Our love affair with pizza pie
The story of America’s love relationship with pizza began in 1905 in New York City—not Italy. Drum roll, please. Put your hands together for Gennaro Lombardi—then say a thank-you prayer. Lombardi opened America’s first pizza parlor. His sidekick, Antonio Pero, is credited with being the pizziaolo or pizza maker. More applause warranted. Albeit, both men made a different type of pizza in Naples before heading to the USA. Kudos to the original pizza makers in Italy as well.
The word pizza is Italian for pie, according to www.dictionary.com/e/whats-the-origin-of-pizza/.
However, others recognize Giovanni and Gennaro Bruno, brothers from Naples who arrived in America in 1903, and introduced the Neapolitan Pizza. More pizza. In 1943, Chicago Deep Dish pizza was born. And the rest is pizza history.
Go back far enough into history and you may find that Eve and Adam created the first veggie pizza—baked on a flat rock.
And yes, there is a publication called Pizza Magazine. Visit www.pmq.com.
More and more consumers in the USA desire healthier pizza pies. Technomic’s Pizza Consumer Trend Report found that 43 percent like their preferred pizza restaurant because it uses high-quality, fresh ingredients, and 64 percent want more pizzerias to offer premium ingredients.
Pizza is a big and tasty business in America; luscious and lip-smacking. In 2015, $38.5 billion worth of pizza was sold nationwide, according to Pizza Magazine.
Modern-day taste buds are interested in the tantalizing taste and type of the crusted concoctions customized with a list of myriad ingredients. And the freshness and amounts of toppings. And the cost.
Americans love their pizza. Takeout or dine-in pizza. Cold leftover pizza slices or warmed up in microwave pizza slices.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, those four courageous amphibious crime-fighters in masks, loved pizza. Probably part of their adolescent DNA.
Even our furry friends love pizza. There are pizza-flavored biscuits for dogs. The answer to your dog’s prayer!
Pizza is also a popular route for would-be Guinness World Record holders and record breakers. In 2018, a super cheesy pizza with 111 different types of cheese was a record breaker in Germany. Shazam! I didn’t know the world had that many types of cheese.
Our brains have stored up lots of pizza memories: pizza served at birthday parties, slumber parties, graduation parties. And don’t forget how we love to chew pizza while watching sports or movies.
National Pizza Day is observed annually on February 9th. Throw a pizza party! National Pepperoni Pizza Day is September 20 in 2019. Pepperoni is the U.S.’s favorite topping. Celebrate with another pizza party! Invite your pizza pals. Anchovies are the least favorite pizza topping in America.
Pizza has even made it into song lyrics. “When a moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie. That’s amore.” Sing along—because Americans love their pizza pies.
Saturday night is the most popular night to eat pizza. A weekend treat for the taste buds.
The top 5 pizza sales days are: Super Bowl Sunday, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, The night before Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day. www.pizza.com/fun-facts.
There’s a pizza museum in Philadelphia called Pizza Brain, home to the world’s largest collection of pizza memorabilia. It opened in 2012. www.pizzabrain.org/museum-2/.
Pack the kids in the car, pick up Grandma, and visit the pizza museum.
Kudos to pizza makers in the state of Kentucky! Keep baking those delectable pies.
What’s for dinner tonight? Pizza. Thin crust well-done with pepperonis, black olives, and pineapple.
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, and educator. She lives in
Southern Ohio. www.melissamartinchildrensauthor.com.
