On September 20th, Pepperoni Pizza Day recognizes the most popular pizza ever created. The day celebrates the pizza enjoyed by young and old alike.
While pizza comes with many different toppings, pepperoni is the single most popular pizza. Whether you like your pizza Chicago Style or New York Style, thin and crispy or deep dish, top it with pepperoni!
According to legend, Raffaele Esposito created the first pizza in June of 1889. The Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, inspired the pizza maker so much, he created the pie-shaped delicacy. In the queen’s honor, he named it Pizza Margherita and topped the pizza with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. The colors represent the Italian flag.
Since then, pizza has evolved. It includes a multitude of toppings from anchovies and pineapple to sausage and bacon. However, pepperoni remains the most popular.
Italian-Americans developed the ever-popular topping through time-honored sausage making techniques. Seasoned pork and beef sausage are smoked and cured. Once the product is ready to be sliced, it’s placed on a delicious pie and baked.
HOW TO OBSERVE #PepperoniPizzaDay
Enjoy a slice of Pepperoni Pizza at your favorite pizzeria. Invite friends and family to share their recipes and make your own at home. Either way, the meal will be fantastic! Don’t forget, take a photo and post to social media using #PepperoniPizzaDay. You can also give a shout out to your favorite pizzeria or buy a gift card for another pizza celebration. And who doesn’t like breaking world records, especially when it involves pizza?
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 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.
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