The pizza story
Flatbreads with toppings have been consumed for centuries by the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. One of the earliest reference to a pizza-like food is documented in the “Aeneid”, an epic written by Roman poet Virgil between 29 and 19 BC. The modern variant of pizza was born in the city of Naples, Italy. Naples had a large number of working class people who preferred affordable food that could be consumed on-the-go. Pizzas served this purpose. These street-side pizzas were flatbreads with various toppings such as tomatoes, cheese, oil, anchovies (a type of fish) and garlic.
In the mid-1800s, King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of the Kingdom of Italy visited Naples. This is seen as an iconic event in the history of pizza. The royal couple wished to dine on an assortment of pizzas made in the city.
Until then, pizzas were primarily consumed by the working class and were frowned upon by the Italian elite. The queen’s favourite pizza was called pizza mozzarella, which was topped with the cheese, tomatoes and basil. Since the, this pizza has been known as pizza Margherita.
However, the popularity of pizza never spread to the rest of the world, until it became a hit in the U.S.
Taken to the U.S. by immigrants from Naples in the early 1900s, pizza became an instant hit in the region. After World War II, pizza came to be known as a fun fast-food. Food historians claim that pizza became popular in its birthplace Italy only after the war.
Today, there are several pizza chains across the world and several flavours to cater to local palates.
Want to study pizza at college?
You can now include pizza studies to your curriculum. One such famous programme is offered by the Manchester Metropolitan University, England.
This is a degree-level apprenticeship provided in partnership with Pizza Hut. The training aims to focus on academic and practical skills, including financial analysis, food production and hospitality leadership.
Cheesy facts
Did you know that pizza has been delivered to space? In 2001, a pizza was delivered to the International Space Station on-board a re-supply rocket. The entire process cost over one million dollars.
Pizza was one of the first items to be sold online.
In 2013, a group of NASA-funded scientists invented a 3-D printer that could cook pizza in just 70 seconds.
Spin it..
Did you know that spinning pizza dough is an art from according to UNESCO? Known as ‘Pizzaiuolo’. This art form has four stages and is passed on to future generations by Master Pizzaiuolos.
Regional adaptations
One of the primary reasons for pizza’s international fame is its regional adaptations. Most communities that consume pizza have adapted it to suit their preferences. For instance, chicken tikka and paneer makhani pizzas in India, and miso, mentaiko (pollock roe) and fermented soyabeans pizza in Japan.
Picture Credit : Google