Here's to pizza!

Pizza. A savory Italian dish of a round flattened base of leavened dough. In Italy, a formal restaurant setting, a pizza would be eaten with a knife and fork. In a causal setting, it is cut into wedges and eaten by hand, which is the way most of us usually eat it. A favorite food among many people around the world. It enjoys a wide variety of crust and toppings depending on regions. October is National Pizza Month. Started by Gerry Durnell, publisher of Pizza Today magazine in 1984, October has become a month to celebrate this delicious food from its humble origins to the crazy debates about which region has the better pizza and even what toppings are acceptable.

There have been foods like the pizza found throughout the Ancient World. In the 6^th century BCE, Persian soldiers of the Achaemenid Empire, during the rule of King Darius I, baked flatbreads with cheese and dates on top of their shields. Ancient Greeks would use oil, herbs and cheese on their flatbreads. The term, pizza, was first recorded in a 10^th century in a Latin manuscript from southern Italy. According to legend, the modern pizza was invented in Naples in the 18^th to early 19^th century. The popular story goes, in 1889, the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza maker) Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita (1851-1926). He created three pizzas and the queen preferred the pizza which represented the Italian flag: red (tomatoes), green (basil) and white (mozzarella) which became the pizza Margherita. Pizza was brought to the US by Italian immigrants in the late 19^th century. The first US pizzeria, Lombardi’s, was opened in New York City in 1905 and it is still open today. The demand for pizza would skyrocket after World War II when servicemen were returning home from the Italian front and asked for this dish.

There are many variations of pizza. In Italy, the pizza napolitana remains a popular style which contains San Marzano and mozzarella di bufala.  Pizza is extremely popular in the United States in which 13% of American eat pizza on any given day. There are regional pizzas which developed in the US. Everyone is familiar with the New York style which is a hand tossed crust with a light layer of tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese and toppings such as pepperoni. New York pizzas usually measure between 18-24 inches in diameter and cut into eight large pieces. You may also be familiar with the popular Chicago style deep dish pizza. However, were you familiar with the other regional styles. First, the California style which is a thin crust and topping which unusual toppings such as chicken and goat cheese. This style was popularized by California chefs, Wolfgang Puck and Ed LaDou. Second, the Detroit style is a rectangular pizza with a thick crisp crust topped with sauce, cheese, pepperoni and mushrooms. Lastly, the St Louis pizza, which is a very thin, cracker like crust commonly topped with Provel cheese, which is made with cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses, and cut into squares instead of wedges.

The world record for the largest pizza was in Rome in December 2012 which measured 1,261 square meters (approximately 13,570 square feet)! And the world record for the longest pizza was in Fontana, California in 2017 which measured 1,930.39 meters (approximately 6,333.3 feet)! That’s almost a mile and a quarter long! Of course, with the popularity of pizza, there are many debates which occur. New York will always claim their pizza is better than other regions. While style of pizza is dependent on region and personal taste, one topic sparks a large and louder debate: toppings. More specific: is pineapple an acceptable pizza topping? Most people will state that pineapple does not belong on a pizza because it is not an Italian ingredient. However, this argument is week as many different styles use toppings which are not Italian. I personally love a pizza with pineapple and Canadian bacon. However, that is the only combination I will use with pineapple. Pineapple does not belong on a pizza with pepperoni or other toppings. According to Debate.org, 59% of respondents said yes, pineapple is an acceptable topping while 41% said no. And the debate goes on.

In conclusion, pizza is as simple or as complex as consumers wants. Regardless how you enjoy your pizza, it is a food which has had a long and successful history. From early forms in the Ancient world to the legendary beginnings in Italy, pizza will continue to be favorite around the US and around the world. So next time you enjoy your favorite pizza, remember its humble beginnings to its worldwide success. May even try a type of pizza you have never had before. You never know, you may find a new favorite. Here’s to pizza!