The definite history or origins of pizza in general may not be known, but there is one man who is most commonly credited as the father of modern pizza. It is from the efforts and creativity of this one man that all the best pizza restaurants, pizzerias and pizza delivery services have grown; and so, today we pay homage to the father of our favorite food – pizza.

Thanks To You – Signore Esposito

The man who is credited as the father of modern pizza we know and love today is Raffaele Esposito. In 1889 he was a baker/pizza maker selling his wares on the streets of Naples, which at the time was considered a peasant food. Thus, when Esposito was called to the palace to create personal pizzas for King Umberto and his wife Queen Margherita di Savoia, it caused quite a stir.

Determined to rise to the royal challenge, Esposito decided to step up the traditional Italian anchovy and mushroom pie, and created three different flavor combinations for the King and Queen’s pleasure. One was a plain dough topped with cheese, basil, and pork fat; the second was a combination with garlic, tomatoes, and oil; and the last was a tribute to the home country (Italy, of course) designed in the colors of the Italian flag (green, red, and white), which was topped with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese.

The Queen Of Pizza – The Margherita

Although the Queen wrote in thanks to Esposito and enjoyed all the three flavor combinations, her favorite was the tomato, basil, and mozzarella combination. This combination was named for the Queen, being dubbed the ‘Pizza Margherita‘, and soon came to be the standard for pizza, and the basis from which the modern pizza and its many new variations were born.

We here at Melbourne Pizza Delivery stand and salute the father of modern pizza… Signore Esposito.

Aussie Pizza Connoisseur
Melbourne Pizza Delivery © 2009