America's Favorite Food

With over 3 billion pies sold every year in the U.S., pizza is definitely America's favorite food. Yet it has only been an American favorite since after World War 11.

It's history goes back to the 6th century B.C., when Darius the Great (521-486 B.C.) baked a kind of flat bread upon his soldiers sheilds , and covered it with cheese and dates. Many other cultures, including the Greeks and Romans also made a version of pizza. In 79 A.D after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, evidence was found of a flat flour cake that was baked and widely eaten in Pompei.

In the 19th century Umberto 1, King of Italy, and his wife, Queen Margherita di Savoia, were in Naples on holiday and were offered several varieties of pizza. The Queen loved the mozzarella, basil and tomato pizza (the colors of the Italian flag) and ate it every time she went to Naples. So now you know how the Margheritta pizza got its name. By the late 19th century pizza was sold in the streets of Naples for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Simple ingredients like mushrooms, anchovies,cheese and tomatoes were used.

As Italians imigrated to America at the turn of the century, so did the pizza. It was introduced to Chicago by a peddler who walked up and down Taylor Street with a metal washtub of pizzas on his head.

Gennaro Lombardi claims to have opened the first U.S. pizzeria in New York City in 1905. No one seems to dispute that fact. The pizzeria is still in existance today. When American soliders reutrned from Europe after World War 11, they wanted the delicious pies they had tasted in Italy. This was the beginiing of a phenomenon that would sweep the nation, and to this day shows no sign of letting up.

Today, pizza comes in many forms, from street food to gourmet quality. Thin crust, thick crust, with sauce, without sauce, everyone has their personal preference. I love a very thin crust. I will list my favorite pizzerias at another time. I know there will never be agreement on which is best, but in the mean time, send me your favorites so I can check them out. With my committment to lose weight in 2010, this is probably not a good way to start the year, but what the heck, I can't recommend something if I haven't tried it.