NATIONAL PIZZA WITH THE WORKS EXCEPT ANCHOVIES DAY
National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day says to hold the fishes! Anchovy lovers move over on November 12th. All the other pizza lovers get their due and pile on their toppings. This annual pizza holiday gets the spotlight with olives, pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and onions. How about 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. They 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 History (sans anchovies)
- In ancient Greece, the Greeks covered their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese. Some believe this practice is the beginning of the pizza.
- In Byzantine Greek, the word was spelled “πίτα,” pita, meaning pie.
- The Romans developed a sheet of dough topped with cheese and honey. They then flavored it with bay leaves.
- The modern pizza began in Italy as the Neapolitan flatbread.
- The original pizza used only mozzarella cheese and was produced in Naples using the highest quality buffalo mozzarella variant.
- In 1997, the United States produced an estimated 2 billion pounds of pizza cheese annually.
- The first United States pizza establishment opened in 1905 was in New York’s Little Italy.
- Americans love pizza. So much so, it’s one of our favorite meals.
Now that you know all the ways pizzas are made, just be sure to leave the fishing pole at home, because this holiday is called National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day. Understood?
HOW TO OBSERVE #PizzaWithTheWorksExceptAnchoviesDay
This is a great day to take your pizza making to the maximum. Other than the anchovies thing, there are no limits to the kinds of pizzas you can make. You can explore thin-crust pizzas or stuffed crust. Have you ever tried making your own hand-tossed pizza dough? Now is your chance.
Toppings of every kind come to mind. Clean out the fridge and get to experimenting. Do you love cheese? Pile it on in every combination. Sausage and pepperoni are old standards. How about salmon, venison or crab. Is there a box of leftover udon noodles from last night in there? Try an Asian-style pizza with a hoisin sauce. It is National Pizza With the Works Except Anchovies Day after all.
So, make a pizza with the works in any style you like. Just leave off the fishies. If you go out for your favorite pizza with the works, be sure to give a shout-out to the restaurant and tell us what a pizza with the works means to you.
Use #PizzaWithTheWorksExceptAnchoviesDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL PIZZA WITH THE WORKS EXCEPT ANCHOVIES DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues researching the origins of this uniquely fishless holiday.
Pizza FAQ
Q. What other types of fish top a pizza?
A. There really isn’t a limit to the types of ingredients you put on your pizza pie. The important part is that the flavors go well together. You can always pick off the ingredients you don’t like. Shrimp, salmon, lobster, tilapia, and tuna all fit the bill when you’re building a seafood pizza.
Q. Which is healthier, thin or thick crust pizza?
A. Thin crust pizza contains fewer calories than thick crust pizza. Adding extra veggies like peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and onions to the pizza increases the health benefits, too. Mushrooms and olives do, too. The cheese and meats will almost always make the calories jump but some choices are healthier than others.