On April 5th, National Deep Dish Pizza Day gives pizza lovers a day to celebrate one of America’s favorite varieties of pizza.
Whether it’s dine-in, delivered, take out or homemade, deep-dish pizza satisfies pizza lovers all across the country. Pick whatever toppings you like. This day focuses on the deep crust that holds an amazing amount of sauce and toppings. Like other styles of pizza, the deep-dish menu offers a variety of combinations to choose from. If you prefer an all meat pizza, the deep-dish makes it. Top it with vegetables galore. Or order extra mushrooms, the deep-dish can manage.
In ancient Greece, the Greeks covered their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese which some people believe is the beginning of the pizza.
In Byzantine Greek, the word was spelled “πίτα,” pita, meaning pie.
A sheet of dough topped with cheese and honey, then flavored with bay leaves was developed by the Romans.
The modern pizza had its beginning in Italy as the Neapolitan flatbread.
The original pizza used only mozzarella cheese, mainly the highest quality buffalo mozzarella variant which was produced in the area surrounding Naples.
It was estimated that the annual production of pizza cheese in the United States in 1997 was 2 billion pounds.
The first United States pizza establishment opened in 1905 in New York’s Little Italy.
On National Ravioli Day, celebrate a pasta that is fun and versatile. Observed on March 20th each year, pasta lovers dive in on this food holiday.
Ravioli are a traditional type of Italian filled pasta, made up of a filling sealed between two layers of thin egg pasta dough. Imagine a small meatball tucked, snug inside two cozy layers of delicious pasta dough. That’s basically what ravioli is. Although, a variety of fillings from cheesy to meaty take up that cozy spot in the dough. And the ravioli are usually served in either a broth or with a pasta sauce. A variety of filling recipes are available from cheesy to meaty.
While ravioli often serves as the main course, it can also be a side dish or even an appetizer. Many popular recipes bake or deep fry the ravioli. With chocolate added to the pasta or cream cheese stuffing and a caramel sauce, the dish quickly becomes a dessert!
Ravioli can be homemade or may be purchased fresh or frozen in grocery stores. In the United States, Chef Boyardee popularized the canned ravioli. This ravioli is filled with either beef or processed cheese and served in a tomato, tomato-meat or tomato-cheese sauce.
We turn to St. Louis, Missouri, to learn about the toasted ravioli. By accident, a ravioli fell into the fryer at Oldani’s back in the 1940s. And as with accidents, the crisp ravioli earned a place on the menu. Or so the story goes. If so, it’s a delicious one.
Ravioli always sparks an appetite, so be sure to mix up your favorite sauce and pasta combinations. Try your hand at homemade. Make it a family affair.
On March 9th, we recognize one of the great American food holidays, National Meatball Day.
It is not clear how this day got started, but who can resist the idea of celebrating National Meatball Day? There are many different ways to celebrate meatballs:
There is a restaurant in New York that has 54 different kinds of meatballs. Not only do meatballs allow for variety, but they move from appetizer to side dish to the main dish quite easily. Meatballs can be made the night before and put in the crockpot, or days before and kept in the freezer.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalMeatballDay
To celebrate, some restaurants give a free side order of meatballs, while others are donating money to homeless shelters. Cook yourself up your favorite meatballs or go out and order some from a restaurant near you! Share your favorite recipes with friends and family. They’re sure to ask for seconds!
Use #NationalMeatballDay to share on social media.
On February 7th, National Fettuccine Alfredo Day celebrates one of the world’s favorite ways to enjoy a plate of fettuccine.
Fettuccine alfredo enjoys a history as rich as its flavor. Created in 1908, fettuccine was made out of love and concern by an Italian restauranteur. Alfredo di Lelio’s concern for his pregnant wife’s lack of appetite caused him to put his talents to work. The birth of their first son depended on it. His recipe of noodles, cheese, and butter not only encouraged her to eat but she also inspired him to put it on the menu, too. Since then, the century-old dish has been satisfying pasta lovers around the world ever since.
Not only that but fettuccine alfredo lovers experiment with the dish in several ways. Add shrimp, mushrooms or spinach. The meal also pairs well with other vegetables and proteins, too. Cut the richness with a white wine and finish with a fruit dessert.
Celebrate with a big dish of fettuccine Alfredo! Invite friends and family to join you, too. As you know, it’s not a celebration if you don’t. Make it yourself (see recipe below). Or, go to your favorite Italian restaurant. When you do, be sure to give them a shout out.
Want extra points? Surprise her with this dinner for Valentine’s Day. Just add a decadent dessert and you have a gift she will definitely remember. You get extra points for cooking for her!
