On September 5th, National Cheese Pizza Day says, “Hold the toppings!” That’s right, cheese is all you need when celebrating this pizza holiday. Whether the pie is homemade or ordered in, make it cheese only.
A few factoids:
- In ancient Greece, the Greeks covered their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese which some 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 surroundings of 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 was in New York’s Little Italy.
- Pizza has become one of America’s favorite meals.
Where do you stand on the important question of what kind of cheese should go on your pizza? You can add a variety of cheeses to your pie to celebrate. Smokey gouda or a little gorgonzola might mix it up. If you like a little cheddar, mild or sharp shredded across the top will do.
What's the best pizza you ever ate?