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Oh So Cheesy

Posted by Adam Kuban, October 12, 2004 at 1:05 AM

Slice usually doesn't care about the crazy creations that corporate pizza chains come up with, but we couldn't ignore the Domino's Doublemelt, especially with this story ("Where's the Cheese? Everywhere") in the Times by Brendan I. Koerner:

On a memorable episode of "Seinfeld,'' the character of Elaine Benes is in awe of stuffed-crust pizza. "It'll be years before they find places to hide more cheese on pizza," she marvels, in praise of the mozzarella-filled Pizza Hut delicacy that made its debut in 1995.

Elaine would be pleased to learn that pizza innovation continues apace. In terms of cheesy zing per square inch, stuffed-crust pizzas pale in comparison with the new Doublemelt from Domino's Pizza. Offered in two sizes, the pizza has two thin crusts glued together with a potent cheese-and-herb sauce, then slathered with a six-cheese blend.

"This probably has more blast of cheese flavor than any pizza we've ever rolled out," said David A. Brandon, Domino's chief executive. During the introduction, the 12-inch variety is $9.99, or $14.99 for two, and the 14-inch is $11.99, or $18.99 for two.

Though the Doublemelt was introduced nationwide just two weeks ago, its story began in 1997. That is when it was concocted by a Domino's franchisee in Japan and sold under the brand name Mille Feuille, after the layered French pastry. The idea spread to Taiwan in 2002, where the pizza was renamed the Double Decker. Domino's franchises in South Korea followed the next year, using Double Crust as the name....

To find the ideal sauce, Domino's test kitchen cranked out 1,000 pies, and went through more than 500 pounds of cheese. The exact composition of the winning sauce is secret, but a taste test reveals that cream cheese and garlic figure prominently. (The Doublemelt is somewhat similar to the Pizza Hut Insider, which appeared briefly in the United States two years ago.)

As much as we prefer the simplicity of a good New York slice, we're curious about the Doublemelt and will be trying one in the near future. Check back.

And remember the Hut's Insider? Did you know that the freakish indie-rock outfit Ween was originally hired to score the commercial? Slice on Ween's Insider experience.

And speaking of Japanese pizza:
The Web's First Japanese Pizza Page
Slice visits a Japanese pizzeria.

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Tags: Chain Pizza