Pizzas of the World
October 30, 2008
Various Pizzas from All over the World
Though the origins of the pizza are disputed many pizza like dishes have been reported throughout the world and as far back as sixth century BCE when the advancing armies of the Persian Emperor, Darius the Great would take to heating up flatbread with whatever toppings they found along the way. About the same time the Greeks also baked a flatbread they called plankuntos with assorted toppings. In the third century BCE and through the first century AD, the Romans described a type of round dough or flatbread that was baked in stone with olive oil, herbs, peppers, and assorted meats. By the twentieth century, the pizza had become a favorite and even staple food in most of the world.
The Cobblestone Road to Pizza
In the sixteenth century, the Spaniards brought tomatoes to Europe from their colonies in the new world, though it took a long time for Italy to get over their fear of the fruit which they believed to be poisonous.
The seventeenth century saw the popularity of the pizza in Napoli skyrocket as tourists flocked to this northwestern Italian city just to try the pizza after Spanish soldiers spread the word of this wonderful new culinary delight.
In the eighteenth century, a new type of cheese from India was introduced to Italy made from water buffalo milk, Mozzarella di Bufala.
After that the Queen of Napoli, Maria Carolina d’Asburgo Lorena, and the Queen of Italy, Margherita di Savoia, both touted the wonders of this gastronomic wonder the pizza took off and there has been no turning back.
Australia
The pizza is almost revered in Australia and the Aussies take their pizza very serious. The traditional Australian pizza is a deep-dish style with heaps of toppings though they are also known for their (not-so-thin) thin-crust pizza.
Brazil
The pizza in Brazil is known for having a delightfully thin and crispy crust and a unique assortment of toppings such as bananas, tropical fruit, and cinnamon.
France
In France the most distinguishing factor is the wood burning ovens used to bake the pizzas and the assortment of cheeses available as toppings.
Israel
Israeli pizza is famous of their thick crust and the bountiful assortment of fresh fish and local delicacies as toppings.
Spain
In Spain the focus is on seafood toppings. The Spaniards have long been known for their unequaled consumption of seafood, in fact Madrid consumes more seafood per capita than any other city in Europe.
New Zealand
New Zealand is similar to the United States in that it has regional pizzas that the locals swear is the best. They have their deep-dish which seems to be the favorite in Hastings and their thin-crust which seems to be the choice in Wellington.
Canada
This country’s fascination with pizza rivals that of the United States and you will find many similar types but the one thing that sets Canada apart is their variety of square pizzas.
Italy
Italy is like a world on to itself. Not only are their regional styles and rivalries, but within any region you will find local style and rivalries that claim they have the best pizza in the world.
Other places known for their love and devotion to pizza include:
-Northern Ireland
-Thailand
-South Africa
-Scotland
-England
-Germany
-Greece
-Hungary
American Pizzas
October 19, 2008
Types of Pizzas throughout America
The history of pizza is somewhat cloudy and disputed among the various peoples of the Mediterranean region. The origin of the word, “pizza,” is somewhat in dispute as well. The confusion comes from the fact that many people around the Mediterranean ate flatbread and many did include toppings to flavor their flatbreads. Some even baked their flatbread with the toppings over hot stones. However, the closest thing to what we call pizza today was invented in Naples Italy in the sixteenth century. But it was not invented as a favored pie of the masses that distinction would come later in the development of what we now know as pizza.
The development of our pizza today was a slow and painstaking process that evolved over hundreds of years. Even though the tomato was brought to Europe in the sixteenth century, most Europeans believed the fruit to be poisonous so many refused to eat anything that had tomato in it. As with many other delicacies in the world today the poor of Naples resorted to adding tomato toppings to their flatbread and thus the pizza we know today was born. By the eighteenth century the queen of Naples had a special oven built in their summer palace just so she could enjoy pizzas. In the nineteenth century a pizzaioli or pizza chef named Raffaele Esposito made a special pizza for Queen Margherita di Savoia. He used mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes to incorporate the colors of the Italian flag thus the, “Pizza Margherita.”
Regional pizzas in the United s States have built up much fanfare and rivalry across the country with a few main regions claiming they have the best pizza in the nation. Many people take part in various contests and polls trying to decide which is the best, but in the end it’s all a matter of taste.
The New York-Neapolitan or Thin-Crust Pizza
This is a round pizza made with a thin-crust. The crust of New York Neapolitan pizza should be crisp and chewy. It is recommended that you keep the toping to a minimum so as to keep the integrity of the crust.
Sicilian-Style Pizza
This New York pizza is rectangular in shape with a thick crust. According to the parlor, the cheese may lay on top of the sauce or under it with a lot of garlic no other toppings. Sicilian Pizzas are traditionally cut into rectangle slices referred to as a square slices.
Chicago-Style Stuffed Pizza
This is a Chicago specialty pizza similar to the Chicago deep dish pizza but worlds apart. This pizza is cooked with a top layer of crust and is more densely packed with toppings than the regular deep dish. It also stands taller than its paisano.
Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
This pizza is like a pizza casserole. It’s cooked in a deep pan and piled on with toppings, lots of cheese, and chunky tomato sauce. It has a thick and buttery crust that is partially baked in the pan prior to adding on any toppings.
New Haven-Style Pizza
This oblong shaped pizza is cooked in a coal oven, which gives the New Haven pizza its signature very crisp crust. The crust is a little thicker than the New York Style but because of the cooking process it is also crispier.
California-Style Pizza
California-style pizza is sometimes referred to as gourmet pizza. This is a single-serving Italian style thin crust pizza that is topped with California Cuisine type toppings.
Other popular types of regional American pizzas include:
-Trenton Tomato Pizza Pies
-Detroit-Style Pizza
-Midwest-Style Pizza
-Saint Louis-Style Pizza
-Ohio Valley-Style Pizza
-Boston-Style Pizza
