Fact or Fiction: Your Favorite Foods

Question: G. Lombardi’s became the first licensed pizzeria in 1905.

Answer: Italian immigrants first made pizzas in their homes and would sell them in unlicensed venues before G. Lombardi’s became the first licensed pizzeria in 1905, in New York.

Question: Iced desserts, precursors to ice cream, originated in Italy.

Answer: Iced desserts, precursors to ice cream, were introduced into Europe from the East. Marco Polo  brought back descriptions of fruit ices from his travels in China.

Question: Uncooked pastas retain their freshness for up to a year.

Answer: Uncooked pastas retain their freshness from three to six months.

Question: The concept of the pizza slice originated in Italy but became much more popular in the U.S.

Answer: The pizza slice originated in the United States. It made pizza more accessible for busy workers, who could now buy a single serving they could eat on the go.

Question: The ice-cream soda was invented in 1874 in Philadelphia, the hub of ice cream manufacturing in the United States.

Answer: The ice cream soda was invented in 1874 in Philadelphia, which had become the hub of ice cream manufacturing in the United States.

Question: Rice can be used in breakfast cereals, noodles, and alcoholic beverages like sake.

Answer: Rice can be used in breakfast cereals, noodles, and alcoholic beverages like sake.

Question: France was the earliest European country to incorporate chocolate into its cuisine.

Answer: Spain was the earliest European country to incorporate chocolate into its cuisine.

Question: It is possible to eat raw, smoked, or cooked oysters.

Answer: Oysters are shucked and eaten raw, cooked, or smoked.

Question: Sushi is a staple rice dish that originated in Japan.

Answer: Sushi is a staple rice dish of Japanese cuisine, consisting of cooked rice flavoured with vinegar and a variety of vegetable, egg, or raw seafood garnishes and served cold. 

Question: The hamburger was invented in the United States by German immigrants.

Answer: The origin of hamburger is unknown, but the hamburger patty and sandwich were probably brought by 19th-century German immigrants to the United States, where in a matter of decades the hamburger came to be considered an archetypal American food.