Oktoberfest take a back seat, it's National Pizza Month!

You probably think I have made this up, because those who know me well, or even not so well, know I love pizza. I was shocked that I only learned of one of the greatest celebrations earlier today...It is officially National Pizza Month. I love pizza. It's so simple, yet can please so many different flavor palettes and constantly reinvents itself, whilst also remains frozen in classic form and styles. From Chicago deep-dish (which I argue only exists in Chicago) to wide flat New York style to the hip California fresh pies to your classic Neopolitan slices. I'll even please Bobby C and tip my hat to New Haven style pizza.

So here's how I'm going to celebrate this month. I'm going to include some of my favorite pizza spots below nationally, both that I've tried and recommended by others (that I want to try!) Second, I'm going to do a tour of the best pizza places on the Wasatch Front here in Utah. Short list includes: The Pie, Litza's Pizza, Este Pizzeria, Nicoitalia's Pizzeria, Pizzeria 712 (part deux), Settebello, Rusted Sun Pizza, and Salt Lake Pizza. If I have left one out, please include it in the comments and I'll try to get there. Third, I'll be putting up pizza and pizza-esque recipes for your enjoyment and hopefully you'll try it out!

My favorite pizzerias:

1) The one in Curious George and the Pizza. I can't get enough. It's juvenile, but classic. Go pick it up!  

2) Where to go:

Chicago: Giordano's

New York: Lombardi's or Ray's  (try to find the "original")

New Haven, CT: Sally's Apizza

California: Pizzeria Mozza

Other spots: 2 Amy's (DC), Matchbox (DC), Pizzeria Bianco (AZ)

3) Let the fun begin! SLC pizza scene digest...If you're in the area and want to try out one of the pizza joints on the short list, let me know comments, text, call me...whatever!

Before I go, here are some fun pizza facts:

• October is National Pizza Month, (US). It was first so designated in 1987 and continues to be the traditional time for celebration of one of America's most important and popular food industries.
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• Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza EACH DAY, or about 350 slices per second.
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• Pizza is a $30+ BILLION per year industry. There are approximately 69,000 pizzerias in the United States. Approximately 3 BILLION pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year. (Source: Blumenfeld and Associates.)
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• Pizzerias represent 17% of all restaurants. (Source: Food Industry News.)
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• Pizza accounts for more that 10% of all foodservice sales. (Source: Food Industry News.)
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• 93% of Americans eat AT LEAST one pizza per month. (Source: Bolla Wines.)
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• 66.66% of Americans order pizza for a casual evening with friends. (Source: Bolla Wines.)
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• Each man, woman and child in America eats and average of 46 slices, (23 pounds), of pizza per year. (Source: Packaged Facts, New York.)
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• Italian food ranks as the most popular ethnic food in America. (Source: National Restaurant Association.
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• According to a recent Gallop Poll, children between the ages of 3 and 11 prefer PIZZA over all other food groups for lunch and dinner.
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• A study done by a U.S. Department of Agriculture statistician and home economist found that in a three-day survey period, 42% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 had eaten pizza. (Source: Smithsonian Magazine.)
  
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• 94% of the population of the U.S. eats pizza. (Source: Parade Magazine.)
  
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• Favorite Pizza Toppings in the United States
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• Pepperoni is by far America's favorite topping, (36% of all pizza orders). Approximately 251,770,000 pounds of pepperoni are consumed on pizzas annually. Other popular pizza toppings are mushrooms, extra cheese, sausage, green pepper and onions.
• Gourmet toppings are gaining ground in some areas of the country such as chicken, oysters, crayfish, dandelions, sprouts, eggplant, Cajun shrimp, artichoke hearts and tuna. More recent trends include game meats such as venison, duck and Canadian bacon.
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• US pizza makers have turned breakfast into a pizza-eating opportunity by adapting peanut butter & jelly, and, bacon & egg toppings to their pizzas.
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• Mozzarella cheese represents 30% of total cheese output. Production of Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, parmesan and Romano by U.S. cheese makers more than doubled between 1980 and 1992, from 688.6 MILLION pounds per year to nearly 2 BILLION pounds per year. (Source: Cheese Market News.)
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• Manufacturers' sales of pizza cheese should top $32 BILLION by 2004. U.S. per capita consumption of mozzarella cheese was 7.93 pounds in 1994 and is predicted to reach 12.51 pounds by 2004. (Source: Business Trend Analysts, BTA.)
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• 62% of Americans prefer meat toppings on their pizza, while 38% prefer vegetarian toppings. (Source: Bolla Wines.)
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• Women are twice as likely as men to order vegetarian toppings on their pizza. (Source: Bolla Wines.)
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• Barbeque pizza emerged as one of the more popular pizza variations in a 1994 study by the National Restaurant Association. Nearly 33% of menus offered some form of this dish. Other popular variations were Mexican pizza, white pizza, five-cheese combos, non-cheese pies and traditional Italian pizzas such as Margherita, Florentine and new potato pizzas. (Source: National Restaurant Association.)
  

taken from pizzaware.com

photo sources, from left to right:

1. New Haven style, Sally's

2. pesto white pizza

3. Chicago deep dish

4. California style