Today I’ll be shining the spotlight on some of our most popular gourmet pizza toppings and how they landed on our menu (will your favourite make the cut?).
At Pizza D’oh we very rarely introduce a new pizza to our menu.
While we try plenty of specials, very few make the grade with a permanent spot on the roster (that doesn’t mean they’re not delicious, just that we have exceptionally high standards to ensure you’re always enjoying world-class pizzas in the Mornington Peninsula).
So, what helps a new pizza end up on our menu?
It turns out, it’s the odd and interesting gourmet pizza toppings that seem to make it. These creations are so popular and well-received by our customers that they end up on the menu to be enjoyed year after year.
In fact, after 15 years of business, there have only been four ‘Pizza Specials’ that have made the cut! Three of these are based on an oversupply of seasonal produce and the 4th a tribute to a staff member who’s no longer with us.
To give you an insight into what goes into making a gourmet pizza, we’ll be shining the spotlight on some of our most popular menu items and sharing the stories of their creation.
- The Beetroot- The Tuscan- Sam’s Figs- Stefano’s Duck
And if reading about hot, fresh, flavour-packed pizzas makes you hungry, read to the end to claim a very special gift on behalf of the team at Pizza D’oh.
Gourmet pizza spotlight #1 - The Beetroot
The clear stand out of the gourmet pizza toppings bunch is the Beetroot.
If you haven’t enjoyed this pizza yet, it’s a perfect blend of beetroot, walnut, caramelised onion, chilli, and fetta (don’t worry if you started to salivate reading that, it happens to us too).
This gourmet pizza topping combination came about due to a bumper crop of beetroot in my garden (yes, our ingredients are *that* fresh and local). Partly in jest, I suggested putting beetroot on a pizza, as that’s about as Aussie as a gourmet pizza topping gets.
Fast forward, and now the gourmet beetroot pizza is a favourite among Mornington families (especially parents who want the kids to eat their veggies and need a creative way to present them).
Gourmet pizza spotlight #2 - The Tuscan
The Tuscan pizza was a similar story to the Beetroot. An overabundance of homegrown tomatoes meant we had the supply to experiment with flavours and new gourmet pizza toppings.
The result was a fresh tomato, bocconcini, and basil pesto creation for an Italian-inspired pizza that’s perfect for vegetarians. Although this combination of gourmet pizza toppings may look simple, when tomatoes are in season it’s truly delicious.
PIZZA D’OH TIP: Next winter, try adding a sprinkle of chilli or a few extra strips of bacon on your Italian-inspired gourmet pizza (whether it’s at our restaurant or at home) to compensate for any winter tomato weakness.
Gourmet pizza spotlight #3 - Sam’s Figs
Probably the most famous of our gourmet pizza toppings is Sam’s Figs - combining figs, gorgonzola, and San Danielle prosciutto for a mouth-watering gourmet taste.
While it’s easy to find new pizza recipes and suggestions online, I’ve always been drawn to the wisdom of authentic pizza makers and produce growers. In this case, I was lucky enough to live down the road from an old-school Italian, Sam. His property sat on a beautiful double block covered in all sorts of fruiting trees, and in the backyard was an enclosure, roughly the size of a tennis court, fully enclosed in bird wire.
I asked him what he was protecting and he showed me two of the most prolific-growing and delicious figs trees I have ever seen (or tasted) - a beautiful black mission fig and a green fig with a bright red centre.
Sam and I became friends and soon enough the figs flowed (to the point I needed to buy a special fig freezer). With such incredible flavour profiles, Sam’s figs immediately took me back to a pizza I’d eaten in Venice, consisting of fig, gorgonzola, and SanDanielle prosciutto, and I had to offer it to our wonderful Mornington customers.
I loved the pizza then and the Pizza D’oh version is just as good, and now a staple on our year-round gourmet pizza menu - named after Sam and his figs.
Gourmet pizza spotlight #4 - Stefano’s Duck
The last gourmet pizza to make the jump from ‘seasonal special’ to menu staple is Stefano’s Duck. This pizza is named after Stefan, a beloved waiter who was part of the Pizza D’oh family during the early days of our restaurant and sadly passed away.
Stefan and I had a love of Peking Duck and would often share a duck from Springvale market while chatting about all things pizza. Over one of these regular catchups, we discussed a Peking duck pizza, and to honour Stefan’s memory we made the gourmet pizza a reality.
The ingredients blend seamlessly, offering an explosion of flavour with Chinese marinated duck, mushrooms, leeks, fresh chilli, and coriander. As it turns out, Stefan was right, the pizza was and is a hit.
The magic of gourmet pizza toppings - what’s your favourite?
Aussies love their pizza. But the options for gourmet pizza toppings mean no two pizza lovers share the exact same palette.
Pizza is a highly versatile base (that we create with the freshest ingredients before kneading the dough by hand) that you can put almost anything on (yes, even pineapple…though some of you may disagree). With endless combinations and variations, we’ll continue to keep experimenting with new flavours and ideas.
That means you’ll always have delicious, creative seasonal specials to enjoy, and if we strike gold, you’ll have a new permanent addition to our menu too.
So thank you for taking the time to learn a little about our gourmet pizza topping options, and for letting me share a little bit of our history with you.
Until your next Pizza D’oh experience,
Andrew
Oh, and before I forget. As thanks for learning a little about our approach to gourmet pizza toppings, click below to join our ‘Loyalty Club’ and receive half-price deliveries*, Pizza D'oh dollars to be redeemed at our restaurant, and exciting birthday andanniversary freebies.
Click here to sign up for the 'Loyalty Club' (It's 100% FREE)
*Rye, Blairgowrie, and Sorrento areas only.