The other day, I received a small cardboard box in the mail.  A small sticker affixed to the side told me to expect “Pizza Zing!”  I was, as one would expect, excited.

Idea:  Take the Big Three pizza toppings from any NYC pizza-eatery (Parmesan cheese, oregano, red pepper flakes) and combine them in one easy-to-use container.  You now have Pizza Zing! And yes, if you didn’t know what the Big Three Pizza Toppings were, you’ve never eaten New York City pizza.  And if I may go one step further, if you reveal this to a native New Yorker, you will most likely be pelted by shoes.  Beware the truth, it hurts. Like thousands of New York City shoes, raining down from the heavens.

Presentation: It’s essentially a modernized Parmesan cheese container, as it should be.  Its ridiculously bright yellow and red color scheme makes me think about eating pizza, which is strange.  Perhaps this container has a hypnotizing effect? So yeah, bonus points for making me wonder if I’m getting programmed a la Manchurian Candidate.

Favorite Visible Catch-Phrase: FLAVORFUL HEAT!  Oh wow.  LOVING THIS CATCHPHRASE.  Let it roll off your tongue.  Use it as your Facebook status.  Let’s get together and create the new meme: FLAVORFUL HEAT. Just as one can apply Pizza Zing to any food, apply Flavorful Heat to any situation or person. Trust me, this is the new FAIL.

Taste: We made an incredible mistake in ordering a deep dish pizza from Edwardo’s, one of the great Chicago deepdisheries. Myself and my companions applied vigorous amounts of Pizza Zing to the pizza, making sure to fit the word ZING! into the conversation as much as possible. This was fun. However, I would not advise one to apply Pizza Zing to top-of-the-line pizza products. It’s powerful stuff, and the 7 spices completely overwhelm the 2 “hearty” cheeses the bottle advertises.  I mean, throwing red, jalapeno and cayenne pepper into the spice-blend is one thing, but adding in habanero as well? Overkill in my honest opinion, especially for those with an aversion to truly spicy seasoning. Remove the habanero, and lazy people every may indeed rejoice in a spice combo that will aid in pizza-loving.

The Verdict: While spicy and flavorful, Pizza Zing lends itself to the frozen pizza crowd.  On a Tombstone, Digiorno’s or Red Baron, this topping would help kick the flavor up a notch. Will it replace my Frank’s Hot Sauce or Sriracha hot sauce? No, probably not. But if you’re jonesing for those pizza seasonings, and find yourself bereft of a local shop that sells slices, Pizza Zing is right up your ally.

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