Thought I'd add this link from TONY for those of you interested in
www.timeoutny.com/newyork/Details.do?page=1&xyurl=xyl://TONYWebArticles1/583/features/a_piece_of_history.xml Pizza A piece of history
A.D. 79
Evidence of ancient flat flour cakes have been found in the remains at Pompeii. But how good could it have been if there were leftovers?
A.D. 997
Documents in Gaeta, north of Naples, record the word pizza, possibly derived from the Latin picea, which referred to the blackened bottom of oven-baked dough.
1400s
Italians learn that the spoiled milk of water buffalo is surprisingly tasty.
1500s
Tomatoes, native to South America, are brought to Europe from the New World and add some much-needed color and flavor to dry, boring flatbreads.
1830
“The world’s first pizzeria, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, opens its doors in Naples,” according to pizza expert and Upper West Sider Ed Levine, in his book Slice of Heaven.
1889
The Queen of Italy declares her preference for pizza topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil—and the style is named Margherita in her honor.
1905
On Spring Street in Soho, Lombardi’s starts selling some weird snack called pizza—believed to be the first place to do so in the U.S. It’s really good.
1924
Anthony “Totonno” Pero, a former employee of Lombardi’s, opens the original Totonno’s in Coney Island.
1929
John Sasso, who also learned at Lombardi’s, opens his own place—John’s Pizzeria. (Some of the original customers are still in line for a table.)
1933
Patsy’s opens in Harlem. It establishes the standard for good pizza uptown—and sets the stage for many trademark-infringement lawsuits.
1943
Ike Sewell and his partners invent deep-dish pizza at Uno’s in Chicago. Though it’s tasty, most New Yorkers insist it’s not real ’za.
1950s
Some NYC pizzerias offer free anchovies; hence, the need to request “no anchovies”arises.
1972
The Clean Air Act limits the use of coal-burning ovens. Owners of wood-burning ovens say their stuff tastes better anyway.
1984
An Italian organization known as the “pizza police” (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, or AVPN) forms to ensure authentic Italian style.
2004
Old-school, thin-crust pizza makes a strong comeback in places like Una Pizza Napoletana, Centopizze, Abbondanza’s and Posto.
2000's
Roadfood covers Pizza!!(my addition)
