The Secret History of Pizza

Warm,

delicious pizza,

piled high with glorious toppings.

And we all know where it came from, don't we.

Right here, err, no, no, umm maybe it was here.

Hold on, wait, wait, wait, was it here?

You know what, does anyone even know?

Let's find out in

The Secret History of Pizza!

Like a good slice, the origin of pizza itself

is thick with the cheese of mystery.

Rich, with the sauce of debate.

There were many pizza precursors

throughout the Mediterranean.

The ancient Greeks enjoyed various flatbreads

going back thousands of years.

Focaccia, is one of the most direct ancestors of pizza.

A tasty flatbread the Romans called Panis Focacius.

The word Pizza, meaning pie would only

start to appear around 1000 AD, but the dish would

still be missing most of the things you might expect.

Like, you know, sauce, pepperoni, cheese,

basically the whole pizza.

Centuries later, pizza, still just

flatbread with oil and toppings.

Is largely considered a food for the poor,

until, this guy comes in.

Raffaele Esposito.

This pizza maker was charged with making a

special pizza for Queen Margherita.

And yes, attentive listeners, that name

might ring a few bells, because,

in an effort to make a pizza worthy of his royal guests,

Esposito crafted something experimental and patriotic.

A pizza emblazoned with the colors of the Italian flag.

He did that by flavoring it with

basil, mozzarella, and tomato.

Thus, creating what we would later call

The Margherita Pizza.

And because of this moment, Esposito is created by many

as being the father of all modern pizza.

Later that century, Italians started

immigrating the the United States.

And, they brought pizza with them,

as a little slice of home.

It wasn't long at all before American Pizza

developed its own distinct flavor.

So, whether you like yours deep dish,

wood fired, stuffed crust, or with

artisanally crafted heirloom tomato sauce.

No matter which way you slice it,

this pie, is here to stay.

Just, keep the anchovies off my half huh.