NATIONAL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO DAY HISTORY
The earliest printed record of the observance we’ve found is a January 26, 2005, Akron Beacon Journal article listing upcoming February food holidays. Several newspapers across the nation follow suit, including the list in their food pages. But, none of them included their source or how long the day has been celebrated. However, the grandson of Alfredo Di Lelio contacted National Day Calendar in 2015 to provide the history behind the delicious pasta dish. We provide his letter below.
From Ines Di Lelio, grandson of Alfredo di Lelio
The following is the History of Alfredo di Lelio, who created in 1908 “Fettuccine All ‘Alfredo” (Fettuccine Alfredo). It’s now served by his nephew Ines Di Lelio, at the restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” – “Alfredo Di Roma” in Rome, Piazza Augusto Imperatore 30.
“With reference of your article (for which I thank you), I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of ‘Fettuccine all’Alfredo’ (‘Fettuccine Alfredo’) in 1908 in the ‘trattoria’ run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi).
This ‘trattoria’ of Piazza Rosa has become the ‘birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo’. More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the ‘fettuccine all’Alfredo’, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908). Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.”
Staying in the Family
“In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 ‘Il Vero Alfredo’ (‘Alfredo di Roma’), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality). See also the website of ‘Il Vero Alfredo’.(with news also about franchising).
I celebrate every year (as this year) in my restaurant (founded by my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio) the USA Holiday of. fettuccine all’Alfredo (February 7). I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong to the family tradition of ‘Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma’ and I inform you that the restaurant ‘Il Vero Alfredo –Alfredo di Roma’ is in the registry of ‘Historic Shops of Excellence’ of the City of Rome Capitale.
February is the year’s quiet paradox—a shortest month that somehow contains multitudes. Sandwiched between the forward momentum of January and the budding promise of March, it carves its own unique space: a 28-day (or sometimes 29-day) interlude of introspection, romance, and unpredictable charm. It’s a month that feels both fleeting and deeply significant, a hushed corridor where winter’s grip is tested by the first, fragile whispers of spring. We are fascinated by February precisely because it defies simple definition, packing a profound punch into its compact frame.
The heartbeat of February is measured in its special days, which range from the deeply sentimental to the whimsically specific. It opens with the lighthearted introspection of Groundhog Day, a folkloric checkpoint in our seasonal journey. The mood then shifts dramatically toward the warmth of Valentine’s Day on the 14th, a global celebration of love in all its forms. Be sure to check out our Valentine’s Gifts, Playlist and Movie recommendations. We also include some Date night ideas you can use for your Valentine’s night. But the month also holds space for more solemn reflection during Black History Month, a dedicated time to honor the struggles, triumphs, and central contributions of Black communities. These observances, side-by-side, create a rich emotional tapestry unique to these four weeks.
On the sports front, February delivers a thrilling one-two punch. In the United States, the month is dominated by the spectacle of the Super Bowl, an event that transcends football to become a cultural holiday of its own, complete with iconic commercials and halftime shows. Shortly after, the world turns its eyes to the grace and grit of the Winter Olympics (when they fall in this month), where athletes conquer ice and snow in a stunning display of human perseverance. The energy of these events provides a vibrant, communal contrast to the month’s often chilly and solitary weather.
And that weather is a character all its own. In the Northern Hemisphere, February is the stubborn, often brutal, climax of winter—a time of “February Freeze” where snow piles high and skies stay steel-gray. Yet, within this, are precious “February Thaws,” teasing glimpses of what’s to come. The light noticeably changes, with days growing longer, offering a silent promise that the deep freeze won’t last forever. This push-and-pull between winter’s last stand and spring’s early stirrings makes every February day a small, quiet drama.
February is divided between two astrological signs. Those born from February 1st to 18th are Aquarius, the visionary Water Bearer, known for being progressive, intellectual, and humanitarian. Those born from February 19th to the 29th are Pisces, the empathetic Fish, characterized by their creativity, intuition, and compassionate nature. This month boasts an array of famous birthdays, including inventors and presidents like Thomas Edison (Feb 11) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12), civil rights icons like Rosa Parks (Feb 4), and renowned artists like Bob Marley (Feb 6) and Nina Simone (Feb 21). It also includes modern figures like actor Jennifer Aniston (Feb 11) and activist Greta Thunberg (Feb 3).
Finally, February claims its own with distinctive birthday symbols. Its flowers are the violet, signifying loyalty and faithfulness, and the primrose, a hopeful symbol of young love. Its birthstone is the striking amethyst, a gem associated with peace, courage, and clarity of mind. These symbols perfectly capture the essence of the month and those born within it: a blend of deep resilience (the enduring violet), heartfelt connection (the delicate primrose), and serene strength (the luminous amethyst). In the end, February fascinates because it is a microcosm of life itself—brief, beautiful, bittersweet, and brimming with unexpected contrasts waiting to be embraced.
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