The reason why pizza is so popular among foodies the world over is that they are tangy, sweet, hot, rich, cheesy and meaty, to say the least. Heavy pizza toppings can give us the adequate amount of energy we require to power through the day and the toppings only taste better with some pepperoni on them.

While pizzas can be enjoyed with various kinds of sauces ranging from barbecue, marinara to pesto sauce, the combination of pepperoni and cheese is definitely a match made in heaven. The tasty treat has evolved through ages, introducing a multitude of toppings from anchovies and pineapple to bacon, but nothing could ever outshine pepperoni.

To commemorate the powerhouse of taste, Sept. 20 is designated as the Pepperoni Pizza Day. To mark the occasion, let's take a look at the history and origin of pepperoni pizza.

The starting point of pepperoni was when the practice of curing meat as a way to preserve it without refrigeration emerged in the ancient Roman Empire. Romans used to season meat with salt and other spices to stock them up for a longer period. The first-known mention of pepperoni was in 1919, in New York City. At that time, various eateries in Lower Manhattan started using pepperoni as a topping in various Italian dishes to bolster their taste and nutrition value.

Making pepperoni is consistent with other sausage-making recipes, including pork and beef sausages. However, the modern-day versions of pepperoni pizzas are loaded with bell peppers instead of a lot of meat and no one knows why!

Here are some quotes about pizzas that justify our love for the dish. (Courtesy: Pizzaneed)

  • " Pizza makes anything possible."- Henry Rollins.
  • "There's very little in my world that a foot massage and a thin crust, everything-on-pizza set right."- G.A. McKevett.
  • "Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness has clearly never spent their money on pizza"- Andrew W.K.
  • "I want pizza with my face on it."- Jennifer Lawrence.
  • "The closest thing I use to beauty products is the grease on the pizza from Jhon's Pizzeria."- Mark Feuerstein.
  • "Any pizza can be personal if you cry while eating it."- Aparna Nancherla.
  • "I love pizza. I want to marry it but that would just be to eat her family at the wedding."- Mike Birbiglia.
Pizza
A pepperoni pizza is pictured. Andreas Riedelmeier/Pixabay
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