Pizza

Pizza Hut said it is introducing a spicy pizza designed to appeal to men 18 to 29 years old, the demographic group that dominates fast-food dining. The new Sicilian Pizza is "definitely not for everybody," said Randy Gier, chief marketing officer. The pizza features a cheese-herb seasoning and a sauce that's spicier than other fare the chain sells. Industry observers said a trend to spicier fast foods is being driven in part by the popularity of ethnic foods.

Hold the pepperoni. The government wants to drop decades-old rules that dictate the ingredients of frozen pizzas, down to how much meat, sausage or pepperoni must be in the toppings. Kraft and other pizza makers say the rules prevent them from lowering the fat content or trying out new sauces or ethnic styles. Under the Agriculture Department's regulations, a meat pizza must have a crust, cheese, a tomato-based sauce and at least 10% to 12% meat by weight.

Murderer Joseph Carl Shaw ordered pizza for his last meal today and played Trivial Pursuit games with family members a few feet from the electric chair which was being prepared for his Friday execution. "He is pretty much at peace with himself and is ready for whatever happens," attorney Stephen Bright said. "He is very calm and relaxed." Shaw, a former altar boy who confessed to the 1977 murders of two Columbia teen-agers, was to die at 5 a.m. Friday.

A Hutchinson, Kan., company has issued a nationwide recall of approximately 106,000 pounds of frozen pork pizza topping because it may contain light bulb fragments, the Agriculture Department said Friday. The product was made by Doskocil Sausage Co. and was sold exclusively to food service facilities, including restaurants and carryouts, the department said.

Sometimes it's hard to remember that pizza, which has become one of the most American of all foods, actually originated centuries ago near Naples, Italy. However, it wasn't until 1889 that the forerunner of what Americans have come to know as pizza was created. That year, an Italian tavern owner created a pizza out of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil in the colors of the Italian flag.

A prescription for pizza can prevent problems in the prostate, according to Harvard University researchers. A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that men who eat at least 10 servings a week of tomato-based foods, such as pizza and spaghetti sauce, are as much as 45% less likely to develop prostate cancer. Dr.

When we got wind of a new show on TLC called "Freaky Eaters," we couldn't resist. Based on the UK show of the same name, the premise is fairly simple: Take people who have bizarre eating habits and rehab them. In 22 minutes. By "freaky," the producers aren't always referring to adult picky eaters, men and women who find textures and flavors of most foods unpalatable to the point of throwing up if they eat, say, a tomato or a piece of meat. The people profiled on this show have issues with specific foods or food groups, always with a psychological component -- the young man who has devoured nothing but pizza since he dropped out of volleyball; the father of two who finds safety in eating at least three cheeseburgers -- and nothing but cheeseburgers -- a day; and the woman who, after getting divorced, turned to sugar to console herself, gradually working it into an all-day, everyday thing.

Alex Meruelo hopes to someday be known as the pizza king of Southern California's Latino community. The energetic, boyish-looking 27-year-old founder of the Buena Park-based La Pizza Loca restaurant chain is off to a good start. Since founding his company five years ago, Meruelo has assembled a chain of 26 pizza delivery outlets in mostly Latino neighborhoods of Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Most people get emotional whenever the subject of pizza is raised. And our editorial staff is no exception. Witness a few selected recommendations and comments from some of our more rabid pizza enthusiasts: - "Pronto, in South Coast Plaza, is the best pizza I've had lately. A close second would be the slice at Fedco--hot, fresh and relatively tasty." - "My pizza vote goes to Original Pizza on Balboa Peninsula." - "Definitely Gina's in Newport and Corona del Mar."

Little Caesars Pizza is knocking at your door. After 36 years of selling only takeout food, the country's No. 3 pizza chain hopes to boost stagnant sales by entering the fiercely competitive delivery market. Its competitors began offering deliveries--the fastest-growing segment of the pizza market--long ago. No. 1 Pizza Hut has delivered for a decade. No. 2 Domino's Pizza built its business on a promise of fast delivery.