Posts Tagged ‘Pizza Pie’
20th Century
Chicago and Pizzeria Uno, Birthplace of the Deep Dish Pizza
Today Americans aren’t known for their savory pies. This was not always the case, for many, especially among the Italian-American population, the first American pizzas were known as Tomato Pie. Today, tomato pie is most commonly found in the Northeastern United States, especially in Italian bakeries found centered around New York. Opposite pizza pies, Tomato Pies are constructed first with cheese, then the toppings, and finally the sauce.
According to early records, America’s first Pizzeria was opened in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi. Lombardo is now known as America’s “Patriaca della Pizza.” The early 30s saw tables and chairs added and a menu expanded to include spaghetti as well.
There are many ways to enjoy modern pizza. Until 1943 the basic recipe was for a flat crust baked bare of any structural support. This changed in 1943. Chicago style deep dish pizza was introduced by Ike Sewell at Pizzeria Uno. This pizza featured a flaky crust surrounding an abundance of toppings compared to the Napoli style of pizza.
American diets are still regional, and pizza is not widely known. This changed as American GIs returned home from World War II. Those soldiers who saw duty in Italy bring home a fondness for pizza. This leads to the first commercial pizza mix. “Roman Pizza Mix,” it was sold in supermarkets. The 40s were giving way to an era of prosperity for America, and this introduced an explosion of new quick serve restaurants, including Pizza Hut in the late 50s. The 50s also brought American homes the frozen pizza.
Today, pizza has become a food available in nearly every grocery store coast to coast, and in the majority of cities and towns, regardless of size. Next post, we will explore the various relatives to pizza offered today. After that, we begin with reviews!
