National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day

NATIONAL PIZZA WITH THE WORKS EXCEPT ANCHOVIES DAY

Hold the fishes! National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day is observed on November 12.  Anchovy lovers move over. All the other pizza lovers get their due and pile on their toppings on this annual pizza holiday.  Olives, pepperoni, sausage, peppers and onions? Allowed. Mushrooms, bacon or pineapple approved! Just no fishy business on this national day, or no pizza for you!

Classified as an oily fish, Anchovies are a family of small, common salt-water forage fish. There are 144 species found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.  Anchovies are small, green fish that have blue reflections caused by the silver longitudinal stripe which begins at the base of the caudal fin.

Traditionally, anchovies are processed in a salt brine and then packed in oil or salt resulting in a strong, characteristic flavor.  Optionally they may be pickled in vinegar giving the anchovies a milder taste.

Pizza:

• In ancient Greece, the Greeks covered their bread with oils, herbs and cheese which some believe is the beginning of the pizza.
• In Byzantine Greek, the word was spelled “πίτα”, pita, meaning pie. 
• A sheet of dough topped with cheese and honey, then flavored with bay leaves was developed by the Romans.
• The modern pizza had it’s beginning in Italy as the Neapolitan flatbread.
• The original pizza used only mozzarella cheese, mainly the highest quality buffalo mozzarella variant which was produced in the surroundings of Naples.
• It was estimated that the annual production of pizza cheese in the United States in 1997 was 2 billion pounds.
• The first United States pizza establishment opened in 1905 and was in New York’s Little Italy.
• Pizza has become one of America’s favorite meals.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Whether your pizza is thin crust, hand tossed, thick crust or deep dish, top it with all of your favorite toppings (excluding anchovies)  and use #PizzaWithTheWorksExceptAnchoviesDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to find the creator of National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day.