Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Night at a Neapolitan Pizzeria

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out premium free for 7 days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Hey, it's DJ First Dibs. I noticed you've been listening to a lot of summer vibes lately. I get it.

Starting point is 00:00:34 You're dreaming about vacations. Ooh baby, that's my jam. With Sunwing's first dibs on summer savings, let us curate something stronger than what you've been listening to. Because while your playlist screams, I need a vacation. Hey friends, welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. As always, I'm your host Thomas. This evening we're traveling to Naples or Napoli in southern Italy.

Starting point is 00:01:26 This vibrant city is the birthplace of one of the most popular dishes in the world, pizza. As you relax in a traditional pizzeria, you'll learn all about the history of the pizza and appreciate what makes it so special. Thank you to Alexandra for writing this one, which I had the pleasure of recording for you. If you're enjoying the show and you get a lot of value from it, we'd love if you'd consider supporting us. Our Get Sleepy Premium members can enjoy a multitude of amazing benefits, like ad-free listening, discount on merchandise, exclusive long-length stitched episodes, and a bonus episode every single Thursday. Like tomorrow,

Starting point is 00:02:23 when Courtney will tell us a story in which we'll explore the scenic old town of Dubrovnik in Croatia. To find out about all the perks of being a Get Sleepy Premium member, just follow the link in the episode description. Thank you so much my friends. Okay, let's prepare ourselves for a good night's rest. It means such a lot to be able to speak to you tonight and anytime you listen. And I want you to keep in mind that you are one of many thousands of people that listen to this show

Starting point is 00:03:12 to accompany their nightly routine. We are a collection of wonderful people spread all over the world with all sorts of different experiences and circumstances in life and with varying opinions, perspectives and beliefs. But we are all gathered here with a common goal in mind, a good night's rest. In fact, if you think about it, the desire and need for sleep is one of the most sense of softness and reassurance. Negative feelings like anger, worry, fear, stress, none of them are conducive to good

Starting point is 00:04:19 rest. So let's all collectively put any negativity to one side. Let's accept that in this moment we are all connected. We are all hopeful and deserving of a good night's rest. So, I send wishes of peace, comfort, and nourishing rest to each and every one of you. And perhaps you'd like to do the same thing, just mindfully sending out peaceful, comforting wishes to all of those joining you here at And equally, I hope you can sense that collective calmness and reassurance coming back to you. Thank you again for being here my friends. And now, let's enjoy this delightful story together, where you have full permission to drift, to the coastal city of Naples or Napoli in Italian. As you meander through the streets, you breathe in the ever present aromas of cooking and fried food. Fish, oil, garlic and chilli are just some of the scents that waft through the air, mingling with the

Starting point is 00:07:08 fragrance of the flowers that hang from a nearby balcony. You've spent the day exploring the city centre with your friend. Together, you wandered through narrow alleyways, past shrines and statues, and busy market stores. This afternoon, you enjoyed a dreamy walk along the seafront, basking in the fresh air and sunlight. Locals were sunning themselves on the rocks or splashing in the shallows of the dazzling blue water. Across the sparkling bay, shimmering in the distance, you saw the hazy outline of Vesuvius. Gazing at this tranquil scene, it was hard to believe the volcano was still active. To you, it resembled a slumbering giant reclining on the outskirts of the city. Now, after a rest at your hotel, you and your friend are continuing your exploration of the city center.

Starting point is 00:08:50 You're searching for a traditional Neapolitan pizzeria that looks inviting. Wherever you walk, you're surrounded by stone, the charcoal grey slabs beneath your feet, and the towering walls of old apartment buildings. The streets are so narrow, and some of the buildings look so ancient. and some of the buildings look so ancient. At times, it feels as though you've been transported back to the medieval age. But then, a moped whizzes past, or you catch a glimpse of a bright flashing sign and you're brought back to the present. Naples is a very old city. The port town was founded in the 8th century BCE and named Parthenopi after a siren in Greek mythology. But despite its ancient history, the city feels modern too.

