It’s National Pizza Day!

Almost everybody likes it. The most popular kind is cheese and almost one in three Americans eat it once a week.


www.eagletimes.com

It’s National Pizza Day!Free Access | February 09, 2018 By KATY SAVAGE Special to the Eagle Times Facebook Twitter Google+ Share Ashleigh Pellerin, who has been the manager at Daddy’s Pizza in Claremont for five years, says her favorite part of pizza is the crust. — TIMOTHY LA ROCHE Almost everybody likes it. The most popular kind is cheese and almost one in three Americans eat it once a week. Pizza is one of America’s favorite foods and you could decide to eat it all day today because it’s National Pizza Day. This Italian treat, somewhat unheard of outside Italy until after World War II, has become an American craze. There are pizza parties, pizza recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner and just about every kind of topping — from barbeque chicken to macaroni and cheese. From the crust to the diameter, everybody has their own opinion about the best pizza out there. In Claremont alone there are at least six pizza restaurants. Ashleigh Pellerin, who has been the manager at Daddy’s Pizza in Claremont for five years, said her favorite part of pizza is the crust. “I would just eat the crust if I could,” she said. She said the most popular pizza at the restaurant is one that combines three meats and three veggies. It’s called “Daddy’s Special” and includes pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onions, green peppers and mushrooms. Pellerin had never heard of National Pizza Day. National Today compiled a survey that asked 1,000 people their pizza eating habits. Almost everybody likes pizza, the survey found. Those who don’t are a lonely bunch. The survey shows about 2 percent of Americans don’t like pizza. The survey also says most people don’t stop after one slice. Twenty-two percent of Americans could eat an entire pizza by themselves. That wasn’t surprising to Robin Iliopoulos, who has owned of Springfield Village Pizza with her husband for 10 years. She’s seen customers eat a whole pizza themselves. “I could do that on a good day,” she said. Iliopoulos said her favorite is Greek pizza, but the “village pizza” is her best seller. It consists of pepperoni, green pepper, onion, mushroom, sausage and hamburger. Perhaps not surprising — the survey said cheese is the most popular topping. Pepperoni is the second most popular, followed by sausage, mushrooms, bacon. Only 10 percent of Americans like pineapple on their pizza. Effie Panagakis who owns Village Pizza of Newport wasn’t surprised. Panagakis knows a lot about pizza. She has been selling it for more than 30 years. Panagakis said her customers’ favorites haven’t changed since she began — pepperoni is her most popular. The “village special” — a combination of pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, peppers and hamburger is another favorite. Her favorite? Greek. “I like veggies in my pizza. That’s why,” she said. Some people surveyed chose eating pizza over having a boyfriend or girlfriend. National Today suggests you celebrate Feb. 9 by eating pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You could also celebrate by hosting a pizza party or trying a topping you’ve never tried before. Here are some of the facts and figures from the survey: • 30 percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a week. • 19 percent of Americans pair pizza with beer. • 22 percent say they can eat an entire pizza themselves. • Pizza Hut is the most popular brand. • 90 percent of Americans don’t like pineapple on their pizza. • 42 percent eat three slices of pizza.