Manchester City Library

Did you know that there is a National Pizza Day? The origins of pizza can be traced back to the 6^th century B.C., when Persian soldiers serving under Darius the Great, baked flatbread with cheese and dates on top of their battle shields. It took a while before pizza became something that we would recognize, when tomatoes were brought back to Europe in the 16^th century. Pizza was considered food for the poor, it was cheap, and not until Queen Margherita visited Naples, was pizza viewed in a favorable light. In the United States, pizza became popular after World War II, when American soldiers got a taste for it when they were stationed in Italy. In 2021, according to Google Trends, the most popular pizza topping in New Hampshire was pepperoni.  What is your favorite pizza topping? As staff, our tastes are all over the map. Some of the more interesting toppings include pepperoni & pickles, and pineapple & jalapenos. Do you think pineapple belongs on pizza? People have strong opinions when it comes to pineapple on their pizza. A small percent of our staff is totally against pineapple on pizza, while the majority of the staff are in favor or neutral about pineapple on pizza. Come to the library, view the display, and learn a new pizza recipe from books in our collection. Indulge yourself; celebrate this day with a pizza.