Starting point is 00:10:15 There's an extraordinary energy in the air, and a sense of vitality. You can't help but focus on the present. Right now, you're completely in tune with your senses. There's so much to look at. The cheerful crowds of people, the brightly lit souvenir shops, the rows of balconies above you. They are covered with laundry that's been hung out to dry and decorated with the blue flags of the local football team. You notice the sounds too, loud voices and torrents of expressive dialect, beeping moped horns, and the jangling notes of a mandolin played by a street musician. And of course, there are the smells. You can detect the unmistakable mouthwatering scent of pizza hot from the oven. Up ahead, an illuminated sign advertises the name of a well-known pizzeria. You and your friend have worked up an appetite after a long day of exploring, and you're

Starting point is 00:12:10 ready for dinner. There's a crowd of people waiting outside the pizzeria, but you soon realize that they're getting pizza to take away. A friendly waiter stands near the entrance. When he spots you, he ushers you inside. You're in luck, a table for two has just become free at the back of the restaurant, near to the pizza oven. The waiter clears and sets the table with impressive efficiency, then leaves you with a menu.

Starting point is 00:13:07 then leaves you with a menu. It won't take you long to decide. There's a range of drinks and fried starters, but only two kinds of pizza. You can have the marinara with tomato, garlic, and oregano, or the margherita with tomato and mozzarella cheese. In Naples, many people believe that the simplest pizzas are the best. There's no need for extra toppings when the basic ingredients are of the highest quality. While you wait to order, you look around the restaurant. restaurant. The decor is practical, white walls and minimal decoration. The lighting is bright and the wooden tables are positioned close together. It feels cozy and unpretentious, and there's a welcoming, almost familial atmosphere. Many of the diners are locals and they chat and joke with the waiters. Glancing up to the wall near your table, you notice an ornament hanging from a hook.

Starting point is 00:14:52 It's a red twisted horn. You've seen this shape all over Naples, in shops and market stalls and dangling from rear-view mirrors. Known as a cornicella, this little horn is a traditional good luck charm with an ancient history. Because of its shape, it's associated with Priapus, the Greek god of fertility. The horns were traditionally made of coral. Today they're usually made of metal and painted red, the of blood and so the colour of life. For centuries, people have used this charm as a protection, but in order for it to work, you have to receive it as a gift. It's not something you buy for yourself. The horn on the wall looks very old, and you wonder about its origins. Perhaps it was a present for the owner of the pizzeria when the restaurant first opened

Starting point is 00:16:28 decades ago. The waiter returns to take your order, one marinara and one margarita. That way, you and your friend can have half and half. Turning around, you have a view of part of the kitchen where three men are hard at work. The restaurant is busy tonight, but luckily making a pizza doesn't take long, and the staff here are efficient and clearly very skilled. You watch the young man closest to you. His hands move rapidly, rolling out the dough, spreading the tomato sauce, and arranging the bright green basil leaves on top. Then, he scatters small pieces of mozzarella, and as a finishing touch, he adds a swell of golden olive oil. It's hypnotic to watch.

Starting point is 00:18:01 For the final stage, the pizza will go in the wood-fired oven nearby. From where you're sitting, you can just about see the crackling flames. You remember reading that pizza making in Naples has been recognized by UNESCO. It's on a list representing the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. While you wait, you and your friend start to skim through the book you've brought with you. It includes a chapter on the history of pizza in Naples. Perhaps some extra knowledge will help you to appreciate your meal even more. Though judging by what you've seen and smelled so far, you are guaranteed to have an unforgettable dinner no matter what. With the book spread open in the middle of the table, spread open in the middle of the table, you begin to read. Pizza has been around for hundreds if not thousands of years, depending on how you define

Starting point is 00:19:38 it. Flatbreads with added ingredients have existed since the Neolithic age, more than 5,000 years ago. Persians, Greeks, and Egyptians could also make claim to inventing a kind of pizza. But the first recorded use of the word pizza was in Italy, in the town of Gaeta, not too far from Naples. A document from the 10th century states that a tenant must give the local bishop 12 pizzas for Christmas and Easter, presumably as a kind of payment. We don't know what kind of pizza the bishop received, but it probably wouldn't have resembled pizza as we know it today. For a start, there wouldn't have been any tomato sauce as the fruit didn't arrive in Italy until a few centuries later. And the ingredients aren't the only mystery in the story of pizza.

