Today, February 9th is National Pizza Day in the US.
From its humble beginnings, street vendors in Naples Italy sold flatbreads topped with tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese. According to legend, in 1889, Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples and enjoyed their first slice of pizza. The queen wanted hers topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, and thus, this iconic combo has been called the Margherita pizza ever since. This meal is also credited as the first pizza delivery. I wonder if it wasn’t there within 30 minutes, l’hanno ottenuto gratuitamente (they got it free).
Pizza’s worldwide evolution is impressive with flavors for every discerning palate. There is Hawaiian with pineapple and Canadian bacon, BBQ chicken with red peppers, smoked salmon with ricotta cheese, duck sausage pate with olives, mushrooms and spinach with alfredo sauce and even a taco pizza. Then there are the thick or thin crusts, Chicago deep dish or some with stuffed crusts. They barely resemble the modest original Italian versions. My brain hurts just thinking about all of the mouthwatering combinations.
350 slices of pizza are eaten every second in the United States. However, surprisingly, the country with the highest consumption of pizza in the world per capita is Norway. They say the pizza with pumpkin cream, mozzarella, almonds, pancetta bacon, red onions and Parmigiano is a favorite.
So, no matter what kind of pie you choose, celebrate today with your loved ones. And may your day feel like thin slice of heaven. It will for me if it’s topped with pepperoni and I can fold it.