Hawaiian pizza was first created in the city of London in Ontario, Canada. And while it's technically a Canadian invention, Hawaiian pizza is truly a product of cuisine internationalism. As Greek immigrants to Canada, Sam and his brothers brought with them the cultural influence of Mediterranean cuisine.
But the Hawaiian pizza, topped with ham and pineapple, was not an Italian invention. And despite the name, it did not come from the US island state of Hawaii either. The pizza was actually created in Canada in 1962 by a Greek immigrant called Sam Panopoulos.
Pineapple on a pizza originated in the small Canadian town of Chatham in Ontario, far from the beaches of Hawaii that have become the namesake for the dish; restaurant owner and Chef, Sam Panopoulos has been credited for being the father of the Hawaiian pizza.
History. Sam Panopoulos, a Greek-born Canadian, created the first Hawaiian pizza at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario, Canada in 1962.
Pizza has become one of the Australia's favourite dishes. That's surprising considering that pizza was only really introduced in Australia in the late-1940s, when Italians and Greeks migrated to Australia following the Second World War.
The modern flatbread pizza was born in Naples, Italy, around the end of the 19th century.
The "Aussie" was invented by the late Salvatore Della Bruna, the Picasso of Australia's pizza heritage who established this country's first pizza parlour, Toto's on Melbourne's Lygon Street.
While we commonly refer to pineapple pizza as "Hawaiian Pizza," the dish didn't originate in Hawaii at all. In fact, a gentleman by the name of Sam Panopoulos is widely credited with first crafting the pineapple pizza. Panopoulos, who passed away in 2017, was a Greek Canadian immigrant.
Although its exact origins are unknown, the modern pizza that we know and love today was invented in Naples, Italy, in the 1800s. Pizza's popularity grew in Italy and eventually spread throughout the world, becoming a staple food in many countries, including the UK!
The name "Hawaiian pizza" makes everyone think it's a pizza that is based in Hawaii. The real question is, do Hawaiians like Hawaiian pizza? Well - you'll be surprised to know that pineapple pizza was not invented in Hawaii. Although, Hawaiian people enjoy it as much as we do!
The truth about Hawaiian pizza
They found in 2018 alone, some 5.7 million Hawaiian pizzas were ordered, making it in the top 4 of pizza choices in Australia. A massive 2.2 million Aussies requested MORE pineapple toppings be added to their pizza, while only 184,494 people requested they be removed.
The first pineapples introduced to Australia were the small but delicious rough leaf variety and it is thought they were brought in by German missionaries in 1838 who travelled to Australia via India' The first commercial planting were established in Nundah (now a suburb of Brisbane) in the early 1840s.
Australia produces less than one per cent of the world's fresh pineapple but supplies almost the entire domestic market. Four primary packing houses pack and market more than 70 per cent of fresh pineapples.
When it comes to pizza, everyone has their own preferences for toppings. However, there is one topping that has caused controversy and debate in Italy for decades: pineapple. While some Italians embrace the tropical fruit as a pizza topping, others reject it as an affront to traditional Italian cuisine.
The sweet taste of pineapple is one of its most important characteristics that people enjoy. The sweetness of pineapple is appealing not only because it's naturally sweet but also because it complements the savory flavor of the cheese and the tomato sauce.
Sweet and salty
It's juice, luscious and syrupy in texture, is like nectar from the gods. Paired perfectly with salty, crispy, strips of ham, pineapple helps lift the overall flavour profile of a pizza – using its sweetness to cut through the salt and create a heavenly taste sensation.
Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or early 19th century. The word pizza was first documented in AD 997 in Gaeta and successively in different parts of Central and Southern Italy.
Pizza was first invented in Naples, Italy as a fast, affordable, tasty meal for working-class Neapolitans on the go. While we all know and love these slices of today, pizza actually didn't gain mass appeal until the 1940s, when immigrating Italians brought their classic slices to the United States.
If we are talking about the places in the world to have the best Pizza, then the best way to begin is with the land of Pizza. Naples, a city in southern Italy, is famous all around the globe for its pizzas, pizzas, and some more pizzas.
But, surprisingly, pineapple on pizza is not such a controversial topic in Italy, if compared to other food-related issues. Like, as to say, using cream to make a carbonara sauce (that really drives us crazy).
According to recent data from YouGov Omnibus, nearly a quarter of Americans say pineapple is one of their least favourite pizza toppings. Those who live in the Northeast or are older than 55 hate pineapple toppings even more.
Primarily regarded as the first pizza ever created, the tried-and-tested margherita pizza was created in 1899 and continues to dominate as Australia's most popular pizza takeaway choice.
Tucker is a word that Australians use for food. You will hear this word used a lot in more in country towns compared to the city. “I'm really hungry, I can't wait to get some tucker.”
“The final count was 103 meters (338 feet) of continuous, unbroken crunchy Italian-style pizza.” Moio said about 3,000 people attended the event.
From Chiko rolls to Vegemite these are Australia's greatest food inventions. We aren't known for our sophisticated cuisine but take a bow, Australia, these are the finest contributions that only exist within Aussie shores.