SLICE BY SLICE

The Past, Present, and Future of Pizza

By Christy Claymore Vance

Rumor has it that maybe the best pizza in the world exists in Idaho, but we’ll get back to that. Older rumors, which are probably the truth, suggest that pizza was invented in Italy. Maybe the answer is somewhere in the middle.

“Pizza is Italian but it’s also an American cuisine,” said Chef Enrique Martinez.

It began in Naples, but then this specialty made its way to Chicago and New York, and then, yes, also Idaho.

Focaccia was the original “flatbread,” and then some creatives took it further, adding sauce and cheese. While flatbreads with toppings were enjoyed in even ancient Egypt, it was truly Italians who invented the pizza.

During the 1700s and 1800s, Naples was a busy waterfront city, where overcrowding and primarily outdoor activities forced locals to find quick, easy ways to feed their families. Pizza became a common dish because of its limited ingredients and handy portability. Like the paper cup, it was originally considered an item for the poor, and unsuitable for the rich folks.

Soon, this simple creation turned into a global phenomenon. Like the artichoke, this “peasant food” would become something delectable, crossing all class and ethnic lines.

In Idaho, Chef Martinez is now creating cuisine for Flatbread Pizza in Bown Crossing (Boise) as well as in Meridian. It is something of a departure for him—Chef Martinez is from Mexico and enriches the menus of fine dining spots like Barbacoa in Boise and Coa Del Mar in Eagle.

Eventually, he plans to introduce Spanish ingredients to a couple of his recipes at those locations in order to bring an international flare.

“Pizza is something I learned in California; it’s basic, but you can do a lot with it,” Chef Martinez said.

We know that pizza has a rich past. In the hands of folks like Chef Enrique Martinez, pizza is looking toward a very promising future.