Learning to make pizza is a lot of fun, as my adorable and very Italian grand nieces, Lilliana and Francesca are discovering. Donning appropriately their new Roma sweatshirts recently purchased in Italia by Aunt Teresa and Uncle Dom, or Aunt Tree Tree as they like to call me, our precious twins took a stab at making their first pie in the kitchen of their grandfather’s wonderful banquet hall in southeastern, Michigan: Arnaldo’s.
We all have our favorite pizza recipes and pizza types. 
My favorite is the classic Margherita Pizza. The red, white, and green from the sauce, mozzarella, and basil is a nod to the colors of the Italian flag of course. The recipe itself is said to come from a popular story of a pizza maker in Naples doing his best back in the late 1800’s to honor royalty. His name was Raffaele Esposito and he created the pie in 1889 for the Queen Consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. Apparently, he first served her two other types of pizza; one with garlic and the other with anchovies, but it was that third recipe that was a hit and Margherita Pizza was born, or so the story goes. As this interesting article from Italy magazine explains, Margherita Pizza in Italy dates back even earlier than 1889, but the Esposito’s recipe was the one that made it so popular. Whatever the real story, Margherita Pizza is simple and delicious, and since there is no meat it’s a great option for a light Lenten meal.
P.S.: If you’re in the metro Detroit area and looking for an amazing venue to host a wedding, baby shower, or corporate function that serves delicious and truly authentic Italian cuisine in a stunning setting, then definitely check out Arnaldo’s.)
