35 incredible food facts that will make you a food history genius

Eating great food is one of the best pleasures in life! But taste isn’t everything, and… we all know that knowledge is power. Delve into the wonders of food history, sociology and economics. Discover 35 incredible food facts that will feed your curiosity and wow your friends!

Spaghetti, noodles or pizza?

1. Pasta is not Italian. Marco Polo brought it to Venice from China. As a matter of fact, the oldest type of pasta (well… noodle, really) is four thousand years old and used to be made out of millet.

2. Pasta was a common side dish during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, even in Italy. However, it wasn’t until recently that it became a staple of Italian cuisine. Pasta became a popular main dish in Naples in the 17th Century. Coincidentally, around the same time a food crisis had shortened the meat supplies in local markets.1

3. Pizza Margherita was a 19th Century invention and was named after Italy’s queen in 1889. The pizza was supposed to feature Italy’s colours and was prepared for Queen Margherita by a baker named Raffaele Esposito of Da Pietro.

4. The Spanish were the first to use tomatoes to make sauces. They were then followed by the Italians. Tomato sauce was often used to accompany meat or fish dishes.2