Millions of pizzas are consumed by Americans everyday of the year. The once revered hamburger is beginning to slip snugly into second place when it comes to fast food choices. Most automatically say that this delectable pie came from Italy, but unfortunately this would be an erroneous statement. We need to go back much farther in history to find its humble beginnings.
Centuries ago, Middle Eastern cultures used to bake a flat bread called a pita in their mud ovens. The similarities are minuscule, but this is the first recorded flat bread known to be made and eaten along with olive oil and spices that were well known at that time. Pita bread is still used in today’s market but mostly for wrapped sandwiches. Still, all of the credit cannot be taken away from the Italians.
The story remains unproven but there is one of particular delight remains as to the origin of today’s pie. It was to be that the King and Queen of Italy; namely Umberto and Margherita respectively; were to visit a humble and lower class area of Italy. Wishing to impress the visiting dignitaries, a lowly baker by the name of Rafaello Esposito, set about to create a dish using the colors of the flag. He took a flat bread and covered it with a rich spiced sauce. He then cover it with a white cheese known as mozzarella and sprinkled it with green basil. The uniqueness of the dish so impressed the king and queen that they spread the story of this wonderful pie and the Italian version as we know it was born.
Italian immigration began in the United States sometime in the early part of the 1900’s. Settling in vast numbers in the New York and Chicago areas their pies were gaining respect by the Americans. Another upsurge was noted following World War II. Soldiers that had served on the Italian front were often fed the pie by the local and they returned home with the desire for more in the 1940’s. The Italian pie was once again in the spotlight and demanded in large quantities.
Finding a specialty pie is an easy enough task as the smallest towns in American can boast at least one pizza parlor. Pleasing the palate is now as much a requirement as the traditional pie once was. Mexican toppings can be applied for those who wish for a bit of zest along with their pie. A vegetarian pie will suit those that do not eat meat. You may enjoy the Hawaiian pizza with large chunks of pineapple. Even the style in which it is served has changed and you can get your pie as a calzone or a stromboli. There are many offerings but the traditional still seems to hold its spot at the top of the list.
The Chicago style deep dish is exactly what the name implies. As deep as Mom’s favorite apple pie, this dish is so jammed full of the traditional toppings, it has to be baked in a pan from one to two inches deep. The real challenge is in the eating of this pie as the ingredients will spill over onto the plate like volcanic lava. Most will disregard your preference to enjoy this dish using a fork as folding the pizza to eat it is not acceptable. The Chicago style dish has left its home ground and traveled all over the United States although some say you would be hard pressed to get one that matches the flavor of the original.
Almost every restaurant you enter will offer the New York style pie somewhere on its menu. Having the more traditional flat crust, it can be ordered regular or thin in thickness. Toppings are not piled as high as its Chicago counterpart but a deep dish style is offered. The more common toppings would be a rich red sauce, with cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, onions, and sausage, but the choices are endless when it comes to preparing your pie the way you prefer it. Regardless of preference, the rivalry between the Chicago and New York style pies remains with both ares claiming to have the best pie available.
Do not despair if you live in an area where the winters are cold and nasty or the heat unbearably warm. Your pizza pie can now be delivered directly to your door. Pizza delivery is a well used offering that is yours at no or minimal charge. A small tip for the delivery man is always a nice gesture. There are also many who try and take advantage of the somewhat less expensive frozen pizza, but be warned that there are really none out there that can compare to the real thing.
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