“Italians eat ham with melon, but flip out about pineapple on pizza”
“Hawaiian pizza” is a pizza topped with pineapple and either ham or bacon. “Prosciutto e melone” is an Italian dish of cured ham and melon. Many people find that the former (pineapple on pizza) is an abomination, but that the latter is acceptable. Other people question this and point out that the two dishes are similar.
“i am a great supporter of pineapple pizza and when fellow italians snob it i can’t believe it like we have prosciutto e melone you gals” was posted on X/Twitter by lory 🍄 on March 26, 2016. “Must say, I don’t quite get the rules. Prosciutto with melon is OK, but pineapple on pizza = FRY IN HELL ??” was posted on X/Twitter by 99 Shades of Grey on September 28, 2019. “pineapple on pizza is basically just prosciutto with melon” was posted on X/Twitter by 𝔏𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 on March 12, 2021. “italians eat prosciutto e melone but draw the line at pineapple on pizza” was posted on Twitter by (pending) 🌐🏗️ on July 31, 2022. “Italians eat ham with melon but flip out about pineapple on pizza” was posted on Reddit—Showerthoughts on August 5, 2023.
Wikipedia: Hawaiian pizza
Hawaiian pizza is a pizza originating in Canada, and is traditionally topped with pineapple, tomato sauce, cheese, and either ham or bacon.
Wikipedia: Prosciutto
Sliced prosciutto crudo in Italian cuisine is often served as an antipasto, wrapped around grissini, or accompanied with melon or figs
Italian Notes
The Origin of Cured Ham and Melon
Prosciutto e melone
Cured ham and melon is probably the most clichéd Italian antipasti ever. But it’s also a very old combination with roots dating back to the 2. Century AD.
(...)
According to La Cucina Italiana the origin of cured ham and melon can be traced back to the theories of a doctor named Galeno, who lived in the 2. Century AD. Galeno was convinced that every being was made up by a combination of four qualities: That is the warm, cold, dry and juicy corresponding to the four elements fire, air, earth and water that constituted the universe. In order to avoid illness all humans should make sure that their diet was perfectly balanced between the four elements. In this way Galeno founded the still valid notion that our health is affected by what we eat, and that the art of cooking is based on combined excellence.
Eataly
The Story of Prosciutto e Melone
(...)
Ancient History
In Roman times, mixing cold and moist foods with hot and dry ones was a common health practice according to the ancient medicinal teachings of Humorism, a system based on the balance of four key elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Although prosciutto crudo was yet to be invented, the practice of eating cured meat with fruit was born in order to boost the immune system.
The actual recipe for prosciutto e melone popped up centuries later, written by none other than Pellegrino Artusi, the father of modern Italian cuisine. The dish seems to have disappeared after being published in Artusi’s seminal cookbook in the 1890s, only to reappear decades later. The pairing surged in popularity around the 1960s, and has been a star of the Italian summer table every since.
X/Twitter
lory 🍄
@poemwitch
i am a great supporter of pineapple pizza and when fellow italians snob it i can’t believe it like we have prosciutto e melone you gals
12:57 PM · Mar 26, 2016
X/Twitter
Marky Mark🇬🇧🇵🇭🇫🇷🇪🇸
@MarkDCL
Personally me no. But funny how Italians hates the idea of pineapples on pizza but Parma ham with melon is fine 😂
6:29 AM · Jan 26, 2019 from Camden Town, London
X/Twitter
Krysstallyne - 🌊 Rachel Moonie🌙
@KrysstalMoonie
I do like the contrast, in fact here in Italy as a summer dish we eat ham with melon. But I can’t figure out pineapple on pizza 😂😂😂
6:27 AM · Mar 1, 2019
X/Twitter
99 Shades of Grey
@Grubb_Eeaterr
Must say, I don’t quite get the rules. Prosciutto with melon is OK, but pineapple on pizza = FRY IN HELL ??
1:11 PM · Sep 28, 2019
X/Twitter
Patrick F Conlon
@PatrickFConlon2
Sweetness and acidity with salty smokiness is a classic combo. Think devils on horseback or prosciutto e melone. Pure snobbery to anathematise pineapple on pizza.
