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Why is the cuisine of the Italian peninsula so rich, tasty and varied?
By Don Vito De Carolis, Avanti Savoia’s Italian Partner
Part One: Early History
During my career, I have travelled for 30 years across five continents and tasted hundreds of different ethnic cuisines. I now believe that each type of cuisine is related to three distinct elements: history, culture and the availability of various foods. I enjoy history, and have read more then a hundred books learning to appreciate the culture history of societies around the world. I’m also a fan of the arts of all kinds (sculpture, painting, music, dance, gardening, poetry, architecture, etc.) Considering all my interest and experience I have been pondering the answer to the question, “Why is the cuisine of the Italian peninsula so rich, tasty and varied”?
Italian Peninsula cuisine has evolved extensively over the centuries. Traditional Italian cuisine can claim historical roots going back as far as 7th century BC. Through various influences throughout the centuries, including the customs of neighboring regions, conquerors, high-profile chefs, political upheavals as well as famous Italian travellers such as Marco Polo and Cristopher Columbus. The “melting pot” nature of all these influences have combined to form “traditional Italian food,” known today as one of the premiere cuisines in the world.In the eighth and seventh centuries BC, the Greeks began to imigrate to southern Italy. This included settlements in Sicily and the southern part of the Italian peninsula. With this colonization, Greek culture and the ancient Greek cuisine was exported to Italy. The first “cookbook” was written by Archestratu,s a Greek-Sicilian. In a poem, he spoke of using “top quality and seasonal” ingredients of the freshest nature. During the 1st century AD it De re coquinaria by Apicio was published with 470 recipes. These included 75 sauces, 90 appetizers, 20 soups, and hundred of different recipes for the preparation of beef, pork, poultry, fish, vegetables and 30 different desserts. Suggestions are also given in this book to preserve food, and to make foie gras and Paté ( two Italian recipes and not French).
In the meantime, the city-state of Rome located in the geographic middle of the Italy grew to become one of the largest empires in history. In its twelve centuries of existence, Roman civilization came to dominate Western Europe and the Mediterranean region through conquest and assimilation. During this era, the Romans were bringing foods, spices and recipes home to Italy from all over their empire. The Romans employed the best Greek bakers to bake their breads, imported pecorini from Sicily, as the Sicilians were known for producing the best cheese. Romans were also produced excellent goats for butchering and mastered the cultivation of artichokes and leeks.
The end of the Roman Empire was hastened by waves of barbarian invaders, including the Huns, Vandals, Vikings, Lombards, Visigoths and Ostrogoths from northern Europe and Asia. These “barbarians’ eventually constituted an aristocracy of landowners and militaries. During this time the towns were smaller and considerably more primitive than they had been in Roman times. However, the agricultural estates of the Roman era did not disappear, but continued to produce an agricultural surplus that was sold in the towns. This time period begins the history of the middle-age Italian city-states such as Naples, Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Florence, Milan, Ravenna, Palermo, Pavia, Bari, and it was during this time that the Vatican state developed in Rome.
After the Byzantine invasion of Italy in the early 6th century, the areas in central-northern Italy was under Byzantine control. In this politically unstable situation, the Church often became the only stable institution and the only source of learning. Even the barbarians had to rely on clerics in order to administrate their conquests. Furthermore, the Catholic monastic orders, such as the Benedictines had a major role both in the economic life of the time, and in the preservation of the classical culture.
Muslim Arabs invaded Sicily during the 9th century, as most of what is known today as Northern Europe was being attacked by Viking raiders. The Arabs introduced spinach, almonds, rice and possibly even spaghetti! The first appearance of spaghetti may have been during the 12th century AD when the Viking / Norman king made a survey of Sicily. It was noted that he saw people making long strings made from flour and water called atriya, which eventually became trii, which is another term used for spaghetti in southern Italy. Normans also introduced casseroles, salt cod (baccalà) and stockfish which remain extremely popular today.
In the eighth and ninth centuries towns such as Amalfi and Venice began to prosper because of intra-Italian and international trade in goods including salt and spices. Salt from the Venetian lagoon was sold to other Italians and Italian traders extended their business to cities such as Alexandria and Constantinople. The 11th century signalled the end of the darkest period in the Middle Ages. Trade slowly picked up, especially on the seas, where the four Italian cities of Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa and Venice became major powers.
Food preservation techniques were a necessity, as refrigeration had not yet been invented. The two types of preservation were either chemical or physical. Meats and fish would be smoked, dried or kept on ice. Brine and salt were used to preserve items like pickles, herring and to cure pork meat. Root vegetables were also preserved in brine after they had been parboiled. Other means of preserving foods included oil, vinegar or immersing animal proteins in their own congealed, rendered fat. Liquor, honey and sugar were often used for preserving fruits,
Another cookbook, Liber de coquina was written in Naples and published during the 13th century. Dishes included “Roman-style” cabbage, a bean dish reflecting the Marca di Trevisio and a torta, all of which are extremely similar to dishes prepared today in Italy. In two other books from the 14th century, recipes are found for Roman pastella, Lasagna pie, and the use of salt from Sardinia or Chioggia again reflecting the culinary foundations of the different regions of Italy.
Muslim Arabs invaded Sicily during the 9th century, as most of what is known today as Northern Europe was being attacked by Viking raiders. The Arabs introduced spinach, almonds, rice and possibly even spaghetti! The first appearance of spaghetti may have been during the 12th century AD when the Viking / Norman king made a survey of Sicily. It was noted that he saw people making long strings made from flour and water called atriya, which eventually became trii, which is another term used for spaghetti in southern Italy. Normans also introduced casseroles, salt cod (baccalà) and stockfish which remain extremely popular today.
In the eighth and ninth centuries towns such as Amalfi and Venice began to prosper because of intra-Italian and international trade in goods including salt and spices. Salt from the Venetian lagoon was sold to other Italians and Italian traders extended their business to cities such as Alexandria and Constantinople. The 11th century signalled the end of the darkest period in the Middle Ages. Trade slowly picked up, especially on the seas, where the four Italian cities of Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa and Venice became major powers.
Food preservation techniques were a necessity, as refrigeration had not yet been invented. The two types of preservation were either chemical or physical. Meats and fish would be smoked, dried or kept on ice. Brine and salt were used to preserve items like pickles, herring and to cure pork meat. Root vegetables were also preserved in brine after they had been parboiled. Other means of preserving foods included oil, vinegar or immersing animal proteins in their own congealed, rendered fat. Liquor, honey and sugar were often used for preserving fruits,
Another cookbook, Liber de coquina was written in Naples and published during the 13th century. Dishes included “Roman-style” cabbage, a bean dish reflecting the Marca di Trevisio and a torta, all of which are extremely similar to dishes prepared today in Italy. In two other books from the 14th century, recipes are found for Roman pastella, Lasagna pie, and the use of salt from Sardinia or Chioggia again reflecting the culinary foundations of the different regions of Italy.
2nd part on line next Wednesday September 17th 2008
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