Italy is particularly proud of its national dish, pizza. The Italians claim that they have the best cuisine in the world and are willing to ‘defend’ their culinary tradition if necessary. They consider the pineapple pizza, which is especially popular in the US, as an outright sacrilege. But as the Italian Association of Farmers and Food Producers Coldiretti reports, the range of ‘disgusting’ pizza ingredients abroad is much longer.
The association has established a “Gallery of Horrors” in Naples, home of pizza. You see pizzas with unusual, distinctly un-Italian ingredients offered worldwide.
According to Coldiretti, the best place for the “most disgusting” pizza has gone to Hong Kong, where the pasta is served with a snake topping.
With snakes, cannabis or kangaroo meat
In Australia, pizza with kangaroo meat is not uncommon, in Asia it is often eaten with snakes and crickets. There is also no shortage of spicy variants, with tandoori chicken dipped in yoghurt or with cannabis.
In Italy, pizza is also considered part of the national identity. But there are differences: in Rome the filled yeast dough is thinner, crispier and is sold “al taglio”, individually hand-held. In Naples, however, pizza is baked over a wood fire at 485 degrees for only 60 to 90 seconds.
Pizza baking has been a UNESCO cultural heritage since 2017
In 2017, Italy succeeded in having the art of the pizzaioli, the pizza makers of Naples, recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO. Baking is a ritual and an essential part of Neapolitan culture and identity, the UN special agency confirmed.
The right-wing government in Rome led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which has been in power since October 2022, relies heavily on defending domestic food production. The Ministry of Agriculture was renamed “Ministry of Food Sovereignty”. The government is campaigning against laboratory meat and insect meal, among other things.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