Starting point is 00:21:09 Where did the word itself come from? One theory is that it comes from the Lombards, the Germanic tribe who invaded Italy in the 6th century. They had a word that sounded similar to pizza, which meant bite or mouthful. We can't be sure about before the arrival of the tomato. The fruit made its first appearance in Italy in the mid-16th century. It was introduced to the country by the Spanish conquistadors who brought tomatoes to Europe from South America. But at first, Italians weren't exactly keen to put tomatoes on their pizzas.

Starting point is 00:22:40 This probably seems surprising. This probably seems surprising. These days, they are a key ingredient in so many Italian dishes, not just pizza. But back then, in the 16th century, Italians were confused by this strange new fruit. Italians were confused by this strange new fruit. They viewed the tomato with suspicion, believing that it was unhealthy and maybe even poisonous. It was a nightshade after all, like the toxic belladonna plant. Despite this, the tomato came to be known as pomodoro or golden apple. Perhaps it was edible after all. For the rich, however, it was mostly seen as a novelty or something to be grown as an ornamental plant.

Starting point is 00:23:57 It was the working classes who gradually made tomatoes part of their diet, particularly in the area around Naples. And that brings us back to pizza, the first tomato pizza that we know of. In 1773, a chef in Naples named Vincenzo Carado wrote an influential book, The Gallant Chef. Interestingly, it mentions tomato sauce being used as a condiment for both pasta and pizza. The first pizzerias appeared in Naples around this time, selling pizza as street food. As far as we know, the oldest pizza restaurant in Naples and the world opened in 1830. And at some point, pizza makers started adding mozzarella cheese to their creations, inventing the dish we now know as the margarita. now know as the Margarita. According to legend, this is how it happened. In 1889, a chef in Naples decided to create a pizza to honor the Queen of Italy, Queen Margherita of Savoy, and it would be a patriotic pizza celebrating the unification of Italy. Tomato, mozzarella, and basil, red, white, and green. These were, and still are of course, the colors of the Italian flag.

Starting point is 00:26:16 In one version of the story, Queen Margarita actually visited the pizzeria in Naples. Rita actually visited the pizzeria in Naples. Apparently she wasn't too keen on the first two pizzas she tried. It was only the third combination of ingredients, tomato, mozzarella, and Basil that met with her approval. To commemorate the occasion, the chef named it after her, and the Margarita pizza was born. But unfortunately, this is probably a myth. It does sound a little too good to be true. The story of a fussy queen, the creative pizza maker, and the patriotic colours of the toppings. Perhaps it was just a clever marketing campaign by the pizzeria. There are records of cheese and tomato pizzas being made in Naples well before the Queen's visit. it. And decades later, as recently as the 1960s, the Margarita wasn't as widely known as you might

Starting point is 00:27:52 expect. In a documentary made in 1967, a Neapolitan journalist interviews a pizza maker in Naples. Tell me, says the journalist, is the margarita the one with the egg in the middle? No, says the pizza maker. The margarita that I've always known has mozzarella, tomato, and basil. A pizza with egg exists, but it's not called the margarita anymore. So, the margarita seems to be both old and relatively modern. and relatively modern. To sum up, a pizza with those ingredients has existed for around 200 years. However, it wasn't until some time in the mid-20th century that it came to be commonly known as the Margarita.

