Main CourseIs Pizza Italian Or Is Pizza American?
The food known as pizza today is actually a very Italian food. The very first pizza was created during the 19th Century and is a very recent addition to Italian cuisine. This news may sound surprising considering how simple a culinary invention pizza is: flat bread, tomato sauce, and of course cheese. Although astounding, there lies a fascinating explanation as to why there was such a delay in this foodò€™s invention and it deals with a ubiquitous fruit!
Although pizza is a strictly Italian food, Pizzaò€™s ancestors have their origins deep in Greece. The original ancestors of the Romans migrated from Greece. With the Greeks came the foods that eventually became the common fare of Italians. The breads, herbs, and other foods Italians loved were therefore ripe for becoming pizza. The recipes that predate pizza are ancient; these foods fed men and women for thousands of years. Each ancient comestible recipe is in itself a piece of history.
Is Pizza Italian or American? That is a question many individuals may not know. Perhaps the lack of discernment is a direct result of the relatively young age of this omnipresent, popular dish loved by Americans. Despite Americaò€™s love of Pizza, Italians have long held the impressive boast of being the source of one of the worldò€™s favorite foods.
Before the advent of pizza, breads were cooked with herbs and served with meals or as the meal itself. A common bread we use today like this is focaccia bread. Focaccia bread is bread that has its toppings literally cooked in it. Common focaccia bread toppings include cheese, herbs, spices, and vegetables such as fresh olives or sun-dried tomatoes. The ingredients used to make focaccia are quire reminiscent of pizza. The taste of focaccia is certainly amazing, and in Italy, the bread is a popular snack food.
The first to have baked focaccia bread were the early Greeks who migrated to Italy. If these peoples did not, then the Romans most certainly can be credited with the invention. The Romans were quite fond of breads that had toppings baked onto or in them. The Romans of course loved food. The Romans love of food is even evident in what was considered to be a cultural norm: vomiting after meals. The Romans practice of vomiting was not due to a bulimic mindset; rather, vomiting would empty the contents of the stomach and allow the person to eat again immediately.
Each ingredient is thoroughly mixed with the dough and baked to produce a robust, flavorful, and thoroughly enjoyable experience for the pallet. Olive oil is commonly used to garnish the bread.
Aside from Focaccia bread, there are many other types of seasoned breads and flat breads that bear much resemblance early forms of pizza. You will find that the early Greeks, as aforementioned, who colonized Italy can be attributed to planting the proverbial seeds of Italian cuisine. Doing a little research can reveal a interesting history and inform you of the origins of food.
This article really doesnò€™t do justice to this topic like my websiteò€™s comprehensive article on the man who created pizza: Rafael Esposito. The story is both interesting and is a useful piece of trivia. Relating this tid-bit of knowledge at parties or while eating out can be fun for your companions. In addition to discussing the origins of pizza, I go into some detail about how to make pizza. From dough to sauce to cheese to toppings, nearly everything is covered at my site.
To get the full story, check out my website (maybe youò€™d call it a blog!) dealing with the first pizza maker: Pizza How To. So, if you are wondering if pizza is Italian or American you now know. If you really want the full story, just take a look at my article all about the creator of the first pizza: Pizza How To. Ciao!