National Pizza Party Day

Do not forget marking our words!  The third Friday of May will become your favorite holiday of the year as soon as possible. Do you know which reasons, you ask? Because it is National Pizza Party Day!

If there's one thing that makes any day better, it's a slice of hot pizza shared with friends. National Pizza Day was created to give everyone a reason (like we need an excuse) to get together with a group of people we love and enjoy the rich, cheesy taste of pizza.

Pizza has a long history and it has become one of the main dishes in office meetings, birthday parties and friendly gatherings.

History of National Pizza Party Day

In fact, the history of National Pizza Party Day is similar to the history of pizza. For thousands of years, people have gathered around to enjoy this delicious dish. Of course, all these years ago, it might not have been quite what we imagine it to be today.

The first people to make what looks like pizza as we know it were the Greeks, who started by topping bread with bread, herbs, oil, and cheese. Another version loved by the Romans, they covered a dough with honey and cheese and seasoned with bay leaves.

Pizza first started to look like we're familiar with the Italian name Neapolitan Flatbread, a dish made with mozzarella cheese from Naples buffalo. Over time, new ingredients were added and it spread globally.

In 1905, pizza made its way to America at a small pizzeria in Little Italy in New York City. Today, pizza cheese is produced in excess of 2 billion pounds a year and is one of America's favorite foods.

With so much history behind this amazing dish, it's no surprise that it finally has a holiday of its own. One of the challenges of hosting a pizza party is that not everyone agrees on what to go for pizza.

Some people believe that pineapple has no place on pizza, while others argue that anchovies do. The great thing about Pizza Party is that you can order everything for everyone!

Why National Pizza Party Day?

There is no question that pizza is one of the best dishes ever created. With cheeses, sauces, herbs and spices, it has the perfect combination of a perfect meal in one package. The combination is beautifully balanced but the recipe is the simplest with plenty of room for improvisation and innovation. From adding pineapple to bacon, there's no limit to the type of topping you can have on your pizza.

Given that pizza is a complete meal and can also be the perfect snack, they are the best choice for any type of party. Pizzas can create a relaxed atmosphere anywhere, and that's why many of us love having them at parties. And if the party is a pizza party, there's no end to the fun you can get at it. The pizza we know today involves recipes, ingredients, and a collaboration of different cultures, cuisines, and people. However, the result is a delight that everyone enjoys, on any given day. There's no better reason to throw a pizza party and National Pizza Party Day is a bonus for those who love pizza.

Fun facts about Pizza

• Western Europe is the world's largest pizza market, worth $54.4 billion, followed by the US with $50.7 billion. Then you have Latin and South America with $16.8 billion.
• Americans make order with 350 slices of pizza/second.
• The most expensive pizza in the world costs $9,200 and it can be found in Salerno, Sicily.
• 61% of people like thin crust pizza.
• Women are twice as likely to order a vegetarian topping on their pizza as men.
• Saturday is the most popular day for pizza at night. But, there's really never a bad night for pizza, right?
• You Can Order Pizza From Space - Yes, you read that right! Pizza Hut became the first restaurant to send pizza to space, selling pizza to an astronaut at the International Space Station. The pizza is topped with salami and other condiments because the taste buds are blurred in space.
• Pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping! The least common are anchovies, chicken and pineapple.

Interesting facts about National Pizza Party Day

• Toast with toppings or different flavors have been around since 10000 BC, Neolithic age. The Greeks have known since ancient times flatbreads covered with cheese, oil, and herbs. The pizzas were made on hot shields by Persian soldiers. The word itself first appeared in a Latin text in AD 997.
• Little Italy in New York had the first pizzeria in the country and it opened in 1905.
• As of 1997, nearly 2 billion pounds of pizza cheese were produced each year in the US alone.
• The regular pizza is called Pizza Neapolitan and it comes from Naples. The origins of this pizza can be traced back to the 16th century. Tomatoes were not added until the 18th century.
• Pepperoni is the most popular of the toppings placed on pizza in the country while anchovies are the least popular.
• According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Pizza Operators in the US, nearly 350 pieces of delicious pie are consumed every second in the country.
• Yuri Usachov, a Russian cosmonaut was the first person to be delivered pizza while in orbit of our planet. Nearly a million dollars was paid to the Russian Space Agency to bring this pizza to the international space station in 2001.

Some reasons for National Pizza Party Day being loved

• Pizza is delicious

There's something about the combination of standard flavors like sauces, cheeses, spices, and herbs that fundamentally appeals to us. At the same time, the formula is so basic that it allows for endless experimentation and innovation. (Whether your stance on pineapple should be on pizza or not, you have to give everyone points for creativity.)

• Pizza complements the party perfectly

Pizza is by default a snack, which has the effect of making any atmosphere easier and more comfortable. People tend to be happiest when they're comfortable around other people, so pizza can help create the perfect atmosphere for any party. And if that party is a pizza party… that's just a bonus.

• It's the ultimate multicultural food

John Green once said that “for most of human history, pizza was impossible.” Pizza as we know it today requires ingredients from different parts of the world. As we mentioned before, ketchup was not used on pizza until trade routes were established between Europe and America. Modern pizza requires creativity and collaboration between people from very different backgrounds and the results are delicious.

How to celebrate National Pizza Party Day

• Host your own pizza party

What better way to bond with friends and meet new people than by inviting them to your place and feeding them pizza? After all, you can decorate your place with pizza themed decorations; you are celebrating a national holiday and having pizza themed party games together. If you want to serve dishes other than pizza, that's completely up to you.

• Make your own pizza

Ever wanted to make your own pizza crust? To change the dough into a circle and toss it into the air, what will you do? Kneading? You can buy pre-made pizza dough or you can mix it yourself. There are many recipes from books as well as internet for references. Don't be stressful or nervous if you don't get it right the first time. All the best things are "improved" in life.

• Implement "pizza crawl"

If you have wondered where you can find the best pizza, National Pizza Party Day is the ideal day. Invite a group of friends or go alone for tripping. Find where you can buy a pizza in your area and go out into town. You can bring a notebook or you can freely spin it, but the most important thing is to have a good time and eat some great pizza.

Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients

• One teaspoon salt
• Two cups of all-purpose flour
• One tablespoon olive oil
• One tablespoon active dry yeast
• One tablespoon of sugar
• One cup of warm water (about 105f/45c)

Instructions

• Make your oven heat to 450 degrees F.
• Grease the pizza pan and set it aside.
• Get a large bowl for mixing and add warm water.
• Add yeast and sugar. Stir to combine.
• Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until bubbles begin to form and the texture becomes frothy.
• Put olive oil and stir gently to mix together.
• Add two cups of salt and flour to it. Use a spatula to mix until a ball begins to form. The dough may be sticky a little at this step. Continue adding flour, if needed, to create a dough ball.
• Transfer to glazed surface. Make the dough become smooth by kneading even hands.
• Roll the dough into your desired shape and then transfer it to the pan gently.
• Poke the dough by using a fork.
• Return to the bottom rack of the oven for five minutes.
• You can then add your toppings and return until it is lightly browned and crispy.