Quote Tweet
Bless
@Blessports
·
Jun 3, 2020
Is pineapple allowed on pizza🤔
3:00 AM · Jun 4, 2020
X/Twitter
Patrick Anderson
@pimlius
What about eating apples and cheese, or prosciutto with melon? I would argue pineapple on pizza is in that family.
6:52 PM · Jun 30, 2020
X/Twitter
𝔏𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰
@InsaneMistress
pineapple on pizza is basically just prosciutto with melon
5:59 PM · Mar 12, 2021
X/Twitter
Natalja Saint-Germain
@bjorn_stjerne
Ahahah 😂
Btw, I always wonder why people think that prosciutto with melon tastes delicious, but pineapple on meat/chicken/pizza is… weird 👹
12:27 PM · Nov 26, 2021
X/Twitter
esuchi
@compilerone
Don’t understand how Italians are against pineapple on pizza yet “Prosciutto e Melone” is a thing
7:56 AM · Mar 17, 2022
X/Twitter
ガブリ🍓
@MrG4bbo
precure reminding me that Italians will eat prosciutto with melon but refuse to even try pineapple pizza
3:38 PM · Apr 17, 2022
X/Twitter
(pending) 🌐🏗️
@weatherdai
italians eat prosciutto e melone but draw the line at pineapple on pizza. ‘k
3:35 PM · Jul 31, 2022
X/Twitter
Del Sinistra
@GistPolitix
Tsk! Gee Adam, I never thought to have to educate you on this.
We don’t have a problem with ham and pineapple. Except when it’s on PIZZA. Which is clearly wrong.
PS. We don’t put prosciutto e melone on pizza either…
7:28 AM · Aug 21, 2022
X/Twitter
kleinekatzu ⛵ De/En Ger/Eng | Moin!
@kleinekatzu
screams in Italian: MAMAMIA! SACRILEGIO! YOU CAN’T ADD PINEAPPLE TO PIZZA!
*proceeds to wrap melons in dry cured ham*
same Italian: Questo prosciutto e melone è formidabile! Molto bene!
6:21 AM · Sep 27, 2022
X/Twitter
Shadowstorm1619
@shadowstorm1619
If pineapple on pizza isn’t your thing it’s fine, and it needs to be fresh or preferably grilled pineapple to even be an option, but Italians eat prosciutto with melon and Hawaiian pizza is the same exact idea.
12:03 PM · Apr 1, 2023
X/Twitter
Sabrina Buttazzoni 🌺🌸
@SabrinaB74
Pineapple with prosciutto? Che schifezza! My family is from a town that is famous for its prosciutto and that would never happen. Prosciutto with melon … yes … and salami with figs. Those are the combos. I also have yet to find a pizza in Italy with pineapple on it.
3:28 PM · Apr 30, 2023
X/Twitter
Tom Caestecker
@tomcaestecker
It’s not that sweet and salty doesn’t work… hell, I love prosciutto e melone.
But, pineapple & ham on pizza is too damn busy. And, the juice in pineapple can make the crust soggy, plus it offsets a good sauce.
So… to make a short story long: (“HOW ‘BOUT NO” is shown.—ed.)
10:14 PM · Jun 6, 2023
X/Twitter
كلس
@CalciferEchoes
“Eww gross that’s an abomination, why would you put pineapple on pizza?!?!” - the mfs that brought you “prosciutto e melone” (rock melon wrapped in fucking prosciutto) … 🤦🏻♀️
6:54 AM · Jun 7, 2023
X/Twitter
🌻Rossella🌻
@RossRizzo0802
you know… we Italians are very jealous of our food, it is sacred. pizza with pineapple is really unbearable for us but raw ham with melon is a typical summer food totally different from pizza. only 2 flavors Vs. too many flavors.🤷♀️
4:56 PM · Jun 7, 2023
Reddit—Showerthoughts
Posted by u/collie1212 August 5, 2023
Italians eat ham with melon but flip out about pineapple on pizza