Even Foodies Don't Stand A Chance Beating This Epic Pizza Quiz!
It's not hard to see why pizza is one of America's favorite foods, if not THE favorite.
It has everything anyone could possibly ever want. It has a bread-based foundation that can be as thin or thick as the pizza connoisseur's desire. It has a zesty tomato sauce that can be customized to taste. It has velvety melted cheese, that gooey, salty and fatty magic that melts and engulfs everything on the pie. And it has a universe of toppings, with enough combinations to eat a different kind of pizza every night and still not be done in a lifetime.
Really, whatever anyone is in the mood for, one can put on a pizza. Pepperoni is the standard cured meat of choice, but really, anything is fair game. Pork, anchovies, or tuna? Go nuts. Steak, caviar, or fois gras? That's okay too! Anyone want it dragged through the garden? Load it with spinach, tomatoes, or onions. Go nuts with garlic and basil, or hot sauce and red pepper flakes. The pizza is a blank canvas to indulge every desire of the palette. It brings people together, sweetens the deal on friends helping us move, offers hope for a late night snack, and is always ready to party.
Sure, it's high in calories, but who cares? This is about doing what Americans do best: ridiculous excess.
This is a tough quiz. But it's also our salute to pizza lovers everywhere—anyone who loves pizza loves life with all the toppings. Enjoy!
How old is pizza's ancestor, the flatbread?
Many countries claim to be the original home of what we know as pizza. And while it's true that pizza's ancestor, seasoned flatbread, was popular in multiple countries such as ancient Rome, Greece, and Persia, it's still not technically pizza. Still, without the seasoned flatbread, we never really would have gotten to pizza. Ancient dishes like flatbread with melted cheese and dates, or flatbread with garlic, cheese and onions are pretty close, but not quite. How far back do historians think flatbread goes?
What's the final ingredient that makes it an official pizza?
Modern pizza is largely agreed upon to have been invented in the 16th century in Naples, Italy. It was considered meager street food, and something that peasants might eat. But modern connoisseurs would not recognize the dish until the late 18th century when a certain ingredient was added. This ingredient became the game-changer and marked a definite change in the history of the popular dish. What is the final ingredient that historians agree makes a pizza an actual pizza?
Why is it called a Margherita pizza?
Considered one of the original "authentic" pizzas from Italy, the Margherita pizza is still a classic from around the world. It's a simple flat pizza, made with tomatoes and tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil leaves. The legend goes that in 1889, the pizza baker known as Raffaele Esposito baked three different kinds of pizzas for the visiting King and Queen of Italy. The favorite of the three pizzas he baked became known as the Margherita pizza. Why does it have this name?
What goes in a marinara pizza?
The marinara pizza, also known as pizza marinara, is considered one of the two original and authentic pizzas that originate from Italy. The other is the Margherita. The marinara is actually an older pizza and something that isn't served in the United States very often. It gets its name from the Italian word for sailor's wife, marinara, who would prepare this dish for him. This simple pizza is still proudly served in pizzerias in Italy. What are the main ingredients of a marinara pizza?
What popularized pizza in the United States?
Pizza arrived in the United States on the east coast in the late 1800s, with some of the first official pizzerias opening in the early 1900s. It was popular for decades amongst the Italian-American community in New York and the surrounding area before it became mainstream in the 1940s. By the 1950s, pizza had already become an American staple. But why did it take so long to catch on? What is it that really popularized pizza in the United States?
Why did Domino's stop its "30 minutes or it's free" delivery promise?
The pizza industry is huge in the United States, with several big chains dominating the bulk of the restaurant and delivery market. Current leading big brands include Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa Johns, Little Caesar's and Shakey's, to name a few. Domino's has been around since 1960, and up until relatively recently was known for the delivery promise "30 minutes or it's free." This guarantee was discontinued in the early '90s. Why did Domino's stop its "30 minutes or it's free" delivery promise?
What is the name of the pizza restaurant in Toy Story?
