Spooky season has crept back into our neighborhoods, but you know what’s not scary for restaurants? Pizza sales! Forget about (or at least set aside) the candy for now — in addition to Halloween, one of the 5 biggest pizza days of the year, October also happens to be National Pizza Month.
For a month packed like a pumpkin with birthday parties, football games, and trick or treating, October really delivers piping hot cheesy delights. Did you know that every single day, nearly 15% of the U.S. population is eating a slice? That’s around 100 acres of pizza — A DAY!
With all of that slicing and saucing, there’s no doubt it’s a season of haunting opportunity. Let’s open the box and examine some not-so-secret flour ingredients to help you bury the competition.
Rise from the Bread
Certainly, every component of the pie matters, but the crust can be a major differentiator — particularly based on your type of concept and regionality. Maybe you are famous for your classic Jason Takes Manhattan New York-style slices, dotted with zesty pepperoni and expertly crafted for folding and dipping. Featuring superior dough strength and a high fermentation tolerance, Assoluti!® Premium High Gluten Flour (available in unbleached and unbromated) is a frighteningly good treat for this style, without any tricks. The flour results in crispy crusts with hearty interior textures.
Perhaps you operate in an area where Sicilian pizzas are popular, or you are thinking about experimenting with Detroit-style. Luigi® Flour (also available in unbleached & unbromated) has a slightly lower protein level to help you formulate the crispy bottom, fried edges, and pillowy interior of this Motown meal. Consider tossing on trending toppings like al pastor pork, grilled pineapple, roasted “dead” red peppers, pickled pearl onions (to ward off vampires), and a mojo rojo sauce base.
Thinner
John Carpenter’s original slasher masterpiece Halloween is set in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois. And though most people tend to view Chicago as the home of deep dish pizza, they may be shocked to learn that several Midwest cities actually lay claim to thinner crust, tavern-style pies. Assoluti! High Gluten Flour yields a very tolerant, strong dough, essential for crafting thin, crisp crusts with a quality bite.
And notable for its thinner crust, the typically wood-fired Neapolitan — a style that catapulted pizza into the mainstream around the 18th century — can be made using hand-kneaded Roma® Neapolitan Premio ‘00’ Flour, and then topped with fun combinations such as applewood smoked bacon, sweet & spicy pickles, and Bacio® Cheese, or refried beans, jalapenos, a poblano crema, and pickled onions for a touch of Central American flair.
Whatever the style, during National Pizza Month and after, don’t be afraid to exorcise your dietary demons. Utilizing reliable pizza flours with consistent performance, can be a good Omen for future sales.
