photocredit: holidayscalendar.com

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

Today, we celebrate one of America’s all-time favorite foods.  Whether you like thin crust, thick crust, Chicago style, deep dish, with only cheese or smothered in an array of toppings, I think we can all agree that pizza is delicious.

That ooey-gooey pull of the cheese after your first bite.  The way the sauce hits you right in the taste buds, causing an explosion of flavors to ignite your senses as happiness washes over you.

As we celebrate National Pizza Day across the globe, here are a few fun facts from the National Day Calendar website:

  • Pepperoni is the most popular pizza at 36% of all pies ordered.
  • Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the USA each year.  Add another 1 billion on frozen pizzas!
  • In the United States, 17% of all restaurants are pizzerias.
  •  Antica Pizzeria, the first Pizzeria, opened in Naples, Italy, in 1738.
  •  Gennaro Lombardi, the first Pizzeria in the United States, opened in 1895 in New York City.
  • Americans consume on average 23 pounds of pizza per person each year.

The last one blows my mind.  That is A LOT of pizza for one person to eat in a year, right?

One of my favorite things about pizza is variations in toppings or way to make the famous Italian dish.  While my preference is to order in from my favorite local pizzerias (see more info below) it is nice to change things up and make your own every now and then.

The simplest version is to buy the pre-made pizza crusts.  You simply brush a bit of olive oil on them, load on the toppings, and bake.

But sometimes I get creative.  Slicing a bagel in half and strategically placing my favorite ingredients of sauce, mushrooms and onion on top before dousing it with cheese is a win-win.  The bagel crisps up nicely in the oven and the toppings are cooked to perfection!

I have also taken pizza dough and rolled into a giant rectangle.  Spread the sauce, pepperoni and cheese across that baby and roll it up!  With careful precision, slice into small section and place on a cookie sheet to bake.  We call them pizza pinwheels and they are yumm-a-rific!

For the simplest of possibilities, as I stated above, picking up the phone and calling for pick-up or delivery is a fail-safe way to ensure everyone in your household is happy and their tummies are filled to the brim!

Luckily, we have a whole handful of Chamber Members who are at your service when it comes to culinary delights of the pizza variety.

  1. The Other Place has a full list of options available for dine in, take-out and delivery!
  2. Casey’s may have started being known as a gas station, but their pizza is second to none!
  3. Papa Everett’s is open daily for dine in, take-out and delivery.

To satisfy that late-night bar craving, check out:

  1. Sunset Sharky’s for a Heggie’s pizza

OR

  1. Tap’d for a Firehouse Pizza

For Frozen pizza:

  1. Fareway
  2. Randy’s Neighborhood Market
  3. Simply Nourished (they also have gluten free and specialty pizza crusts – YUM!)
  4. Hy-Vee West

The best thing about National Pizza Day is there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate.  The only stipulation is that you enjoy the cheesy deliciousness and maybe throw up a photo on social media with the hashtag #NationalPizzaDay.

Bon Appetite!