Pixar's breakthrough animated movie Toy Story was a huge hit and spawned two sequels, with a possible third on its way. The first Toy Story movie featured a Pizza restaurant as an important setting to the plot, because the heroes picked up a few "little green men" from "the claw" machine along the way. Since the first Toy Story movie, this pizza restaurant or its delivery van has made a cameo appearance in many Pixar films. What is the name of the Pizza restaurant?
What is the unique attribute of the tomato pie style pizza?
The tomato pie pizza was popularized on the east coast, and different versions of the tomato pie are commonly eaten in New Jersey and in Philadelphia. Casual eaters not from the area might call it "Philadelphia style" or "New Jersey style", though those are totally different kinds of tomato pie. "Tomato pie" seems to be the preferred name by the locals. A good tomato pie has almost all the same ingredients as a regular pizza, with one distinguishing factor. What is it?
What kind of pizza is this?
This pizza is a hearty and delicious pizza that goes way back. Its base is a thick and hearty bread crust that is similar to focaccia. It is most often baked in a rectangular pan, but it does not have to be. The crust, unlike most pizzas, is required to rise twice in the oven. It is covered with a tomato sauce, cheese, and herbs, though it is acceptable to put other toppings on it, like anchovies. What kind of pizza is it?
What is the name of this pizza?
This unique pizza is not commonly served in the United States unless you are eating in a highly specialized restaurant. Its distinguishing characteristic is the use of potatoes as a topping, an ingredient that most Americans don't consider paired with pizza. Authentic versions of this pizza are also cooked on a ring-shaped bread, and usually just include onions, cheese, and potatoes. Other acceptable toppings might include anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes, a regional sausage, olives, or tuna. What kind of pizza is this?
What is the name of this pizza-based character?
Mel Brook's comedy "Spaceballs" was a spoof of "Star Wars" and was unleashed on audiences in 1987. Instead of the force, characters used "the Schwartz" to battle the evil space dictator, Dark Helmet. Early on in the film, the hero, Lonestar, gets a call from the space gangster pictured above, who claims the job Lonestar just worked for him was botched, and he's going to need $1 million in spacebucks to repay the debt. What is the name of this character?
Approximately how many billions were sold of restaurant pizza sales in the year 2017?
According to statistics cited by Statista, pizza restaurant sales were in the billions in 2017, in a steady trend that surprises absolutely no one. Despite fads around healthy eating and a plethora of eating choices, pizza sales have trended upwards for at least the last five years. North Americans simply have a craving for pizza and continue to collectively spend big bucks to get their fix. Approximately how many billions of dollars were sold in restaurant pizza sales in the year 2017?
Can you identify the awful ingredients on this pizza?
The March 1958 issue of Family Circle magazine featured an evaporated milk ad that contained a recipe for a tuna pizza that was supposedly a "good meal in minutes." This is in an era where Americans were not quite yet pizza purists, so certain things they were naive about. Tuna on pizza isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but the other things definitely are. What were the ingredients on this horrible vintage "pizza" that no self-respecting American would ever put on a modern pizza?
What are the two most "divisive" ingredients in North American pizza orders?
A study made by Foodler in 2013 studied data from thousands of pizza orders in the United States and Canada. From this data, they determined the top 10 toppings that North Americans order on their pizzas. No surprise, pepperoni is the number one topping, followed by mushrooms and onions. The same study found that the most "divisive" ingredients, mostly found on half and half pizzas. In other words, each ingredient is gross enough to make people not even want it on their half of the pizza. What are these two ingredients?
What group of superheroes are known for their love of pizza?
Saying you like pizza is kind of like saying you like ice cream. Everyone likes ice cream. Everyone likes pizza. Even vegans have their own version of pizza because they don't want to be left out. But there's one group of superheroes that are particularly known of loving pizza. They love pizza so much, that it's often a plot point in their stories. Though they've been around for a while, they really reached popularity in the 1990s. Who are these superheroes?
How much does the world's most expensive pizza cost?
The world's most expensive pizza is only sold in New York and must be ordered 48 hours in advance. The toppings are ridiculous and include edible 24 karat gold leaf from Ecuador, French fois gras, imported English Stilton cheese, and Ossetra caviar that costs $12,000 per kilogram. You can find it at New York City's Industry Kitchen. If you have the taste for something exotic and a fat wallet, then it might be an option. How much does the pizza cost?
