As with the colorful unicorn and mermaid trend, there is also an "anti"-unicorn and mermaid trend. That is, a black/dark-colored food trend. Say hello to black-crusted Goth pizza.
When I say trend, I definitely mean it. Restaurants are coming up with black-crusted pizza by using activated charcoal, according to Delish. We've now got black ice cream, charcoal lattes and black pizza.
The black pizza was already available in other parts of the world -- mainly Japan, Indonesia, the U.K. and Canada, but the U.S. has been slower to catch on. Probably because we love unicorns and mermaids so much. Just check out these pizza crusts …
Olivella Restaurant in North Bergen, New Jersey, is using activated charcoal in their crust, mozzarella and pasta.
Try out Toronto's only black pizza today! Light and delicious crust with fresh ingredients! pic.twitter.com/6NGgZ02kMv
— Masseria (@masseriatoronto) May 16, 2017
Masseria is a restaurant located in Toronto, but the picture is perfect for getting an idea of what to expect from an order of charcoal pizza.
So, what's the deal with this weird new charcoal trend?
According to Real Simple, activated charcoal is what you get when you burn coconut shells, wood or other plant materials. The reason it's called "activated" charcoal is because it carries a negative charge, which means it's supposed to have the ability to bind positive charges together and remove them from the body. That might sound a bit alarming, but it's actually supposed to be quite healthy.
All kinds of rumors are flying about the potential health benefits of activated charcoal, but don't expect to experience them from eating pizza or ice cream made with the ingredient. It's said to aid in digestion, help lower cholesterol and even help us to fight hangover symptoms. Whether that last part is true (it hasn't been proven), the concentration of charcoal in your food is going to be too small to actually have these effects, so don't get too excited. If anything, it's just there to make your food more fun to eat.
If you're looking to experiment with some charcoal foods, you can try a nice serving of Coconut Ash ice cream from Morgenstern's in New York City.
Like other foods that feature the dark ingredient, it is said to have a mild taste. The charcoal may make everything look burnt, but it's not reported to actually taste burnt. The only negative comment about the ice cream that I've come across is that it has a chalky aftertaste. Oh, and it might make your teeth look a little dirty. Consider yourself warned!