When it comes to pizza, folks in Brevard love their toppings, especially mushrooms

We're deep into pizza season.

Statistics tell us that two of the biggest days on the pizza-devouring calendar are Halloween and the day before Thanksgiving, then comes Super Bowl Sunday.

We know Brevardians love their pizzas, but what goes on those pies? If a poll undertaken on FLORIDA TODAY’s 8,600-member Facebook group, 321 Flavor: Where Brevard Eats, is a good indication, a whole lot of toppings.

Members named 32 items, in a wide variety of combinations, as what they prefer atop what some call a tomato pie, and of those, none received more mention than mushrooms, by a decent margin. 

Pepperoni, that staple of pizzas in the South, was second, followed by onions, extra cheese and sausage.

The combinations probably were most interesting, though, and few were alike.

“Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, extra cheese, olives, banana peppers, white sauce and pineapple,” wrote Katie Brooke Justice.

“I can go a few ways.” Donna Barnes wrote. “I love traditional Margherita pizza, with fresh basil, Buffalo mozzarella, a little sauce, sliced tomatoes and garlic. And I also like regular cheese pizza with sauce, mozzarella, ricotta and meatballs.”

Catherine Loisel prefers vegetables.

“Love the veggies,” she said. “Drag it through the garden then add Hatch (from the Hatch Valley of New Mexico) green chiles.”

Brewer and coffee-roaster Jason Stroble likes his heat. 

“Jalapeño, pineapple, pepperoni and onion make the best slice,” he said

The locals also bemoaned the lack of crushed sausage as pizza topping. In the words of Vada England: “My favorite is crumbled sausage, but it seems most places here just have sliced sausage.”

And then there were the relatively-few-but-much-appreciated purists, to whom “pizza” simply means good crust, good sauce and good cheese.

“The gold standard is sauce and cheese,” Sean McGrory said.

Diane Dobish agreed. 

“I guess I'm a traditionalist,” she said. “I like it just with cheese or maybe Margherita. Thin, crisp crust with ‘good crack,’ so when I fold the slice, the crust cracks and the slice holds its shape. No drooping slice for me. I also love a very yeasty-tasting pizza, very difficult to find.”

What do you like? Join the discussion at facebook.com/groups/321FlavorWhereBrevardEats.

Want more local food coverage? Visit floridatoday.com/food.