It’s no secret that pizza is outrageously popular the world over. Fresh pizza, hot pizza, cold pizza, plain pizza, fully loaded pizza, pizza on the go, last night’s pizza for breakfast – we love it all!
Due to the universal popularity of this much-loved dish, misconceptions are rife—there are many widely known ‘facts’ that people think they know that are quite simply not true. The history of pizza is perhaps not as well-documented as that of other popular foods, meaning there is some lack of detail surrounding its origins and crucial developments. Like any other iconic cultural dish, there are many myths that have long been the subject of speculation.
In this blog, we will look at some of the most common myths and separate fact from fiction. Whether you are a pizza fanatic or just a standard fan, you are sure to find something interesting in this exploration of all things pizza.
Pepperoni pizzas are an Italian favourite
Pepperoni has been one of the most popular pizza toppings in the UK and America for several years. A survey by pizza giant Domino’s reported a staggering 8.06 million requests for extra pepperoni on pizza orders in the UK in 2023 alone. But is it a firm favourite over in Italy, widely seen as the birthplace of pizza? The answer is a resounding ‘No’. If you travel to Italy on holiday and sit down at an authentic restaurant to order a pepperoni pizza, you almost certainly won’t get what you want. The word ‘pepperoni’ in Italy means bell peppers, so if you are looking for a meat eater’s dream pizza, you will probably be disappointed. Not only does the word mean something different in Italy, but pepperoni meat isn’t used throughout the country; they use salami instead.
Hawaiian pizza comes from Hawaii
Many people believe that the often-controversial ham and pineapple pizza combination originated in Hawaii and was named for its birthplace. In actual fact, the Hawaiian pizza was created in 1962 by Canadian restaurant owner Sam Panapoulos in Ontario, over 3,500 miles away. Inspired by the sweet, savoury and salty flavour profiles of Chinese cuisine, Panapoulos decided to have a bit of fun with his toppings, naming his creation after the world’s major pineapple producer at the time – Hawaii. Whether you love it or hate it, Hawaiian pizza certainly does not hail from Hawaii, as the name would imply.
The best way to reheat a pizza is in the microwave
A familiar scene in many households, after ordering pizza the night before, is popping the leftovers into the microwave to heat it up for breakfast. Take it from us: this will only ruin the crust and the toppings, resulting in a soggy pizza and an unsatisfactory breakfast! The best way to reheat a pizza is in a frying pan. Try heating the pan to medium heat before placing your slice down flat in the pan to let the base re-crisp. Reduce the heat to low, add a few drops of water to the cheese and toppings, and cover for one extra minute. This will leave you with a fluffy crust, evenly melted cheese and a pizza that tastes as good as a fresh one.
Many pizza myths circulate and change from time to time depending on who is telling the story, but one fact we can all rely on is that pizza is utterly delicious in all its myriad forms!