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

While watching an episode of Family Feud on the Game Show Network, one question that was asked was, "What is a food that is just as good cold as it is hot?"

Of course, Pizza ended up as #1 on the board (about 37 out of a 100 surveyed gave this as their top choice).

The fact it was the top answer isn't what surprised me. I've long known cold pizza to be a very popular concept and favorite of many. I guess my own question is just what is the allure??

I simply don't enjoy it. To me it numbs the flavor and simply "freezes" and hardens the cheese/toppings to the point where it takes away what charms they were meant to deliver when fresh and warm out of the oven. I would go so far as to say I think of pizza exclusively as a fresh, out of the oven kind of food and that, to my taste, it is essentially un-revivable once it gets too removed from its warm fresh state.

I guess what puzzles me is that most of us would tend to agree with this with most warm foods. We all generally understand that hot foods are made "hot" for a reason and few if any ever are "appealing" when cold (or not fresh). Or else we wouldn't make them "hot" to begin with. I guess I wonder why pizza gets granted a seemingly popular exception? To me it is not only less enjoyable if cold but is no different than say, wanting your hot chocolate chilled overnight in the refrigerator or wanting to chill up your bowl of oatmeal overnight.

I'm not saying its "wrong" to like it of course. We all have different if not sometimes unique tastes and certainly I make no claims that my own tastes should be admired I even understand that some food items CAN be largely bi-temperature in their enjoyment. I like both warm and iced coffees/mochas for instance. I also see where deli style sandwhiches/subs can be enjoyed either hot or cold. But for pizza, I don't see the cold appeal at all. I would always take a pizza warm/fresh on its first hour of creation 100% of the time.

Does anyone here prefer their pizza cold (or at least greatly enjoy it)? Is there a genuine charm to chilling this otherwise legendary and scrumptious food that I'm just not seeing for some reason?

Jeff

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


Breakfast.

I'm with you, Jeff. I find pizza most appealing right out of the oven, and the cooler it gets the less I like it. Mind you, I have enjoyed cold pizza on occasion, and yes, even for breakfast. But I prefer it hot.

-Paul W.

Cold, then nuked gently to very warm but not steamy and limp, is good.

Cold, not so much... but maybe - depending on thin or thick, lotsa cheese or very little, and other toppings.

Thin crust with just sauce and not too much cheese I'll happily eat cold.

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


Breakfast.

Well then I'm even more puzzled!

When I think breakfast, I always think cereals, toasts, pancakes, eggs, hams, bacons and sausages. Those are always my top picks anyways. And the thing is, even if I decided I just had to have a pizza at 7am, I'd still rather it be warm (freshly made) than have it chilled.

Jeff

No, nadda, nay, never cold pizza. I've had it warmed up the next morning for breakfast, but only because the memory of the previous evening's dinner was so good. And afterwards I always swear never again.

Take it a step further. How many people bring part of their 'wonderful' restaurant dinner home to have later... but just can't get through the warmed up leftovers?

Cold, then nuked gently to very warm but not steamy and limp, is good.

Yes, while I find that even re-warming pizza the next day never really revives it as deliciously, I still would rather warm it back up than eat it cold. I'm one who will often have a piece or two extra when ordering a pizza just because I know it will never be as good the next day as it is now! That's kind of the heart of my puzzlement right there with cold pizza - I get the feeling that many look FORWARD to SAVING some pieces for refrigerated enjoyment and I always eat a fresh pizza as if its a race against time because I fear of it cooling down and never coming back!

Jeff

No, nadda, nay, never cold pizza. I've had it warmed up the next morning for breakfast, but only because the memory of the previous evening's dinner was so good. And afterwards I always swear never again.

Take it a step further. How many people bring part of their 'wonderful' restaurant dinner home to have later... but just can't get through the warmed up leftovers?

