Pizza Day

Pizza. Robert Owen-Wahl / Pixabay.com / 2006 / CC0 1.0

The 9th of February is Pizza Day.

What is your favourite pizza? A nice, simple cheese and pepperoni one, or do you like to go gourmet?

And what about the shape, do you prefer round or square pizza?

However you like it, treat yourself to some pizza today, whether it is homemade, delivered, restaurant, or a street-food takeaway slice.

Here is round-up of some ideas for celebrating Pizza Day:

• to make a pizza at home, you could buy the pizza-dough in the chiller section of your local grocery store, or whip some up quickly in your bread machine, or by hand if you have the time and inclination;
• try putting beer in your pizza dough instead of water and see if you can tell the difference — some people swear by it;
• get a pizza kit if you are pressed for time, or want to get exposed to some different options that a kit maker might include;
• try a different sauce — instead of tomato sauce, try white;
• try a different crust, such as cauliflower, gluten free or keto;
• order from a pizzeria you haven’t tried before;
• hold a pizza party, either for lunch at work, or have some friends over at home in the evening;
• if you work in a cafeteria or at a shelter, put pizza on the menu for today;
• try a dessert pizza.

#NationalPizzaDay

History

Early references to a 9th February Pizza Day referred to it as “Pizza Pie Day”. The earliest print reference that CooksInfo is aware of for a Pizza Day / Pizza Pie Day on the 9th of February dates from 2009 in Chicago:

“Monday Deal: Fill up your belly without emptying your wallet as Frasca celebrates National Pizza Pie Day. The deal: Buy a drink for a free slice (4:30 – 7 p.m.). Still hungry? Whole pies and bottles of wine are half-price all night. Restaurant opens at 4:30 pm. Frasca Pizzeria and Wine Bar.” — Borcherts, Julia. Best Bets. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. Monday, 9 February 2009. Page 21, col. 1.

In the late 1990s, “National Pizza Day” was said to be on the 4th of June, reputedly declared as such by U.S. Congress. ^[1]Rothacker, Jennifer. Happy Birthday to You! Associated Press. Anniston, Alabama. The Anniston Star. Page 2, col. 1.

Sources

Abiusi, Maria. National Pizza Day. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Global TV News. 9 February 2021. Accessed February 2021 at https://globalnews.ca/video/7629578/national-pizza-day

Da Conceicao, Rick. It’s National Pizza Day and to celebrate, a survey reveals our favourite toppings. Toronto: The Beat 925 News. 9 February 2021. Accessed February 2021 at https://www.thebeat925.ca/news/local-news/370362/it-s-national-pizza-day-and-to-celebrate-a-survey-reveals-our-favourite-toppings

DeMontis, Rita. A slice of sensation on National Pizza Day coming Feb. 9. Toronto, Canada: Toronto Sun. 8 February 2020. Accessed February 2021 at https://torontosun.com/life/food/0208-lifenational-2

Johnson, Kelsey. The Sprout: Happy National Pizza Day!. iPolitics. 9 February 2021. Accessed February 2021 at https://ipolitics.ca/2021/02/09/the-sprout-happy-national-pizza-day/