and Vino Vola, we are truly blessed up here in terms of airport food and drink.

I don't particularly enjoy cold or even warmed over pizza, but I do enjoy a LOT of left overs. In fact, I have a philosophy that if one make a new dish from leftovers, they aren't leftovers any more. For instance if I turn leftover corned beef into hash, it "ain't" leftovers, any more. If I use leftover pot roast in a pot of veg/beef soup it "ain't" leftovers, any more. If I save what veggies I have left in the bowl after dinner and gather them for a week or so and then use them in the veg/beef soup, they "ain't" leftovers, any more. Your Mileage May Vary of course.

Sounds good to me Katie!

I enjoy quesadillas. I don't know that my stomach would be up for them as a true breakfast item but they still sound delicious! If I HAD to eat at 8am, I'd definitely prefer one or two of those to the cold pizza...

Jeff

Well, we don't eat 'breakfast' on weekends until about 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. More like 'brunch'.

Katie,

Several out of town trips commencing in Bellingham in the last three months have left me stuck at SeaTac for 2-3 hours in the early hours waiting for my next flight. If you are ever so inconvenienced and are not already a fan, I highly reccomend having a breakfast burrito at the Mexican restaurant in the food court--can't think of the exact name but it's something like Qdoba. At least based on every flight I took in 2009, no airport in America has anything as good. You choose your own ingredients--all are very fresh and healthy (for Mexican food, their staple filling is chicken they grill right there behind the counter all day) and their salsas are outstanding (I like the habanero). At breakfast, they offer a lean meat chorizo. Bob has his with scrambled eggs and I get mine with fried potatoes (not an egg eater). Between this concession and Vino Vola, we are truly blessed up here in terms of airport food and drink.

We have a Qdoba here in Gig Harbor and I've eaten there. Yes, it is good.

There's a Qdoba near my home, but I've never tried it.
As for cold pizza, it holds no allure whatsoever to me.

put me down as one of the distinct minority.....

I admit - I like cold pizza. I like leftovers in general - happy eating almost anything cold. But cold pizza and a diet coke first thing in the morning? Heaven!

Someone made the point you have to consider it as a different food - I enjoy it for what it is, not comparing it to what it was when warm.

put me down as one of the distinct minority.....

I admit - I like cold pizza. I like leftovers in general - happy eating almost anything cold. But cold pizza and a diet coke first thing in the morning? Heaven!

Someone made the point you have to consider it as a different food - I enjoy it for what it is, not comparing it to what it was when warm.

Welcome to the club. We are totally unlike all these people here who never spent any time in a college dorm.

put me down as one of the distinct minority.....

I admit - I like cold pizza. I like leftovers in general - happy eating almost anything cold. But cold pizza and a diet coke first thing in the morning? Heaven!

Someone made the point you have to consider it as a different food - I enjoy it for what it is, not comparing it to what it was when warm.

Welcome to the club. We are totally unlike all these people here who never spent any time in a college dorm.

I spent plenty of time in college dorms, and I still hate cold pizza.

Somewhat related to my earlier post, about five years ago, when visiting my daughter, then residing in the San Francisco Bay area, I awoke at about 3 in the morning feeling famished. There on the kitchen table was half of a family-sized pizza left over from earlier. I looked at that pizza, the cheese with a somewhat glazed look, the tomato sauce with a bit of fat congealing at its edges, the pepperoni by now oozing grease. The pizza looked back at me. I put on trousers and a shirt, took her SUV to an all night pizza place, brought back a piping hot pepperoni pizza (double cheese) and settled down at the kitchen table. Before long daughter, her husband and their then 8 year old daughter had joined me. Husband and their daughter dug into the cold pizza. My own daughter and I managed to finish off the hot pizza with no problem at all. And yup, even with a bottle of Chianti Classico that I purchased at the pizza joint.

Hot pizza, yes! Cold pizza, no! Worst comes to worst drink the Chianti without the pizza.

Ye faithful curmudgeon
Rogov

If pittza was good cold ,the Americans would have already invented "Pittza Icecream"in 500 exciting flavours. With low fat versions for the "fadders"

Can I patent this idea?