Reading. 8th Grade. Pizza

Pizza became a favourite dish in Italy, but only after the Second World War, when thousands of American soldiers went home from Europe, pizza really became an international dish. Soon there were pizzerias all over the USA, and American chains like Pizza Hut, spread the idea around the world. Today the average American eats over 10 kilograms of pizza a year and the world's largest pizza (measuring 30 metres! across) was baked not in Italy but in Havana, Cuba!

1. Today the average American eats over 10 kilograms of pizza a month.

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

2. Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Italy, began to sell the first modern pizzas.

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

3. Tomatoes are very important ingredients in pizza.

Pizza became a favourite dish in Italy, but only after the Second World War, when thousands of American soldiers went home from Europe, pizza really became an international dish. Soon there were pizzerias all over the USA, and American chains like Pizza Hut, spread the idea around the world. Today the average American eats over 10 kilograms of pizza a year and the world's largest pizza (measuring 30 metres! across) was baked not in Italy but in Havana, Cuba!

4. Pizza is not an international dish today.

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

5. The first pizza Margarita was created in 1889.

Pizza became a favourite dish in Italy, but only after the Second World War, when thousands of American soldiers went home from Europe, pizza really became an international dish. Soon there were pizzerias all over the USA, and American chains like Pizza Hut, spread the idea around the world. Today the average American eats over 10 kilograms of pizza a year and the world's largest pizza (measuring 30 metres! across) was baked not in Italy but in Havana, Cuba!

6. The world's largest pizza was baked in Italy.

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

7. Rafaele Esposito … the first modern pizzas.

Pizza became a favourite dish in Italy, but only after the Second World War, when thousands of American soldiers went home from Europe, pizza really became an international dish. Soon there were pizzerias all over the USA, and American chains like Pizza Hut, spread the idea around the world. Today the average American eats over 10 kilograms of pizza a year and the world's largest pizza (measuring 30 metres! across) was baked not in Italy but in Havana, Cuba!

8. Pizza really became an international dish …

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

9. The first pizza Margarita was created for …

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

10. The first modern pizzas were baked in …

But for centuries one important ingredient was missing - the first tomatoes were brought to Europe only in the 16th century from South America. In the 19th century Rafaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, began to sell the first modern pizzas. He was asked to bake a special pizza for a visit by the Italian King and Queen in 1889, and so the first pizza Margarita was created, named after the Queen.

11. The first tomatoes were brought to Europe from …

Pizza became a favourite dish in Italy, but only after the Second World War, when thousands of American soldiers went home from Europe, pizza really became an international dish. Soon there were pizzerias all over the USA, and American chains like Pizza Hut, spread the idea around the world. Today the average American eats over 10 kilograms of pizza a year and the world's largest pizza (measuring 30 metres! across) was baked not in Italy but in Havana, Cuba!

12. The world's largest pizza … 30 metres across.