A precursor of pizza was probably the focaccia, a flat bread known to the Romans as panis focacius, to which toppings were then added. Have fun and stay curious! But the story of how the humble pizza came to enjoy such global dominance reveals much about the history of migration, economics and technological change. Even if the pizza considered original of the Italian (and above all Neapolitan) culinary tradition in the world, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans also cooked very similar flatbreads! Pizza Rolls were invented in 1968, and Bagel Bites came out in 1985. In Sardinia, French and Italian archaeologists have found bread baked over 7,000 years ago. The word pizza itself was first documented in AD 997 in Gaeta and throughout parts of Central and Southern Italy. One theory suggests it did. by Anonymous 43 mins ago 43 mins ago. When was pizza invented? [citation needed] The dish gained popularity, and soon pizza became a tourist attraction as visitors to Naples ventured into the poorer areas of the city to try the local specialty. The customers loved it and decided to name the dish after him. Pizza—flatbreads with various toppings, eaten for any meal and sold by street vendors or informal restaurants—met this need. [28], In December 2009, the pizza napoletana was granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Union. The king of street foods became the queen that we know and love thanks to Raffaele Esposito and his original pizza creation, the “Pizza Margherita”. Teigen's openness about loss gives comfort to others But frozen pizza still remained something less than — it was kids’ food for the children of busy parents. And it was invented 30 years ago on February 10, 1983 when Carmela Vitale got her patent issued for that piece of plastic. In 1905, Gennaro Lombardi opened the first pizzeria in the United States in New York City. Naples was a bustling city, and the Lazzaroni, or Lazzari, were the poorest of the lower class of the population. The "Taste of 2020" report is based on trends gathered from more than 30 million orders on the Grubhub platform. They needed to break away from their usual French meals. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Most of them are in the ancient historical center of Naples. Want Pizza? Later, Vincent Bruno (Giovanni's son) went on to open the first pizzeria in Chicago. He is, though, probably the originator of the name pizza margherita, if he’s to be remembered for anything at all in the history of pizza. Did pizza originate in China? These include that the pizza must be baked in a wood-fired, domed oven; that the base must be hand-kneaded and must not be rolled with a pin or prepared by any mechanical means (i pizzaioli — the pizza makers — make the pizza by rolling it with their fingers) and that the pizza must not exceed 35 centimetres in diameter or be more than one-third of a centimetre thick at the centre. Grigorieva, Naming Authenticity," p. 211-212. Pizza is one of the most staple food diets in the United States and indeed popular all around the world. You would be amazed to know that this dish was made for poor people and it was sold on the street with various ranges of toppings. 13% of the US population consumes pizza on any given day. [34] It gained popularity throughout the 1960s, with many pizzerias and restaurants opening across the country. As pizza became more popular, stalls were set up where the dough was shaped as customers ordered. In 1936, De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies was opened. Pizza is a big part of modern society, appearing at parties, events, and even, perhaps, at your front door. Both establishments are still run by descendants of the original family. In 1995, though, things changed — big time. Pizzas from take and bake pizzerias, and chilled or frozen pizzas from supermarkets make pizza readily available nationwide. 1957", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_pizza&oldid=994211948, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Articles lacking reliable references from September 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, An early reference to a pizza-like food occurs in the, This page was last edited on 14 December 2020, at 16:55. The bread then went into a mud oven for baking. The Neapolitans were coming for factory jobs, as did millions of Europeans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; they weren’t seeking to make a culinary statement. Frozen pizza was invented in the 1950s by Minneapolis pizzeria owner Rose Totino; Pizza Hut opened its first restaurant in Wichita, Kansas in 1958; Little Ceasar's followed a year later, and Domino's came in … One of the first documented United States pizzerias was G, licensed to sell pizza in 1905. The first instance of tomatoes being used in a pizza was in 1738. There is historical evidence that Greeks ate a flat bread called πλακούτος (plakuntos) — “flat” — which was topped with olive oil, herbs, onion, cheese and garlic and then baked in a mud oven. Despite its tropical name, Hawaiian pizza is actually a Canadian creation. GrubHub's "Taste of … There's an app to help you order one", "Dear Slice: Boston May Have Had the First Pizza in America", "Readers weigh in on top Sheboygan, Manitowoc pizzerias", "A Slice of History: Pizza Through the Ages", "CBC Archives: New 50s Food – Pizza! Later, Rose Totino invented the frozen pizza so people could enjoy pizza at home without having to order it from a restaurant. Pizza was mostly served in restaurants and small pizzerias. Naples may not be the city that invented pizza in its infancy, but it designed a dish … But where did pizza originate? Maybe the Greeks or Egyptians are the ones who invented pizza. However, what if the concept of pizza actually came from somewhere else? Queen Margherita’s blessing could have been the start of an Italy-wide pizza craze. This invention allowed retailers to inexpensively and easily bake pizza pies, without the fuss of charcoal or wood. Panopoulos is the Canadian man who invented Hawaiian pizza, a dish so divisive it led to a presidential outburst this year. Pizza as it’s now known first appeared in Naples, Italy, in the late 1700s to early 1800s. Following World War II, veterans returning from the Italian Campaign, who were introduced to Italy's native cuisine proved a ready market for pizza in particular,[43] touted by "veterans ranging from the lowliest private to Dwight D. