Pizza's History In 15 Minutes
A 15-minute history of pizza in 8 essential pies
Ever wondered why you can't resist that extra slice? Or when the very first pizza delivery was made?
Those questions and many more about the glorious thing we call pizza are answered in PBS Idea Channel's episode on pizza history. Mike Rugnetta breaks down the pie's past into eight quintessential slices/pizzas: the New York slice, Neapolitan pizza, Sicilian pies, Chicago deep dish, frozen pizza, delivery, leftover pizza and international pizza.
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During the episode, he drops some ace knowledge, like the fact that the first pizza delivery occurred in 1889 when a pie was delivered to King Umberto and Queen Margherita (yup, the namesake of the Margherita pizza). Oh, and that extra slice? Rugnetta says the natural glutamates in tomatoes and cheese give a "neurophysiological reason" why you just can't stop (glad someone cleared that up finally).
Watch the full episode below for an ample source of cocktail party fodder and keep an eye out for appearances by everyone from the delivery guys of Domino's to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to New York's very own pizza rat.