Will you try eating snake pizza? A new dish in Hong Kong – Times of India

Recently, the American multinational restaurant chain Pizza Hut collaborated with a Hong Kong restaurant to create a unique dish – a snake pizza. This move is part of Pizza Hut’s marketing strategy to create excitement around its new pizza additions. The snake pizza includes shredded snake meat, black mushrooms, Chinese dried ham, and other ingredients typically found in a traditional snake stew in China.
Snake stew is particularly popular in China, especially during the colder months, with a belief that eating snakes fattened up during autumn prepares one for hibernation. Some unverified claims suggest health benefits of snake meat, such as improving skin health and possessing medicinal properties.

Snakes are widely consumed in Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Thailand. Pizza Hut’s ad campaign promotes the idea that snake meat tastes richer when paired with cheese and chicken, claiming nourishing and blood circulation-boosting properties in line with Chinese traditional medicine.

— fion_li (@fion_li)

The snake pizza recipe originated from Central Hong Kong’s “Ser Wong Fun,” a snake restaurant established in 1895. The pizza features a 9-inch base with abalone sauce instead of the traditional tomato base and was available until November 22.

Reports suggest that the texture and taste of snake meat resemble that of dry chicken, leading some to describe the dish as bizarre. While some Hong Kong locals are excited about this new recipe, others find it unconventional, emphasizing that snakes are not commonly consumed in many parts of the world, particularly in the West.

The general manager of Pizza Hut’s Hong Kong and Macao branches mentioned that Ser Wong Fun’s expertise contributed to creating the snake recipe using Chinese rat snakes, banded kraits, and white banded snakes. Pizza Hut plans to introduce other unique menu items, including a pizza with Chinese sausages inspired by a popular local claypot rice dish.

— Not_the_Bee (@Not_the_Bee)

Pizza Hut has a history of introducing unconventional ingredients to its menu, such as pig blood curds, preserved eggs, and durian, reflecting local culinary culture. Other pizza chains, like Dominos in Taiwan and Pizza Hut in Japan, have also experimented with unique toppings, such as tapioca and Tonkotsu ramen, respectively, as a nod to local flavors and trends.