Weren't Italians the creators of PIZZA?

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I thought that pizza was made by the Italians. I mean, isn't that what Americans think Italians are known for? Aside from their expensive clothes, romantic accents, and great pasta dishes, of course. I believe that most of the knowledge we get is from the media. The media loves to give people stereotypes and isolate different groups of people. But I am here to set things straight.

Pizza could have been founded by anyone who learned how to heat up the mixture of flour and water. But most believe that it originated from the Greeks. They were said to be the first to lay out large, round and flat breads; which later were added with an assortment of oils, herbs, etc.

Pizza was also considered a "poor man's" food. In 1522, tomatoes were brought back from the New World (Peru) to Europe. They were thought to be poisonous, but the poor people added it later. Thus, the first simple pizza.

In 1889, Umberto I (King of Italy at the time), and his wife, Queen Margherita, took a tour around the Italian Kingdom for inspection. She saw many people, especially the poor, enjoying pizzas. Curiosity got the best of her, so she ordered her guards to bring her a pizza. She loved it! She eventually sent for Chef Rafaelle Esposito to make her his specialties.

Chef Rafaelle Esposito made three different kinds of pizza. One with pork fat, cheese, and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomatoes; and another with mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes (in the colors of the Italian flag). The queen loved the last one so much that she sent him a letter to thank him. He later dedicated his specialty after the queen- Pizza Margherita. This pizza set standards all over the world and Naples became the pizza capital. It also made the queen quite popular amongst her people for loving a poor man's food!

Pizza later migrated to America, France, England and Spain. It was still unknown until after WWII. American and European soldiers tasted pizza for the first time while in Italy. After American soldiers left Italy and came back home, their hunger increased the popularity of pizza.

The famous Sicilian pizza was actually an American invention (also known as the "Party Pizza").
Real Sicilian Pizza has no cheese or anchovies.

The "Pizza Hut" chain first appeared in the 1930s in the United States.

From now on, I will think about Queen Margherita and Rafaelle Esposito. I will thank them with each bite I take of my next pizza. I'll be sure to mark my calendars on February 9th for International Pizza Day too.

Haven't you always wanted to make a great pizza right at home? Click Here!