Apple pie is often thought of as the quintessential American food – and scores of both apple and cherry pies will be served up today for President’s Day. But believe it or not, the popularity of these sweet treats pale in comparison to America’s obsession with pizza! That’s right, here in the United States we consume 350 slices of pizza per second! And while the phrase “As American as Pizza” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, the traditional Italian food has become a source American infatuation for many years. Next time you’ve got a crowd to please, consider pizza!
Military Themed Neapolitan Brick Ovens
At Marra Forni, we enjoy giving back to our community and believe that national holidays are the perfect time to call attention to those in need as well as those who deserve our honor and respect. For this reason, a few weeks ago on January 26th, we partnered with the Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center to feed our Veterans at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center.
Despite the blustery weather, it warmed our hearts to be able to provide hot pizza, fresh out of our Neapolitan Brick Ovens from late morning into the early afternoon. Watching our professional pizzaioli dazzle the crowds with their dough-slapping and tossing techniques added a touch of authentic Neapolitan flare to the frigid winter day in our nation’s capital.
During the event, ten volunteers from our Marra Family volunteered to work with our two Neapolitan Brick Ovens that were brought to the event, along with our brand-new Electric-Powered Truck. We distributed free cheese and pepperoni pizzas nonstop throughout the entire time. We highly appreciate the assistance of one of Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center students, Gary, who took part in Tony Gemignani’s Master Class held at the Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center in November. Many thanks to our partners Menù, Ferrarelle, Principe food, Grande Cheese, Caputo Flour, Le Saffre Yeast, Hormel-Fontanini, Ciao tomatoes, and Cinque Stagioni flour for their support in the event as well.
Marra Forni Team at the Department of Veterans Affairs
Thanks to the outstanding collaborations between our staff, volunteers, partners, and the VA Medical Center, we shared countless slices with Veterans and officers at the event. Many of the Vets praised our pizza, calling it “some of the best pizza they’ve had” as we thanked them for their service. The mission of the VA Medical center is “to respect and serve our Nation’s Veterans by honoring them with safe, quality and compassionate health care while offering service excellence” and Marra Forni is proud to be able to support that creed. We are in the process of organizing additional events for Veterans in the future and are thankful for the ability to do so. Let’s all give thanks to the brave women and men who serve our country and our communities this holiday!
