As the shortest month of the year, February has two prominent characteristics that are well-known. The first is that it coincides with Valentine’s Day. The second is that it gets an extra day every leap year. If February is a month of love, then it’s more than fitting that the ninth day of the month is National Pizza Day. It’s virtually impossible to find someone who doesn’t love some variation of this cuisine in one form or another. And while it’s achieved the popularity and recognition that few things have, this didn’t really happen until the 1950s. Come with us as we examine the delicious history of pizza and its rise to prominence.
Humble Beginnings
Historians have attested that various incarnations of the flatbread sandwich have existed in almost every civilization. From the ancient Egyptians to the Greco-Roman world. It’s believed that pizza originated in the Campania region of Italy, where Naples is located. A bustling waterfront community, Naples also has the distinction of being close to Mt. Vesuvius and the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Neapolitans developed the inexpensive dish somewhere around the 1700s. And, while you would certainly be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys pizza in this modern day and age, many outsiders looked down on the Neapolitan dish as disgusting and low-class. However, that was all about to change.
It was in 1861 when pizza quite literally ascended to royalty. Queen Margherita’s visit to Naples following its unification with Italy would start a new trend. Allegedly, the queen was bored to death with French cuisine and the various delicacies made by the royal chefs and asked to partake in the food of the common folk. She immediately took a fancy to a pizza made from the red sauce, basil, and mozzarella. And thus, the Margherita pizza was born. Following the influx of Italian immigration to the United States following World War Two, the customs of the old world would become intertwined, and soon, pizza would become known from coast to coast. And the rest, they say, is history.
Enjoy National Pizza Day at Bogey’s Sports Pub
Looking for the perfect way to celebrate national pizza day on February ninth? Why not come on down to Bogey’s Sports Pub? Served with various toppings, we also have specialty dishes, including Buffalo and Chipotle Ranch. And, if you wish, you can replicate history by partaking in our very own Pizza Margherita. To look at what we have to offer, take a gander at our menu, and we’ll see you on the ninth!