Hosting etiquette: My guests want me to make a pizza I would never eat

[Fio]

Having friends over for pizza Friday.  As is the case with groups of people, you end up making more than one pie and you have to cater to people's tastes:  Some don't like meat toppings, some hate mushrooms, etc.

One couple says that they like PINEAPPLE and HAM on their pizza.   I would never make that myself.

Two questions:

1) Should I make the pizza and make them happy, even though it violates my own standards of decency, or should I be a snob and force them to observe my rules?

2) Are Lehmann style dough, 62% hydration, retarded for 48 hours, Grande mozzarella shipped overnight from Penn Mac, and 6-in-1 tomatoes simply too good to waste on people whose tastes obviously don't demand such artisanal ingredients (notice how I didn't say "can't appreciate")? 

As you can tell by how I framed the questions, I think I know what I'll do:  I'll use supermarket mozz and Don Pepino pizza sauce from a can on the pineapple pizza.  They won't know the difference, and I'll save the good stuff for the pizza(s) I'll eat. 

Whaddya think?

Thanks,

  - Fio

[chiguy]

 Hi Fio,
 Assuming you are using a Leahman NY retarded dough formula. This is  IDY > 0.75% and finished dough temperature in the 72F-84F range. The Leahman dough should not have a problem after a 48 hour rise, they can easily handle 72hours. At 48 hours i feel the dough actually taste betterthan just 24 hours. The long fermentation gives the dough more time to extract the natural sugars. You're guest will be very impressed with the finished product. I do not use the 6&1 tomatos much, but 1 can will probably do a few pizza's. I think you're friends are worthy subjects. And the answer to the question about giving them what they what on thier pizza?? Would you want to be forced to eat Anchovies or Tuna on a pizza?? People usually show up to these parties hungry, don't make them stop for a burger on the way home. Please let us know how things work out. Goodluck,  Chiguy

[Pete-zza]

Fio,

At one point, before I ever put pineapple on a pizza, I might have felt the way you do about using ham and pineapple. That was until I started experimenting with Randy's American style pizza. To be true to his recipe, I used the toppings Randy used and recommended. Sausage was called for instead of ham but, as I later concluded, ham would have worked just as well. I thought the pizza looked and tasted great (see the photos and description at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1707.0.html). Whereas before I couldn't ever imagine recommending pineapple and ham/sausage, I would now suggest it if I had the ingredients on hand, or if someone asked for it in advance.

One approach that I used to use for larger groups was to make individual-size pizzas to order, using toppings that were prepped in advance. That took a lot of work, especially hunting down and prepping all of the different toppings. Subsequently, I just made several 16-inch pizzas, using the standard toppings, like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, etc. That went over well. If someone wanted only veggies, I would just make a veggie pizza or I make a pizza with a veggie section.

Peter

[Fio]

Hi Fio,
 I think you're friends are worthy subjects. And the answer to the question about giving them what they what on thier pizza?? Would you want to be forced to eat Anchovies or Tuna on a pizza?? People usually show up to these parties hungry, don't make them stop for a burger on the way home. Please let us know how things work out. Goodluck,  Chiguy

Absolutely, I agree.  They're friends - make them happy.  I was actually alluding to a scene from the movie "Big Night" (if you've seen it) about two Italian immigrant brothers who open up an artisanal (am I using this word correctly?) Italian restaurant.  One brother is the businessman, the other is the consummate chef.    They are being beaten by the "mainstream" Olive Garden-like restaurant across the street.  The chef brother accuses the competition of "raping" the genre of Italian cuisine.  One day a couple comes in and wants spaghetti and meatballs.   The chef brother, turns his nose up at them and refuses to prepare it for them.

- Fio

By the way: I LOVE anchovies.  Tuna?  Not on pizza. . .

[David]

"Big Night" ! A Classic,must see Movie.I have a friend who owns a Restaurant in the Village.Every time I speak to him about Italian restaurants in NY/NJ I have  scenes from that Movie flash between my ears.

"Yeah ....just what this town needs - another f^@*!ng  joint selling Eggplant Parm"

[Perk]

It all depends on how you present an invitation.

I tell people, hey I going to cook pepperoni pizza if you like to come over we can rock out on pizza!!
What this is is saying to them, if you like pepperoni, or just cheese pizza then that is what I am making.

Now if one says, hey can you make pineapple and ham pizza, I would say sure but you bring the pineapple and ham
and I'll let you toss it on your pizza. It seems to work, and the friends get into bring their favorite toppings.
Less work in prep for me also!!

