Pizza Hut in Hong Kong has teamed up with an old-school local joint to create something eyebrow-raising: snake pizza. Yep, you heard it right—this pie packs shredded snake meat, black mushrooms, and Chinese dried ham. They’re throwing in ingredients from an authentic snake stew to stir up some buzz online.
Snake Eats for the Season
In Hong Kong and parts of southern China, snake stew is a thing, especially when the chill sets in. Local talk says the best time to gobble up these slithery creatures is when the autumn winds start howling, apparently when they’re plumping up for a cozy hibernation.
Snake: The Healing Elixir?
People swear by snake meat’s mystical powers, claiming it does wonders for the skin and turns up the body heat. It’s like a winter upgrade, according to these beliefs. And it’s not just Hong Kong—Vietnam and Thailand also get in on the snake-eating action, farming them for food.
Snakes on Pizza
Pizza Hut Hong Kong isn’t holding back: they’re raving about how mixing snake meat with cheese and diced chicken jazzes up the taste buds. They claim this “nourishing” meat can pump up blood circulation, echoing traditional Chinese medicine beliefs. It’s like a health kick in a pizza box, challenging the norms of what “healthy eating” means.
Collab with a Classic
This isn’t a one-brand show. Pizza Hut’s teamed up with Ser Wong Fun, an OG snake-serving restaurant that’s been around since 1895, to cook up this exotic recipe. The 9-inch snake pizza isn’t your usual slice—it swaps out the classic tomato base for abalone sauce. And it’s only up for grabs until November 22.
Taste Test Results
Some brave souls have dared to try it. According to one taster, the snake’s texture was akin to dry chicken. But not everyone’s jumping on this pizza party train. Mabel Sieh, a Hong Kong local and foodie, finds the whole snake-on-pizza thing a bit scary, stating that snakes aren’t considered food in many cultures, especially in the West.
Divided Opinions
Yet, there are folks like Rachel Wong, a Hong Kong native, who’s been slurping snake soup since childhood and is hyped about this new item. To her, the texture feels like chicken, with a seafood-ish taste. She swears by it as a winter protein booster.
The Snake Selection
Pizza Hut’s GM spilled the beans on the snake breeds used for this daring dish: Chinese rat snakes, banded kraits, and white banded snakes all make their way into this pie. They’re aiming for a flavor balance that’s both tantalizing and savory.
More Adventures in Pizza Land
This isn’t Pizza Hut’s first rodeo in Asia. They’ve experimented before with local flavors. In Taiwan, they whipped up pizzas with durian, pig blood curds, and preserved eggs—staples of the local grub. Over in Japan, they topped a pizza with Tonkotsu ramen.
The Craze Continues
But wait, it’s not just Pizza Hut. Domino’s in Taiwan threw boba, those chewy tapioca balls from bubble tea, on their pizza a few years back. It’s all about embracing the local vibe and shaking things up in the pizza world.
What’s Next?
Pizza Hut in Hong Kong isn’t stopping here. They’re rolling out another new pizza featuring Chinese preserved sausages—a nod to a beloved claypot rice dish popular among locals when the mercury drops.
Pizza chains in Asia aren’t holding back when it comes to blending global eats with local flavors. From snakes to boba, it’s a wild pizza world out there!
