It’s funny that in our series Food Holidays: September 5th, 2021 its National Cheese Pizza today. We ordered one for Charlie the other night. Along with Meat Lovers for David and I from Little Casers. even though I prefer Dominoes or Papa Johns. How about you?
National Cheese Pizza Day
Hold the toppings, please! National Cheese Pizza Day is celebrated annually on September 5, and it’s time for you to celebrate in Cheese-Pizza style. We all love the classics, like Pepperoni, Pizza with Pineapple, Barbecued Chicken Pizza, or juicy Meat Lovers. But nothing surpasses the basics of holding a gently folded, single slice of melty deliciousness — the Cheese Pizza.
Each year, more than 2 billion pounds of Pizza Cheese is produced in the U.S. alone. So on this Holiday, savor a classic slice of ooey, gooey Cheese Pizza for yourself, and share a slice or two with some of your very best friends.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY
You may be familiar with National Pizza Day on February 9: and it’s an iconic day for everyone to celebrate their favorite Pizza Dish. But to give special appreciation to the well-loved Cheese Pizza, National Cheese Pizza Day was born to be celebrated every year on September 5.
Let’s be honest, every Pizza deserves its own day for love — the Margherita, Pepperoni, Olive, and Mushroom — which is most likely the reason for National Cheese Pizza Day being created. Although the exact creator and birth date are unknown, it’s still a day that is widely celebrated and, of course, participated.
The beginnings of Pizza aren’t exactly known either, but many people date it back to Ancient Greece when people would cover their bread with Oils, Herbs, and Cheese.
That sounds like a Pizza, right? However, the kind of Flatbread Pizza that is well-known now was first created in Naples, Italy, and it used the highest-quality of Buffalo Mozzarella to create the origins of the Cheese Pizza that is loved today. Yum!
Eventually, travel and discovery led to Pizza making its way to the Western Continent. The first Pizza establishment in the Western World opened in 1905 in Little Italy in New York.
It wasn’t until 1939 that the D’Amore family introduced Pizza to Los Angeles and the dish had officially made it across the country. The popularity of Pizza in the U.S rose dramatically following World War II. Veterans returning from the Italian Campaign, who had been introduced to Italy’s Native Cuisine, led the increase in Pizza consumption at the time.
It was during the second half of the 20th century that Pizza became an iconic dish in North America. It was in 1958 that two men, Dan and Frank Carney, borrowed $600 from their mom and opened the first-ever Pizza Hut Kansas.
By the 1960s they were coming up against some stiff competition and introduced the iconic red thatched roof that we still associate with Pizza Hut today.
An organized industry association, the Pizza Industry Council, was even set up with the purpose of addressing issues specific to Pizza operators. Today the Pizza industry in the U.S is worth over $40 billion per year.
Cheese Pizza has also had an impact on Pop Culture, with the dish famously being Kevin Mccallister’s preferred choice in the Home Alone movies. Although perhaps nobody loves pizza as much as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who became a global phenomenon in the 1990s. Joey Tribianni, the iconic Friends character, also introduced the Joey special in the 1990s sitcom which consisted of two pizzas.
There’s no doubting it, Pizza has become a U.S and Canadian favorite, and Cheese Pizza is at the heart of it. It’s a popular dish at any party or friend gathering, and that’s not about to change anytime soon!
NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY ACTIVITIES
- Pizza party! In this crazy world, if one thing is certain, it’s that everyone loves a slice of hot, steaming Pizza. Invite some of your best Pizza-lovin’ friends over to celebrate this Holiday.
- Get your hands on the best Cheese Pizza. They all might be delicious, but one of them has to be the Crème De La Crème. Maybe New York has it? Chicago? Ask your friends, ask your nearby Italian restaurant owner, or ask Yelp to start your quest on obtaining the best slice of Cheese Pizza right now.
- Find a Pizza Museum near you. Pizza so good it belongs in a Museum? You heard it right. The United State Pizza Museum is located in Chicago, and another Pizza Museum — Pizza Brain — operates in Philadelphia. See if there’s a similar Pizza Palace or point of Pizza near you!
5 FACTS ABOUT PIZZA
- Americans order a lot of Pizza. In fact, they order an average of 350 slices per second.
- 61% of people prefer to order Thin Crust Pizza over Thick or Deep-Dish Pizza.
- Pizzerias use a lot of Cheese and they purchase more than 4 billion dollars worth of Cheese every year!
- An average Pizzeria goes through roughly 55 pizza boxes per day.
- Pizza can be a breakfast food, too and 36% of people say Pizza is the perfect breakfast food.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY
- It’s not good or healthy for you. We live in a time when Health-conscious Food options pop up every day. That’s great — Healthy Food Options certainly have their importance — but sometimes you just want to grab something filled with Grease and Cheese. Hello, Cheese Pizza!
- .Cheese is universal, Cheese is magical — there are so many varieties, each one more sensual than the last. As a meal, Cheese Pizza epitomizes the classic everyday Pizza for the everyday person. What’s not to love about Cheese Pizza, and National Cheese Pizza Day?
- It’s a great meal on-the-go. While some people love sitting down and taking their time to enjoy a snack, some just simply have a fast-paced lifestyle. For those people always on the go, a slice of Cheese Pizza is always a great idea. Plus, you can fold the Pizza into a Taco-like shape for maximum pleasure.
Cheese Pizza Recipe:
- 1-1/2 cups Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce
- 1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
In a bowl, combine the Biscuit Mix and Water; mix well. Press into a greased 12-in. Pizza Pan. Spread with Pizza Sauce; sprinkle with your favorite Cheese. Bake at 450° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
