Chocolate has a history spanning nearly 4,000 years, originating as a bitter, frothy drink enjoyed by the Maya and Aztecs. Pizza, while having ancient flatbread roots, evolved into its modern form in 18th and 19th century Naples, famously gaining royal approval with the Pizza Margherita in 1889, which utilized newly popular tomatoes from the Americas. Both foods represent journeys of migration and transformation from sacred/humble origins to global favorites.
A sacred, bitter, frothy drink made with water and chili.
Long before candy bars, chocolate was a sacred, spicy, and frothy drink enjoyed by the Maya! They didn't use milk or sugar; instead, they added cornmeal and chili to give their ceremonial beverage its unique, powerful flavor.
How a South American fruit changed Italian food forever.
Tomatoes traveled across the ocean from the Americas! Because they looked strange and were related to poisonous plants, people were scared of them at first. It took over 100 years for Italians to realize how delicious they were - and the rest is delicious history!
Key moments in the evolution of the world's favorite dish.
Pizza didn't just appear overnight! It started as a simple word for flatbread centuries ago. It took hundreds of years for tomatoes to be added and for the dish to become the famous, patriotic 'Margherita' we know today.
How the Pizza Margherita honors a nation's colors.
The Pizza Margherita is a masterpiece of simplicity! Its three main ingredients - tomato, mozzarella, and basil - were chosen specifically to reflect the red, white, and green of the Italian flag when the Queen visited Naples.
The taste transformation over 4,000 years.
Imagine drinking your chocolate with a spicy kick! Ancient chocolate was nothing like the sweet bars we love today. It took thousands of years and the Industrial Revolution before chocolate was pressed into solid, melt-in-your-mouth candy.
The city where the flatbread became a global icon.
Naples, Italy, is the legendary starting point for the pizza we eat today. Its busy port helped bakers get fresh ingredients, leading to the creation of classics that are now protected as world treasures!
From elite Spanish drink to worldwide favorite.
Chocolate used to be a luxury drink for royalty! It wasn't until a clever machine was invented in 1828 that the cocoa powder could be turned into the delicious, solid bars and treats we share today.
Pizza is related to many world breads!
Did you know pizza has cousins all over the world? From Naan in India to Pita in the Mediterranean, the simple, delicious idea of a baked flatbread with toppings is a winner everywhere!
It was never a sweet candy bar at first!
The biggest surprise about chocolate is that it started out as a spicy, cold drink! The sweet, creamy bars we love are a very new invention compared to the thousands of years it spent as a sacred, bitter brew.
Raffaele Esposito, The Baker Who Named a Pizza.
Meet Raffaele Esposito, the baker who accidentally made pizza a royal dish! By using the colors of the Italian flag in 1889, he turned a simple flatbread into a national symbol recognized around the world.
From local specialty to world-loved food.
Both pizza and chocolate traveled far from their starting points! One started as a sacred drink and the other as humble street food, but thanks to trade and migration, they both conquered the world!
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