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. “The broadest definition of pizza is a yeasted flatbread with ingredients baked into it. Panopolous owned … Italy unified in 1861, and King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples in 1889. Various toppings were invented. A Neapolitan chef Raffaele Esposito invented the pizza in 1889. Although those were the most preferred, today there are many variations of pizzas. He passed away in hospital … [1] Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or early 19th century.[2]. 6:10 In 1905, Lombardi’s was opened in New York City and was named the first licensed pizzeria in the US. This waterfront city is one of the oldest in the world. This changed after World War II when Allied troops stationed in Italy came to enjoy pizza along with other Italian foods. That is why Rose Totino invented the frozen pizza, and it continues to be a hit today. What Were the First Pizzas Like? Pizza Marinara: the first tomato pizza (Leite’s Culinaria). Pizza probably had its origins in prehistoric times since bread was one of the first types of prepared food, with the dough was baked on hot, flat stones. Pizza first made its appearance in the United States with the arrival of Italian immigrants in the late 19th century and was popular among large Italian populations in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Trenton and St. Louis. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians are said to have eaten a pizza-like food. It is widely attributed to baker Raffaele Esposito, who worked at the restaurant "Pietro... e basta così" ("Pietro... and that's enough"), established in 1880 and still in business as "Pizzeria Brandi". The idea of a flat piece of dough topped with herbs and cheese originated in ancient Greece. While the flatbread-sauce-cheese version of pizza most likely originated in Naples, Italy can’t quite take credit for inventing pizza. From then on, the story goes, that particular topping combination was dubbed pizza Margherita. Read now. In 1945, Ira Nevin, a returning soldier, invented the Baker's Pride gas-fired pizza oven. Watch the video to discover the answer and don't forget to vote for next week's question. [14] An often recounted story holds that on June 11, 1889, to honour the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the Neapolitan pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created the "Pizza Margherita", a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colours of Italy as on the Flag of Italy. Louis. Watch the video to discover the answer and don't forget to vote for next week's question. But where did pizza originate? Most pizza restaurants across Canada also serve popular Italian cuisine in addition to pizza, such as pasta, salad, soups and sandwiches. Share the post "Who invented pizza?" Founded around 600 B.C. Pizza Pizza, and its subsidiary chain Pizza 73 in Western Canada, are among Canada's largest domestic brands based in Ontario. In 1895 Gennaro Lombardi emigrated from Naples and came to New York where he made pizza in a bakery on Mulberry Street, using the same dough recipe his father and grandfather had used in Naples. Raffaele Esposito: the Legend Who Invented Pizza. 9 months ago. FacebookTwitterGoogle+ Today we’re tracing the Domino’s family tree to find our pizza ancestors and pizza’s origin. One of the first documented United States pizzerias was G. (for Gennaro) Lombardi’s on Spring Street in Manhattan, licensed to sell pizza in 1905. 486. In the province of Quebec Pizza-ghetti is a combination meal commonly found in fast food or family restaurants. The innovation that led to flatbread pizza was the use of tomato as a topping. Italy unified in 1861, and King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples in 1889. Today international outposts of American chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut thrive in about 60 different countries. What can you do with it? (Perhaps it was no coincidence that her favorite pie featured the colors of the Italian flag.) The first pizza restaurant franchise, Pizza Hut, opened in the 1930s. In 1905, putative founder Gennaro Lombardi received a business license to operate a pizzeria restaurant, and soon had a clientele that included Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. [31], In December 2017, the pizza napoletana was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[32]. There are mysteries all around us. If you believed BBQ chicken pizza was a new, millennial creation, you were wrong! “The closer you got to the bay, the more dense their population, and much of their living was done outdoors, sometimes in homes that were little more than a room,” says Carol Helstosky, author of Pizza: A Global History and associate professor of history at the University of Denver. Before we get into the history of pizza, let’s first agree upon a definition of the word. All Rights Reserved. In Naples, Italy thousand of years ago, the term “focaccia” or galette flatbread was first used to describe a herb and spice covered bread The actual word “pizza” was first recorded in AD 997 in Gaeta and immediately spread to other parts of Italy. The stalls soon developed into the pizzeria, an open-air place