[JoeProBono]

Circa 1000 A.D.: Pizza gets its start when peasants begin baking leftover, covered dough.

Early 1500s: Spanish conquistadors bring tomatoes to Europe from the New World.

Late 1500s: The first known recipes for the production of mozzarella cheese begin popping up in cookbooks.

Late 1600s: Although tomatoes are feared to be poisonous, peasants in Naples are the first to add them to their pizza.

1830: Port'Alba the world's first pizzeria, opens in Naples. The proprietor bakes pizzas in an oven lined with lava harvested from Mount Vesuvius.

1889: Naples chef Raffaele Esposito prepares a red, white, and green pizza of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to honor a visit by Queen Margherita Teresa Giovanna. He names the pie the margherita.

1905: Gennaro Lombardi opens the first American pizzeria: Lombardi's pizzeria, which was located at 53 ½ Spring St. in New York City. (The restaurant would later move to 32 Spring St.).

1943: Ric Riccardo Sr. and Ike Sewell invent a deep-dish pizza and begin serving it at their new Chicago restaurant, Pizzeria Uno — creating a flagship for the future chain.

1945: Buying a slice becomes increasingly popular as WWII veterans return from Italy and spread the pizza gospel.

1957: The first frozen pizza — Celentano's — appears in supermarkets.

1958: The first Pizza Hut opens in Wichita, Kansas. The first Domino's opens just two years later in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Mid-1970s: Chicago pizzerias add a top layer to their deep-dish pie, creating the miracle of stuffed pizza.

Early 1980s: Pizza goes gourmet, with upscale toppings such as duck and Gorgonzola.

1995: Kraft introduces DiGiorno pizza, the first "self-rising" frozen pie.

[JoeProBono]

[trisham]

Pepperoni is the best.

[Paul46360]

I'm having a spinach pizza for lunch!!!!

I am a proud meat eater, but sometimes ya just gotta go veggie.

[dfwgator]

All we are saying is give pizza chants.

[humblegunner]

Damn, and me without the makings.

Those thin Boboli crusts are awesome.

Usually after I pile entirely too much meat and cheese on 'em.

[CougarGA7]

Chicago style pizza is the way to go. Awesome stuff. If you can fold your pizza like that lousy New York style then your not having real pizza.

/starts food fight

[SOLTC]

Thanks for mentioning Lombardi’s!

Gennaro’s grandson is my cousin by marriage

[Mark319]

Oh great, now I want pizza...

[Domandred]

If you ever in the Boise area you HAVE to go to Flying Pie Pizzaria. I recommend the Zambini:

A pizza can have a cult following...our Zambini is proof positive! This hot & spicy sourdough pizza is one of the star attractions we feature on Gourmet Night. It sports enough Jalapenos for every slice, a savory cover of Pesto Sauce, Mozzarella & Provolone cheeses, a blanket of sliced Roma Tomatoes, a light sprinkling of sliced Onions, fresh Italian Sausage & a dash of fresh chopped Garlic. With or without the sausage, this is an irresistible pie.

[evets]

Mmmm... the new 'pizza' topped pizza...

[cetarist]

I’m hungry!!

[MAD-AS-HELL]

You forgot... 2009: Dominos introduces first fart smoked pizza with booger infused crust.

[Freedom56v2]

Pizza Yum bump!

[longtermmemmory]

you have to distinguish they types of pizza.

If you really are a purist then pizza starts out waaaaay back (per the late fugal gourmet jeff smith) with ancient Greeks flattening out bread spreading oil in the middle with rye and sessame type seeds and goat cheese in the middle on top of the cooking flat bread.

it is until the WWII era that we get to modern day defined pizza and that is an all american dish.

[Gorzaloon]

I am saddened to see this history did not include the Appian Way pizza-in-a-box kit. They were marginally a pizza and were not really all that bad. A lot of work, though.

HEY! They still make it! I used to make them in the '60s, maybe even earlier.

[Alex Murphy]

I heard a conversation that went something like this, on a radio station about 20 years ago....

Disc Jockey #1: You know, I've tried just about every frozen pizza there is on the planet. I'm something of an expert on the subject.

Disc Jockey #2: Yeah, but what does that give you?

Disc Jockey #1: Gas.

[ResponseAbility]

Great pizza forum