- Did you know, a small pizza is sometimes called a pizzetta?
- Did you know, a person who makes pizza is known as a pizzaiolo?
- Did you know, in Italy, pizza is served unsliced? They make use of a knife and fork.
- Did you know, the term pizza was first recorded in the 10th century in a Latin manuscript?
- Did you know, modern pizza was invented in Naples? It’s the regional capital of Campania.
- Did you know, restaurants specializing in pizza are known as pizzerias.
- Did you know some food companies sell ready-baked pizzas? It may be frozen, in grocery stores, to be reheated in a home oven.
- Did you know, in 2017, the world pizza market was US$128 billion?
- The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana was founded in 1984. The aim of this organization is to promote traditional Neapolitan pizza. It is a non-profit organization to promote traditional pizza.
- In 2009, upon Italy’s request, Neapolitan pizza was registered with the European Union as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed dish.
- In 2017 the art of pizza making was included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
- Raffaele Esposito is often considered to be the father of modern pizza. He was an Italian chef and owner of a tavern called Pizzeria di Pietro e basta così in the 19th century that had been founded in 1780 by Pietro Colicchio.
- The term “pizza” was first observed in a Latin text. The first mention of the word “pizza” comes from a notarial document written in Latin and dating to May 997 AD from Gaeta.
- An early reference to a pizza-like food occurs in the Aeneid, when Celaeno, queen of the Harpies, foretells that the Trojans would not find peace until they are forced by hunger to eat their tables (Book III).
- Pizza was introduced to the US by Italian immigrants in the late 19th century.
- The first pizzeria, “Lombardi’s” , was opened in New York City in 1905.
