National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day on November 12^th

An American favorite, pizza will always be a go-to meal for nearly any occasion. No wonder there’s a national holiday reserved just for pizza with the works (except anchovies) on November 12^th.

National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day is mouthful to say and an even better mouthful to celebrate. Pizza lovers across the nation rejoice as they get to pile on as many of their favorite toppings as they wish without judgement. Except maybe from anchovy lovers. On this day, traditional recipes are tossed aside as chefs get creative. Any topping that can be imagined is welcomed. Bacon, pineapple, pepperoni, peppers, chicken, beef and a variety of others. Everything except anchovies, that is.

Anchovies are small oily fish that thrive in salt-water. With 144 different species found in the ocean, there certainly is no shortage of these little green fish. Despite their being an abundance, however, it is not the most liked topping. There is no official reason that anchovies were left out of the fun for this holiday. However, given that only 50 out of every 18,000 customers order these little oily fish as a topping, it’s not entirely surprising.

The History of Pizza

Pizza is believed to have its humble beginnings in ancient Greece. Greeks would take their bread and cover it with herbs, oils, and cheese. Then, the romans took some dough, spread cheese and honey on top of it and added some flavor with bay leaves. This was the Roman representation of what we now call Pizza.

Flash forward hundreds and hundreds of years, and the modern pizza was born in Italy. At first, the lovable pie was on Neapolitan Flatbread using mozzarella cheese. Then, this cheesy dish was brought to the United States by way of Little Italy in New York City in 1905. Pizza has been an American favorite ever since.

Sources:

• https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pizza-with-the-works-except-anchovies-day-november-12/
• https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/pizza-with-the-works-except-anchovies-day/
• https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-anchovies-1806993
• https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/basic-pizza