Pizza and Beverage Pairing 101: The White Pizzas
Our second post in the series is on the white pizzas. Because we offer so many different white pies, we will have subsequent blogs on the specific flavors we offer and their perfect pairings. However, this article can serve as an overarching guide to white pizzas as a whole and what to drink with them.
While this article will lay out our favorite recommendations, a general rule of thumb for white pizzas is to find elements that cut the creamier elements (sauces and cheeses) of the pies or compensate for the loss of acidity typically provided by tomato sauce. Enjoy!
For the Wine Drinkers
When looking for the perfect wine to accompany your white pizza, look for something flexible that has either acidity or fruitiness. The best thing about the white pizza is that it goes well with still wines and sparkling ones as well, so you're likely to find something you love to accompany your slices.
Stills like Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand and Chardonnays from California (though the latter is best with when your pizza it topped with herbs) work well as wine pairings. Sparkling wines are the jackpot here: you can pair Lambrusco, Sparkling Rose and even German Rieslings and Italian Prosecco well with white pizzas!
For the Beer and Cocktail Crowd
With red pizzas, you are limited by the acidity from the tomato sauce in a way, from choosing hoppier beers. However, with white pizzas, the world is your hops oyster. This is your pizza if you're an IPA or even Double IPA fan, because you can use the hoppiness to cut the creaminess of the cheese. You can also choose heavy beers to balance out the lightness of white pizzas that aren't toppings-heavy, such as stouts. We've also learned that the ideal beer pairing with a Neapolitan white pie is a saison, because it works with the fermented sourdough crust of a true Neapolitan pizza!
As far as cocktails go, you can't go wrong with gin- and vodka-based cocktails with fruitiness and herby or ginger flavor profiles. Though not Italian, a Moscow Mule is a team favorite to pair with our white Talia pizzas.
Non-Alcoholic Pairings
If you're not looking for an alcoholic option for your white pizza, there are quite a few options available as well.
Iced tea, either sweetened or unsweetened, goes well with a white pizza that is not heavy with toppings. You have the luxury of being able to pair most fruit-flavored ice teas and even the Arnold Palmer (half lemonade, half iced tea). This is especially refreshing on those hot summer days when you're enjoying your freshly grilled Talia pizzas poolside.
As mentioned in our previous blog, most carbonated beverage go well with pizzas as a whole. Specifically to pair with white pizzas are sweeter, fruitier sodas. Ginger beers with actual natural ginger flavoring work well too!
Talia di Napoli
