You know that classic Margherita pizza you order on a Friday night? It was literally named after a queen who was tired of her bougie royal food. No, seriously. Before 1889, pizza was considered cheap, peasant street food in Naples. It was fast, easy, and something the upper class wouldn't touch. 🙅♀️
So, get this: in 1889, Queen Margherita of Savoy was visiting Naples with her husband, King Umberto I. The story goes that she got totally bored of the fancy, complicated French food they always served at royal events. Can you even imagine? 😩
She wanted to try something local, something real. She asked for the most famous pizza maker in Naples, Raffaele Esposito, to come to the palace and cook for her. This was basically the 19th-century version of ordering takeout. 🛵
Esposito showed up and made three different pizzas. Two were pretty standard, but the third one was a game-changer. He was inspired by the brand-new Italian flag and topped the pizza with red tomato sauce, white mozzarella cheese, and fresh green basil. 🇮🇹
The queen absolutely loved it! It was simple, fresh, and patriotic. She declared it her favorite, and Esposito, being a marketing genius, named it "Pizza Margherita" in her honor. And just like that, pizza got a royal seal of approval. 🤯
Okay, so here's the tea. ☕ Some historians think the whole story might be a little... embellished. They found records of a pizza with tomato, mozzarella, and basil existing in Naples for at least 30 years before the queen's visit. 😱
The thank-you letter from the palace that the pizzeria (Pizzeria Brandi, which is still open!) has on its wall? The royal seal and handwriting don't quite match up with official documents from the time. The theory is that Esposito's nephews might have faked the letter in the 1930s to drum up business. Wild, right?
Real or not, the story of Queen Margherita gave pizza the ultimate glow-up. It went from being a humble meal for the poor to a dish celebrated across Italy and, eventually, the entire world. It made pizza patriotic and cool. 🌍
So next time you grab a slice of Margherita, remember you're eating a dish literally fit for a queen—or at least, a dish with an amazing story that took it from the streets of Naples to every corner of the globe. 🍕✨
Pizza Margherita may be fit for a queen, but was it really named after one? - National Geographic
Food Fit for a Queen: The Invention of the Margherita Pizza - History Hit
The True Story of Pizza Margherita, a Food Fit for a Queen - La Cucina Italiana
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