[David]

I would give them what you are making.You will more than likely open thier eyes to a higher standard.Introduce them to combinations that you like etc.Just be prepared to eat the Olive Garden inspired Tuscan dishes that they prepare when you are invited to thier house!I I invite people over for dinner at my house they get what I prepare.Like it or leave it.I'm not a Restaurant.The only exception would be if thier kids required something else/or if someone had Special Dietary needs.Good Luck.

[gottabedapan]

Don't turn your nose up too quickly at the thought of pineapple on a pizza.

Much as it pains me to admit it, being a pizza purist, the hands-down best pizza I've ever eaten was a pea-meal bacon (Canadian bacon), shallot, habanero, fire-roasted pinapple, fire-roasted tomato, and havarti (!) pie. In thinking about it, it actually makes sense: the sweetness of the pineapple provides a nice counterpoint to the acidity of the tomatoes, the bite of the onion, and the fire of the habanero, and is exactly the sort of combination that makes for a KILLER salsa.

I say, use top-shelf ingredients, and give your guests a ham-and-pineapple pie to die for. When the pie comes out of the oven, you might even find the aroma enticing enough to give it a try; if you do, you may be pleasantly surprised.

[cocoabean]

I used to eat a lot of Pineapple, Bacon, Green Olive pizzas...  This thread is going to make me start that up again.    One of the best combos I've had.  Sweetness and tartness of the pineapple when great with the salty tone of the olive and bacon.  Loved them.

[Kinsman]

You gotta please the customer.

Just make sure you also get them to try your recipes; a great way to do this is to make several smaller pies, big enough that everybody gets one or two small pieces.

We do this a lot: make a 16" pepperoni and a 16" cheese for the kids (and whoever else).
Then I start making small, 8-10" pizzas with different ingredients on 'em.  I usually have four or five in mind, and inevitably suggestions pop up.  Sometimes I find new combos that become favorites!

My wife thinks that Pizza does not include fruit; I think it includes whatever you like.

[Bill/SFNM]

I always start with the house special, Pizza Lolita (white pizza, sauteed mushrooms, and truffle oil), and then serve an official Pizza Margherita. At that point, I ask my guests what kind of pizza they would like and usually they want more of the same, but I usually have pepperoni and sausage and more mushrooms on hand just in case.

I have drilled into the heads of most friends and family that my pizzas are about the crust. Toppings are nice, but I try to get them to concentrate on the crust that I have spent so much effort trying to perfect. If anyone leaves the crust on their plate, they are never invited back for pizza, although I still keep them on my Christmas card list and might invite them over for some other type of meal once they have suffered long enough. 

Bill/SFNM

[Ed]

I would make the pizza for them.   Of course I have also worked at Domino's before where ham and pinapple were on the menu.
Even with the top quality cheese and other ingredients.... make them happy.

Ed
 

[RockyMarciano]

I would use AP, cento tomatoes, and some cheap mozz.  Why waste expensive and fine ingrediants on people that won't know the difference anyway

[gottabedapan]

I would use AP, cento tomatoes, and some cheap mozz.  Why waste expensive and fine ingrediants on people that won't know the difference anyway

Just because some people like non-traditional toppings doesn't mean they aren't capable of recognizing the difference between high and low quality ingredients.

[RockyMarciano]

You can still get great results with AP, I would sift it though.  And cento tomatoes make an awesome sauce, and well as for  cheese, you might want to get something that isn't at least preshredded, but I wouldn't waste the expensive grande.   Then again, no one could complain if you just made a cheese pizza.

[Fio]

Just because some people like non-traditional toppings doesn't mean they aren't capable of recognizing the difference between high and low quality ingredients.

I made them a ham and pineapple pizza using middle-of-the-road cheese and good sauce.

The result?  I don't know.  The pizza was scarfed up before I could even try a slice. 

The incremental cost of the ingredients, plus the compromise of my personal taste standards was more than worth their satisfaction, and the good word-of-mouth I'll get when they talk about my tasty pies. 

[loch]

Fio

I think you did the right thing. A few years ago my wife and I took a friend in the biz out and he ranted about pineapple pizza being allowed on the menu for the next 5 years. Recently went out with him and his new wife and they ordered pineapple, ham and bacon pie!

Once they're your guests, you have to make them happy.

Dave

[PizzaPolice]

Fio:

People want what they want.  If they grew up with these toppings, to them, these are right and proper.  After learning the proper way of pizza making I find myself complaining aout pizzas I used to adore.  Some folks never get it.  However, don't eschew new things too quickly.  My brother and I were making 90 pies for Relay for Life some time a go.  About two thirds through, a guy walks in and hands me a bag of washed sauerkraut.  I stuck it on there and figured it's his pizza.  I got a little curious and tried it on a kitchen pizza.  Not bad at all!  Keep an open mind.  And save the good stuff for yourself.