Pizza Facts That Make You Appreciate Each Slice

A pizza lover is curious about pizza and wants to explore information about pizza to find a pizza that suits their taste. However, you can find out the various types of pizza and information or interesting facts about pizza that you may not have known before. Check out this article to find out these pizza facts!

The Largest Pizza in the World Measured in at over 1,200 Square Metres

Because pizza is an Italian specialty favoured by people from all walks of life worldwide, many people are creating and experimenting with it. One of them is making the biggest pizza ever in the world, with 1,297.72 square meters, made in California, America. It also became the longest pizza ever. The ingredients used are 630,496 pepperoni slices as pizza toppings. This giant pizza was distributed to charities around Los Angeles in January 2023.

You Can Visit a Pizza Museum

Have you ever heard of a pizza museum? You can visit a museum full of pizza, which will certainly make you recognise pizza more profoundly and in more detail. Located in Philadelphia, this museum presents many types of information about pizza that you may not have known before. The museum contains the most extensive pizza collection, showcasing the evolution of pizza from its humble beginnings to the diverse range of pizzas we have today. You will find many new pizzas there, each with its unique story and significance in the pizza world.

You will also have the opportunity to learn about the history of the first pizza, which Raffaele Esposito created. He was an Italian chef and owner of a tavern in Naples called Pizzeria in the 19th century. The tavern was founded in 1780 and is known for its Margherita pizza.

Global Pizza Consumption

Originating in Italy, pizza has progressively become one of the most popular food options in the world. Its delicious and savoury taste and its versatile nature have significantly impacted many people. This universal love for pizza shows that 2 billion people consume pizza worldwide in a month. The bustling pizza delivery services, sending many pizzas to customers, reflect the growing demand for this global culinary delight.

Pizza Has Been Delivered in Space

Pizza was globally popular and one of the foods delivered to the International Space Station in 2001. Even an astronaut named Yuri Usachov, who was in space, did not rule out the possibility of someone craving pizza, which is understandable because people might dislike eating space food. Yuri didn't typically use pizza topped with pepperoni and tomato, but used salami as a topping solution while in space.

There Is a Maths Theorem Named After Pizza

You can use pizza in terms of math! If you cut a circular pizza into eight equal slices using four straight cuts that all pass through the centre (like cutting it into wedges), then alternately take every other slice, the two groups will have equal total areas even if the toppings aren't evenly spread. This is known as the pizza theorem, a quirky and clever way of showing symmetry and balance in geometry — and it just happens to involve pizza!

The Versatility of Pizza

Having a wide variety of pizza types makes it suitable to be combined with various popular toppings such as tomato sauce, sausage, mozzarella cheese, buffalo mozzarella, and basil. It makes pizza one of the versatile foods that can reach many people, as highlighted in Pizza Today magazine. You can find many flavours ranging from spicy pizza and savoury to unique pizza creations that offer sweet pizza with chocolate and cheese toppings as dessert pizza. You may find the dessert pizza on a street food!

Whether vegan or gluten-free, pizza also provides topping options that suit your needs. Pizza restaurants serve different kinds of pizza in every country or city, proving that it can suit every taste and preference of people everywhere.  

The USA's Love of Pizza Can Be Traced Back to WWII

Before World War II, pizza was mainly enjoyed in Italian-American communities, especially in cities like New York and Chicago. However, during the war, many American soldiers were stationed in Italy. Thus, they got their first taste of authentic Italian pizza. When the war ended and they returned home, they craved the delicious dish they'd experienced overseas. It helped popularise pizza across the U.S., turning it from a niche ethnic food into a nationwide favourite.

The Hawaiian Pizza is Actually From Canada

Hawaiian pizza has savoury ham topping with a sweet pineapple mixture, creating the perfect combination of salty and sweet flavours. However, this pizza was named Hawaiian Pizza by Sam Panopaulus because he used the Hawaiian canned pineapple brand when making the pizza. Therefore, this pizza does not mean that it originated and was made in Hawaii because the creator made it in Canada, which is interesting to know about pizza.

Record-Breaking Pizzas

Someone interested in pizza also wants to make or develop pizza as a world record. They compete to give the best performance and find ways to become a Guinness World Record for pizza. Airrack, who works as a YouTuber, is one of the record breakers for making pizza with a size of 1,296 m² (13,990 ft²), contributing to the world pizza record. 

At the Los Angeles Convention Centre, a massive pizza was created by baking it in sections on-site. It included roughly 6,193 kg (13,653 lb) of dough, 2,244 kg (4,948 lb) of sweet marinara sauce, about 3,992 kg (8,800 lb) of cheese, and nearly 630,500 pieces of pepperoni, showcasing the incredible demand for pizza.

The Official Name for the Crust Is the ''Cornicione''

The pizza crust is essential for pizza making because it customises the toppings and varies in thickness, much like the flatbread used in traditional recipes. However, this crust or edge has an official name, cornicione, which means the edge of a pizza. In addition, cornicione is usually found on classic pizza, namely Neapolitan pizza.

The pizza industry and pizza markets date back to the 17th century in Italy. It has become a popular food worldwide and thrives to this day. From its journey through history to its role in math and pop culture, there's a lot about this favourite food that goes unseen. 

Whether you're a casual fan or a true pizza lover, these interesting pizza facts will add to your appreciation of every slice of pizza, including insights into the pizza theorem. If you're a pizza lover or looking for a delicious pizza, try the authentic pizza at Piccolino Woodfired Pizza & Homemade Pasta!

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