Starting point is 00:29:11 Finally, there's the question of the name. If it's not a tribute to the Queen, where does the name Margarita come from? According to one theory, it could be a reference to the mozzarella. Spread out on the pizza, the white slices of cheese look a bit like the petals of a daisy, and the Italian word for daisy is margherita. This theory works even if the pizza was originally made with egg. White pieces of egg could also resemble daisy petals. But of course, people enjoying their first bite of a delicious cheese and tomato pizza probably didn't pay much attention to the name. The margarita tasted wonderful. That was all that really mattered.

Starting point is 00:30:31 Pizzerias started to pop up all across Italy and beyond. Some of the Italians who immigrated to the United States brought their pizza recipes with them. The first American pizzeria opened in New York City in 1905 in Little Italy. The original pies were inspired by the Neapolitan style of pizza, while the first American pizzerias were generally small businesses serving working class communities of Italian immigrants. became more popular, entrepreneurs saw an opportunity. Chains opened up, starting with Pizza Hut in Kansas in 1958. This was a new kind of pizza, cheap and satisfying fast food with a focus on efficiency rather than craft. In Naples, however, there hasn't been much appetite for change. Pizza has essentially stayed the same for decades, so you're unlikely to find one with a pineapple topping. In fact, there are strict rules for making authentic Neapolitan pizza. Pizza makers are keen to preserve their traditions and maintain the high quality, protecting the reputation of their craft.

Starting point is 00:32:37 A proper Neapolitan pizza should be round and soft with a raised crust. The dough made with yeast, flour, salt, and water must be prepared carefully to ensure the right taste and consistency. The other ingredients should be fresh and high quality. Pizzas are usually made with locally produced buffalo mozzarella or fiordilate, a delicate cheese made from cow's milk. cow's milk. The final step is cooking, a maximum of 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven at a temperature of around 450 degrees Celsius or 840 Fahrenheit. It may sound fairly simple, but knowing how to make an authentic Neapolitan pizza requires countless hours of practice, as well as skill and dedication. And when you take your first bite of a fresh margarita hot from the oven, you'll understand. It's no wonder Naples is so proud of its pizza. pizza. Not only is it the original, it's absolutely delicious. The chapter ends here. As your friend puts the book away in their bag, you chat together about what you've just learned. The history of pizza wasn't quite what you expected.

Starting point is 00:34:56 Somehow it's both older and more modern. With perfect timing, the waiter appears at your table carrying the two pizzas you ordered. Buon appetito, he says as he gently sets down the plates, enjoy your meal. Although you're keen to dig in, you take a moment to pause, savoring the sight and smell of the food in front of you. in front of you. One pizza is a marinara with a rich red tomato sauce, a generous sprinkling of oregano, and a couple of cloves of garlic at the center. The The surface gleams with golden olive oil. The other is the famous margarita with soft mozzarella cheese melting into the tomato base. A few fresh green leaves of basil have been sprinkled on top. Both pizzas are so large that they almost spill over the edge of the plate.

Starting point is 00:36:40 The crust looks thick and spongy and has a few dark specks where it's been slightly burnt in the oven. Breathing in, you notice the warm, almost smoky scent, as well as the mouthwatering aromas of garlic, cheese, and tomato. The smell makes you even hungrier. At last, it's time to eat. You and your friend choose a pizza to start with. If you like, you can swap plates later. For now, you cut a slice of your chosen pizza and take your first bite. You knew it would be good, but you didn't know it would be this good. Sometimes, you reflect, food made with just a few simple ingredients is truly the best. The tomato sauce is so full of flavor, while the warm dough has the perfect consistency.

Starting point is 00:38:22 It's wonderfully soft and chewy. You can taste the olive oil too, adding just the slight hint of bitterness and complementing the other flavors. In this moment, you're aware of nothing but the food in front of you. Later this evening, perhaps you and your friend will continue your exploration of Naples. Maybe you'll treat yourselves to a gelato as you wander through the streets absorbing the atmosphere. But right now, you are happily focused on your meal, relishing each and every bite. You feel so lucky to be here, eating the perfect, authentic pizza. You. You You You You You You The You You You You You You You You You You You. you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Night at a Neapolitan Pizzeria

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