00:00 This podcast episode is about pizza, including its origins, where to get the best pizza, and interesting facts about pizza consumption in America.

04:42 Pizza originated in Greece and then made its way to Italy, where it started to gain popularity among the peasantry due to its affordability, and it wasn't until the Colombian exchange that tomatoes were introduced to Italy, leading to the creation of pizza as we know it today.

09:27 Pizza became popular among the peasantry in Naples due to its affordability and abundance, and the first pizzeria was opened in 1830, leading to the spread of pizza throughout Italy and eventually to the United States with the arrival of Italian immigrants.

14:03 Pizza chains like Shakey's and Pizza Hut were founded in the United States after World War II, but the quality of the pizza has degraded over time, and New York City's tap water is a key ingredient in making authentic New York-style pizza.

18:42 New York-style pizza is said to be superior to California pizza due to the mineral composition of the water used in the dough, and yeast is a vital ingredient that causes the dough to rise and gives it a softer texture.

23:37 Gas is used to make the dough rise, and then it is put in the fridge for 12 hours to slow down the yeast, resulting in pizza dough that can be used for several days.

27:58 Neapolitan pizza is extremely thin crust with equal parts of basil, mozzarella, and sauce, and it must be produced in a specific area under certain guidelines to be considered authentic.

32:42 The average American eats 46 slices of pizza per year and 93% of Americans eat pizza at least once a month.

37:26 There are 49 pizzerias in New York that use some form of the name "Ray" and three people named Ray have tried to trademark the name.

42:27 The most expensive pizza in the world costs $450 and is called the C6 pizza, which includes lobster Thermador, black Alaskan cod, and caviar. The largest pizza ever built and eaten weighed 44,457 pounds and was devoured by at least 30,000 people in Havana, Florida in 1987. The longest pizza delivery was made by a Domino's franchise owner named Lucy Clough, who delivered a pizza 10,532 miles from London to Melbourne as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

47:37 Annie's family road tripped with her to college and listened to Stuff You Should Know, which everyone enjoyed except for the Jack the Ripper episode that made her mom uncomfortable, and her brother accidentally caused a minor car accident while honking the horn like a truck.