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10 Fast Facts You Never Knew About Pizza

10 Fast Facts You Never Knew About Pizza

In the spirit of National Pizza Month, we want to share with you some pizza knowledge.

From thin crust and deep dish to margherita and “the works,” pizza comes in all shapes, sizes and styles—often depending on where you live. But we’ve got some facts about your favorite pie that might just surprise you. So grab a slice, settle in and prepare to be wowed by the wonderful world of pizza.

(Oh, and don’t forget to share your pizza creations with us on Instagram. Just tag your photos with #delalloeats.)

Recipe: Spicy Sausage, Fennel and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

1. Lombardi’s (of NYC) was the first pizza restaurant in the United States.

According to Thrillist, in 1897, Gennaro Lombardi began selling tomato pies from his grocery store at 53½ Spring Street to workers at local factories. He received a business license to operate a restaurant in 1905, and the first American pizzeria was born.

2. Kids aged 3-11 prefer pizza more than any other lunch or dinner food.

Recipe: Detroit-Style Pepperoni Pizza

See ya, spaghetti and meatballs. No thanks, chicken nuggets. Bon voyage, burgers.

When it comes to kids and food, a Gallup poll revealed that pizza is the clear winner. We admit that this may be the least surprising fact on our list, we just had to give a shoutout to kids… who know good stuff when they taste it.

3. Anchovies and pizza go way, way, way back.

Recipe: Garlicky Olive & Anchovy Pizza with San Marzano Tomatoes

Anchovies are the little Mediterranean fish with a big reputation. Whether you love ‘em or not, they have an important place in Italian history. Anchovies have ties to ancient Rome, where it was commonplace to eat fish on bread. Cheap, plentiful and easy to preserve, anchovies arrived in the U.S. with the Italian immigrants in the early 1900s, Slate confirms.

4. Pepperoni is the #1 topping.

Recipe: Pepperoni & Black Olive Pizza

According to The Week, just over one third of all pizzas in the United States (36%) contain pepperoni, making it it the most popular topping in the country. An Italian-American invention, this delicious mix of spiced, dried pork and beef was originally a way to use up scraps from carving various cuts of meat.

5. Depending which country you visit, pizza looks very different.

Recipe: Fresh Tomato-Basil Pizza Bell

There are some wild pizzas in the world. But South Korea and Iceland are in a tie for the craziest pie!

In the ultimate fusion of East and West, South Koreans top their dough with bulgogi (marinated barbecued beef), corn, peppers and a sauce made of white wine and oysters. The Icelanders have created their own version of Hawaiian pizza by replacing pineapple with bananas and blue cheese. We have to try these! What about you?

6. Speaking of Hawaiian pizza, the phenomenon was created in Canada by a native of Greece.

Sam Panopoulus of Ontario, Canada, dreamed up the Hawaiian pizza in his restaurant in 1962. Inspired by the savory and sweet flavors in many Chinese dishes, Sam experimented with a bunch of combinations before landing on the iconic ham and pineapple combo. Thanks, Wikipedia!

7. Thin crust is a winner.

According to pizza.com, regular thin crust pizza wins the hearts of the majority of Americans. Sixty-one percent of the population claiming it as their favorite. Thick crust and deep-dish trail way behind at 14% percent of the vote and extra thin rounds it out with 11%. Get the right dough (wink, wink) and you can make everyone happy.

8. The longest pizza in the world was over a mile long.

In June of 2017, more than 100 pizza makers gathered in California to break the Guinness World Record for “Longest Pizza.” This record was originally set in Naples, Italy—the birthplace of pizza. After successfully setting a new record, the award-winning pie was donated to local food banks and shelters. What an impressive feat!

9. There’s a Pizza Expo every year in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Recipe: Penne Pepperoni Pizza

Every year, thousands of “pizza pros” descend on Vegas for the International Pizza Expo. Sadly, the show isn’t open to the general public, but those who do attend enjoy classes, competitions and networking with some of the top players in the pizza industry.

10. Halloween is the most popular night for pizza.

Recipe: Easy Two Olive Pizza with Tuna & Capers

Sorry, Superbowl Sunday, the night for little goblins is the most popular to order takeout. The American Pizza Commmunity ranks the busiest night for pizza as Halloween, followed by the night before Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and yes, everyone’s favorite sports holiday, the Superbowl.

We don’t know about you, but all this pizza talk got us hungry! How about you?