A Woman to Know: Margherita of Savoy
Legend has it that the queen, while staying in Naples' Capodimonte Palace, got sick of French gourmet food that was the royal standard across Europe. — BBC Food
(image via Wikipedia Commons)
Throughout the 1800s, Margaret played a critical role in the unification of Italy, and yes, in 1878 she became the first queen consort and yes, she sponsored the arts and is beloved by Italian intellectuals even today. Yes, all of this is awesome, yes yes yes – but most importantly, she once requested a special dish be prepared for her in Naples. She asked that the pizza chef bake a thin crust and layer it with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, to represent the colors of Italy's new flag.
That's right.
She's the Margherita behind Margherita Pizza.
Add to your library list:
Margherita of Savoy: First Queen of Italy, Her Life and Times (Zampini-Salazar Fanny)
Pizza: A Global History (Carol Helstosky)
Read more:
Pizza Margherita: History and Recipe (Italy Magazine)
Was margherita pizza really named after Italy's queen? (BBC)
Il Palazzo and La Pizza Margherita (Smithsonian)
For the pizza makers of Naples, a tempest in a pie dish (The New York Times)
A slice of history: pizza parlance through the ages (Oxford Dictionary)
Italy thinks 'Za should be a United Nations Cultural Treasure (Smithsonian Magazine)
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