The leftovers subject is a good point Katie. It's true that leftovers in general seem to usually be thought of as a positive, resourceful thing but I also admit I hardly ever indulge in leftovers with the same enjoyment I did when the meal was fresh. Sure, I'll save certain foods as leftovers but, generally, I'm not a leftovers kind of person. Oh I do love midnight snacks and things but even there, I'm more likely to make (or at least open a can/sack of something "fresh") as a snack rather than re-eat my dinner again.

There are always some exceptions. I can gleefully eat a big bowl of potato salad every night for four or five days Some side dishes work great as "never ending leftover" style foods. But generally, I seem to always want a "fresh" item for each new meal.

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!

It depends on the type of pizza. When I was growing up, there were some nice pizzerias around, but there were also some Italian bakeries that made Sicilian style pizza (thick, light crust, seasoned sauce, olive oil and Parmesan cheese - no mozzarella, no toppings, baked in rectangular pans). They sold them to the local corner grocery stores who stored it on the counter, covered with waxed paper and re-sold it (cold) for 10 cents a slice. Heavenly stuff.

Cold pizza? No.

It reheats OK in an oven or in a frying pan. No nuking, please.

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


Breakfast.

Well then I'm even more puzzled!

When I think breakfast, I always think cereals, toasts, pancakes, eggs, hams, bacons and sausages. Those are always my top picks anyways. And the thing is, even if I decided I just had to have a pizza at 7am, I'd still rather it be warm (freshly made) than have it chilled.

Jeff

As the Brits say, "horses for courses" and the French equivalent, "vive la diffirence"
Terrif for breakfast, hot or cold
The last time I had cold cereal for breakfast, Tony the Tiger was a kitten!

When I think breakfast, I always think cereals, toasts, pancakes, eggs, hams, bacons and sausages. Those are always my top picks anyways. And the thing is, even if I decided I just had to have a pizza at 7am, I'd still rather it be warm (freshly made) than have it chilled.

Some of them not being so much your picks as Edward Bernays picks for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

Cold pizza in the morning is one of the good things in the world.

[David M. Bueker]

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

I'm also in the "not a fan of cold pizza" camp. Pizza tastes better to me when hot. Cold pizza reminds me of eating leftover delivery pizza while living in the dorms and not having a way to reheat the pizza.

If cold pizza were that great, there would be restaurants that specialize in cooking pizza, chilling it and then serving it to their customers cold.

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.)

Not a fan of cold pizza either. Fresh and hot, and reheat the leftovers!

[Jenise]

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


Breakfast.

Well then I'm even more puzzled!

When I think breakfast, I always think cereals, toasts, pancakes, eggs, hams, bacons and sausages. Those are always my top picks anyways. And the thing is, even if I decided I just had to have a pizza at 7am, I'd still rather it be warm (freshly made) than have it chilled.

Jeff

When I think breakfast, I never think cereals, toasts, pancakes or eggs. So, cold pizza? What a treat! Bread, meat, veggies and the zing of some tomato sauce? Perfect! And why does it taste good to me cold? I don't know, it just does. Pretty much a love it or hate it thing. Put me down for 'love'.

[Jenise]

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.

[David M. Bueker]

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.

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 little pieces of pepperoni that turn into grease cups gross me out.

Hmmm... I make homemade pepperoni pizza and it's never greasy.

When I think breakfast, I always think cereals, toasts, pancakes, eggs, hams, bacons and sausages. Those are always my top picks anyways. And the thing is, even if I decided I just had to have a pizza at 7am, I'd still rather it be warm (freshly made) than have it chilled.

Some of them not being so much your picks as Edward Bernays picks for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

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.

Cold pizza in the morning is one of the good things in the world.

I thought it was cold BEER! Although I must admit I rarely enjoy that one either...

Jeff

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.

If cold pizza were that great, there would be restaurants that specialize in cooking pizza, chilling it and then serving it to their customers cold.

I think this is a good thing. I eat too much pizza as it is. If someone came by the lab selling cold pizza every morning, I'd probably put on 50 lbs!