for people to congregate, eat, drink, and talk — What’s Cooking America. He opened his restaurant at 53 1/3 Spring Street in New York City. [46], Two entrepreneurs, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, invented Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, in 1943. The association also selects pizzerias all around the world to produce and spread the verace pizza napoletana philosophy and method. The margherita is topped with modest amounts of tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil. But pizza would remain little known in Italy beyond Naples’ borders until the 1940s. [35] The first Boston Pizza location was opened in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1964, and operated under the name "Boston Pizza & Spaghetti House", with locations still opening across the nation. Lombardi soon decided to sell pizza and in 1905 was issued a license by the City of New York, becoming America’s First Pizzeria. It is still open today using its original oven, although it has changed location. This article will tell you all about the history of pizza. Leading early pizza chains were Shakey's Pizza, founded in 1954 in Sacramento, California; Pizza Hut, founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas; and Little Caesars, founded in 1959 in Garden City, Michigan. Technically an independent kingdom, it was notorious for its throngs of working poor, or lazzaroni. Lombardi’s, still in operation today though no longer at its 1905 location, “has the same oven as it did originally,” notes food critic John Mariani, author of How Italian Food Conquered the World. This invention allowed retailers to inexpensively and easily bake pizza pies, without the fuss of charcoal or wood. For some time after the tomato was brought to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, it was believed by many Europeans to be poisonous, like some other fruits of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family are. With pizza gaining popularity across the nation, major American pizza chains such as Pizza Hut, Domino's Pizza and Little Caesars have expanded their locations in Canada, competing against the domestic Canadian brands. [11][better source needed], Other examples of flatbreads that survive to this day from the ancient Mediterranean world are focaccia (which may date back as far as the ancient Etruscans); Manakish in Levant, coca (which has sweet and savory varieties) from Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands; the Greek Pita; Lepinja in the Balkans; or Piadina in the Romagna part of Emilia-Romagna in Italy.[12]. The French dish was onions, olives and anchovies on a pastry base .. like a very thin flan. The pizza bases in Naples are soft and pliable. Vitale’s invention is used to keep the covers of the pizza box from hitting the pizza. There are pizza parlors that cater to pizza from Milan, Naples, Pompeii, and Palermo, but also pizza has taken its own New York style. June 11, 2017 12:58 PM EDT T he man who invented Hawaiian pizza, setting off one of the biggest debates in food, died on Thursday at the age of 83. Did pizza originate in China? So for the sake of our argument, let’s consider a pizza to be: n. some kind of flat bread with stuff on […] But pizza as we know it today has more humble origins, as a staple of the poor in Naples, Italy. [47], Pizza chains sprang up with pizza's popularity rising. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. [15][16][17], Pizza evolved into a type of bread and tomato dish, often served with cheese. A pizza in an oven. Myth: Italians invented pizza. Pizza in Italy is thought to have descended from the original focaccia bread, but in truth, different flatbreads were developed throughout the ancient world. In 1945, Ira Nevin, a returning soldier, invented the Baker's Pride gas-fired pizza oven. [29], In 2012, the world's largest pizza was made in Rome and it was measured to be 1261.65 square metres in area. There are mysteries all around us. However, the American chains have also created Canadian specialty pizzas that are available only in Canada. Where did pizza originate? The variety the queen enjoyed most was called pizza mozzarella, a pie topped with the soft white cheese, red tomatoes and green basil. [44] By the 1960s, it was popular enough to be featured in an episode of Popeye the Sailor. But the modern birthplace of pizza is southwestern Italy's Campania region, home to the city of Naples. Pizza is the world’s favourite fast food. In Rome, they prefer a thin and crispy base. It dates back centuries ago when the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians ate their bread in that form. The modern pizza: The marinara pizza dates back to 1734, while the Margherita pizza is the years 1796-1810. Despite these early incarnations, Naples is considered the birthplace of modern-day pizza. Though recent research casts doubt on this legend,[25] the tale holds that, in 1889, he baked three different pizzas for the visit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy. A "Canadian" pizza is usually prepared with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, and bacon. Pizza Pops are a Canadian calzone-type snack introduced in the 1960s. The next few decades weren’t entirely without frozen pizza innovation. This blog post shares with you a little about who invented pizza. [37] The chain first opened in 1981, serving both pizza and other fresh Italian cuisine, such as pasta and Italian sandwiches. He went into a rage and smashed all the plates in his restaurant, and this was the only way he could serve a meal to his customers. These Neapolitans required inexpensive food that could be consumed quickly. By 997 AD, the word pizza was first documented in Gaeta, Italy and by the 16th century a flatbread known as galette was referred to as pizza in Naples.