Whether you’re a thin crust fan or a deep dish enthusiast, I’m sure we can all agree on one thing — pizza is love. Pizza can be totally non-discriminatory, (gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, etc.), it’s compatible with just about any pairing (ranch, anyone?), and it’s open minded about its toppings (hello, pineapples and bacon). There’s a topping, sauce or style for everyone. So, we should absolutely give it the praise and respect it deserves.
Pizza is one of the most widely eaten and most popular fast foods in the world. Traditional pizza originated in Naples, Italy as a flatbread that is covered in tomato sauce and topped with shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese baked in an oven until the dough is browned and the cheese has melted.
The History of Pizza
The earliest forms of flatbread, date from early Neolithic nomads, who gathered wild grains, soaked or boiled, mashed and then baked them on a hot stone over an open fire. Around 1,000 B.C.E. the Etruscans of Northern Italy added oil and herbs to their baked flatbreads and often used them in lieu of plates. The Greeks, instead of adding toppings to already baked bread, placed ingredients such as oil, garlic, onions, and herbs on the raw dough before baking. Other Greek improvements included kneading the dough and adding yeast as a leavening agent. The Romans later added cheese to their flatbread. But it was the Neapolitans who added the New World ingredient most commonly associated with pizza today — the tomato.
Tasty Pizza Trivia
Approximately 94% of Americans eat pizza regularly and 93% of the population has polished off a pie within the last month. The number might be higher with the recent holiday celebrations.
Americans order 350 slices of pizza every second while the average American consumes 46 slices a year
Saturday is the most popular night to eat pizza. But really, is there a wrong night?
It’s weird that pizzas are round but pizza boxes are square. You’ve thought about it, right? Reportedly, the reason is because square-shaped cardboard boxes are cheaper to produce and easier to assemble.
Pizza lovers unite in celebration across the land. September brings both National Cheese Pizza Day and National Pepperoni Pizza Day. The following month, October, is dubbed National Pizza Month, which means 31 days of honoring the pie. In case all that isn't enough for true pizza fans, worry not, because February 9, is National Pizza Day — and this day is dedicated to paying respect to every kind of pizza imaginable. National Pi Day rolls around in March and gives us another great excuse to celebrate pizza. Chicago Style fans have National Deep Dish Pizza Day on April 5. And we wrap it up in May with National Pizza Party Day.