What's the top selling frozen pizza in the United States?
Americans love their pizza so much that they're even willing to cook it themselves! Well, the frozen variety anyway. The price of a frozen pizza is usually much less than that you would be charged from a restaurant, and even more so when you consider delivery charges. The downside is that they are usually not as good as a pizza cooked in a dedicated pizza oven. But they are easy to cook and come in multiple varieties. What's the top selling frozen pizza in the U.S.?
What kind of pizza does Spicoli order?
In the movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", lovable surfer Jeff Spicoli (played by a young Sean Penn) interrupts Mr. Hand's history class by receiving a delivered pizza order. Mr. Hand admonishes Spicoli, saying "You are causing a major disturbance on my time." Mr. Hand punishes Spicoli by taking his pizza and distributing it to the class, leaving him with none. Mr. Hand even takes a slice for himself. Exactly what kind of pizza did Jeff Spicoli order?
What was the name of Julia Roberts pizza-based movie?
Julia Roberts started to gain popularity after her third movie. In her first movie she was uncredited, and her second movie, Satisfaction, was a box office bomb. This third movie is a coming-of-age story in which a teenage Julia Roberts works at a Connecticut pizza restaurant with two other teenage girls. Also starring was Annabeth Gish, Lilly Taylor and a young Vincent D'Onofrio. Matt Damon also made his first film appearance in this movie. What was the name of the film?
What country does this deep-fried pizza come from?
There are actually two kinds of deep-fried pizza that comes from Italy. One variety has a deep-fried crust to which toppings are added. Another is very similar to a Calzone, where the toppings are trapped inside the dough and then deep-fried. The pizza pictured above is a full fresh pizza with toppings or frozen pizza with toppings that is battered and deep-fried instead of baked. It is almost always served with fries. Where does it come from and what is the name of this greasy pizza?
Which was the first restaurant to deliver a pizza to outer space?
Back in 2001, one pizza chain was the first to ever create a pizza to be delivered, cooked, and eaten in space aboard the International Space Station. It was a joint project between the restaurant and Russian food scientists. Ingredients, preservation time, and cooking methods were rigorously developed until a pizza custom-made for the space station could be delivered. The pizzas had to be vacuum-sealed and be small personal-size pizzas so that they could fit in the I.S.S. ovens. What was the restaurant?
What A-List star said this about pizza?
This A-list movie star gets paid millions of dollars per film. He once said, "If I could eat whatever I wanted every day, I would have Domino's pizza with pasta carbonara inside every slice. And at night, I would have Neapolitan ice cream until I felt absolutely toxic. And then I would drift off telling myself, 'It's going to be O.K... It's going to be O.K. you're going to train in the morning.'" Who is the star that said this?
What city is deep-dish pizza asscociated with?
Though not for everyone, deep-dish pizza definitely has a following. It's a hearty dish that can be compared to lasagna as much as it can be compared to traditional pizza. Its signature difference is that it is thick, with a typical slice several inches high. New York and Italian purists would hardly recognize it as pizza. It is commonly associated with a big American city. What is the name of the metropolitan city that deep dish pizza is associated with?
What would you call this style of pizza?
Though not nearly as popular as traditional pizza, many chains now sell a specialty pizza that is made without any tomato sauce. It's often mozzarella and ricotta cheese as the base, with a variety of toppings to compliment. Examples include chicken, alfredo sauce, clams, garlic, herbs, vegetables...or just more cheese. The crust can be the usual size, but it is most often served on a thinner style crust. If you are an adventurous mood and want it, what would you call it?
What state has the most pizza restaurants per capita?
There's no doubting that pizza is, and will continue to be, an American favorite for a long time. It has stood the test of time, and Americans are constantly innovating to add new ingredients and try different kinds of pizza. Another added draw is that pizza is meant to be shared, which associates it with parties and even romance. Though California and New York may have a lot of pizzerias, as of 2016, which state has the most pizza restaurants per capita? (percentage-wise.)