Pizza is one of the most popular foods across the world. In the US, though, the numbers are truly mind boggling. There are reports that pizza lovers spend up to 37 billion dollars on pizza every year. Together, Americans make up about a third of the global pizza market. In fact, reports show that Americans eat up to 350 pieces of pizza per second. Even though the jury is still out on the truth in these allegations, the history of pizza makes for interesting reading.
Is it really Italian?
This is perhaps the biggest secret in pizza’s past. When traced back to the beginning, it is actually Greek, though the Italian reference is not entirely far-fetched. Pizza started in Naples, a city that was founded by the Greeks in around 300 BC. Even though it was in a much different form than it is today, it was the Greek flatbed that was the foundation. It is even suggested that the word pizza comes from the Greek word for cake or pie, pitta. The Italians, however, have a special place in the making of pizza. They were the first to use yeast to have the dough rise around the 17th and 18th centuries, creating the soft and fluffy crust we know and love today. They were also the first to include tomatoes on the pie. The climate in Italy made it easy for vendors to sell their pizzas in open air stands, the beginning of the pizzeria trend that most people love today.
Pizza in America
The typical shape and design of the average pizza in Downtown Charlestown, SC is also down to the influence of the Italians. In Italy, most of the pizza was sold in pie form. However, when immigrants came to America and brought it over, they would often ask for smaller portions, and thus the slice was born. It was an affordable meal, making it popular among the working poor working class. The first pizzeria in New York, for instance, sold a pie for 5 cents. It is because of this that it spread rapidly across the country to become the popular food it is today.
A traditional or contemporary flavor, Pizza King has the best pizza to rival any pizzeria in the country. Contact us at 000-000-0000 or visit the company website for more information.
