National Calzone Day – November 1, 2022, history, significance
There’s a lot to love about calzones — and very little (if anything) to dislike about them. That’s why those of us here at National Today are going to celebrate National Calzone Day on November 1 by stuffing a calzone with our favorite pizza toppings and then stuffing ourselves with the results.
Of course, since a calzone is actually a folded pizza, those toppings are not really toppings so much as stuffings. Anyway, stuffing is the key — and stuffed we will be — on National Calzone Day. Join us on this most tasty of holidays for some honest-to-goodness goodness.
History of National Calzone Day
Calzones have a history that dates back a few centuries. The idea is a simple one: just take pizza dough, fill it with whichever toppings are preferred, fold it in half and bake it!
During the 1700s in Naples, Italy, calzones acted as a street food that were meant to be consumed on the go. A calzone could make a simple lunch for an Italian tradesman who needed to get back to work, so they were sold on the street.
In fact, the word for calzone means “trouser” in Italian, since it was a useful meal for people to walk around with. Since that time, calzones may have evolved a little bit, but the idea is still just the same, using pizza dough and filling, then baking it to golden perfection.
Over the past few decades, calzones have become more popular in the United States. Pop culture references may have helped, like the calzone’s feature in the sitcom series Seinfeld in 1996, or the love of calzones by Parks & Recreation character Ben Wyatt during the show’s run from 2009-2015.
Getting its start in 2016, National Calzone Day was founded by Minsky’s Pizza, located in Kansas City, in celebration of the restaurant’s 40th anniversary. Now, this day offers a chance for people, not only in Kansas City but all over the world, to celebrate this fine Italian cuisine.
NATIONAL CALZONE DAY TIMELINE
1700s
Calzones got around
Calzones were invented in Naples, Italy — supposedly as a way to serve people a pizza they could walk around with.
1933
Did somebody say “calzones”?
It’s the first documented use of the word “calzone” to refer to “a baked or fried turnover of pizza dough stuffed with various fillings.”
2000s
Calzones became superstars
Calzones have become wildly popular in recent years, perhaps due to the influence of television shows, such as “Seinfeld” and “Parks and Recreation,” both of which have featured storylines about calzones.
NATIONAL CALZONE DAY ACTIVITIES
Make one, bake one, and eat one
It’s easy to celebrate food-related holidays and observances. Let your stomach do the talking. And then it’s time to eat!
Hold a calzone party
Have friends and family members over, sit around the dining room table, and have each person build their favorite calzone. Then have a baking party and stuff yourselves silly.
Learn a few new recipes
We all have our favorite recipes. But part of the fun of National Calzone Day is learning about the many different varieties. Try something new!
3 REASONS WE’RE GOING CALZONE CRAZY
What’s in a name? What’s in your calzone?
The word “calzone” comes from the Italian word for “pants” or “stockings.”
This calzone has room for many fillings
According to Guinness, the largest calzone ever made weighed 212 pounds. It was baked in 2014 by Rulli’s Italian Restaurant in Middlebury, Indiana.
Calzones are loaded with calories
Calzones typically have the same amount of pizza dough as a regular pizza. In fact, one whole calzone can contain more than 2,000 calories.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CALZONE DAY
Calzones are ridiculously delicious
Even the most “typical” calzone is overflowing with tasty goodness: salted bread baked to a crisp, golden perfection on the outside (warm and chewy on the inside), and stuffed with meats, cheeses, and veggies.
Calzones are handy
Science tells us that calzones are not only delicious, but efficient. That’s because calzones, folded as they are, feature a lower surface-to-volume ratio than regular pizzas, resulting in better heat retention.
Calzones are flexible
Not only do they hold together nicely — what with all that bendy dough — calzones are also flexible in that you can put just about whatever you want inside.
