Do you know when the first pizza delivery ever took place?

Who never ordered a nice pizza - hot and all that melting cheese! - on one of those nights when there was nothing good to eat at home or when the laziness to go to the kitchen to prepare something was too big? However, do not think that the ease of having this delicious delicacy delivered to the door is something that has recently emerged. According to legend, the first delivery took place in Naples in the 19th century!

Culinary Unification

But before we talk about how the delivery itself happened, let us briefly contextualize what was going on in Italian lands at that time. According to Matt Blitz of the Food and Wine website in the mid-19th century, Italy, which used to consist of several regions and states, had unified into one kingdom - promoting, among other things, a true culinary exchange in the parents.

However, while the Italianada began to exchange recipes - from lasagna, tortellini, cannoli and other culinary gems - the traditional Neapolitan pizza did not win many supporters in other regions and its consumption was somewhat restricted to Naples itself. Also, remember that the delicacy was considered a typical food of the people, something that the elite would not even consider to have on the plate.

For the monarchs of the time were Umberto I and Margherita — the name, as you will soon discover, is no coincidence — of Savoy, and they traveled extensively around the country to promote the newly won unification. Then, in 1889, while the couple were visiting in Naples, the queen, tired of stuffing herself with the court's “fancy” foods, asked someone to prepare a dish of local cuisine, something an ordinary citizen would eat.

The mission of preparing something for the queen fell into the hands of renowned Neapolitan pizza maker Raffaele Esposito, owner of a tavern called Pizzeria di Pietro and Basta Cosi - and considered by many to be the “father of modern pizza”. Raffaele and his wife put their hands on the pasta and prepared three different recipes, including one containing mozzarella cheese, basil and tomatoes, designed to resemble the Italian flag.

Delivery

Of course, kings would never dare to eat pizzas in Raffaelle's tavern, so the pizzaiolo carried his creations to the monarchs - that is, the legend was born that the occasion probably marked the first pizza delivery in history. But, as you may have already guessed, there is one more legend coming out!

It is said that when Margherita tasted mozzarella, basil, and tomato pizza, she would have proclaimed that it had been one of the most delicious things she had ever experienced. Raffaelle, all proud, would have, in return, named her creation after the name of the Queen - and that's how this Italian specialty came to be named Pizza Margherita.

Raffaelle's pizzeria still exists today and continues to market its delights in Naples - except that the name of the place has changed from Pizzeria di Pietro and Basta Cosi to Pizzeria di Brandi, and we have no information if they make deliveries. However, if you ever have the opportunity to travel there, the restaurant is worth a visit, don't you think?

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