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Ancient Rome: The roots of tradition
The basics of Italian cooking can be dated all the way back to the time of ancient Rome when food was but a pillar in their existence; bread, olive oil, and wine were the basis of the Roman diet and are still iconic to this day. For the elite, feasts were a grand affair with exotic roasted peacock and honey spiced cake. Yet for the common man, it was simply simple wholesome meals of beans, grains, and vegetables. Indeed, this combination of humble and luxurious is what has come to distinguish Italian food today.
Regionalism in the Middle Ages
With the fall of the Roman Empire, Italy fragmented into city-states and regions, each developing their own culinary culture. Northern Italy had established its famous butter, rice, and dairy-based dishes because of its cooler climate, whereas the south value-added influences from Arab traders in forms of citrus, saffron, and almonds. Agricultural information was preserved mainly in monasteries, and they made wine, cheese, and grew herbs which eventually proved to be the backbone of local cuisines.
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Such regional diversity imposed by geography and history is the core of Italian cooking, rendering it unique and infinitely varied.
The Renaissance was a time of cultural and culinary growth. Wealthy families like the Medicis would elevate food to an art form in the way they prepared and would present their dishes at flashy banquets. Venetian commerce spread nutmeg and cinnamon around as spices, whereas tomatoes, potatoes, and chocolate would change the face of Italian cookery, slowly percolating from the Americas.
Cookbooks at the time were precise in their techniques–and laid Italy’s modern culinary identity.
The 19th century brought political unification also the influence of Italian food. Local dishes began filtering across the nation, and soon pasta, risotto, and pizza were being eaten well beyond their birthplaces. And then came the immigrants who took those tasty traditions around the globe, tweaking recipes to fit newfangled ingredients in their pockets of settlement and thereby siring such Italian-American classics as spaghetti and meatballs.
Today, it is considered that the Italian people created one of the most exceptional culinary traditions in the world and all over the well-populated boot, but it honestly belongs to the land and the existing people who craft it. From Piedmont’s truffle-happy hills to sunny Sicilian coasts, Italian food is bound to its roots of tradition, simplicity, and quality. Every dish, be it rustic pasta or refined risotto, narrates the saga of a nation wherein food is not simply an entity but life itself.
Enjoy your meal!
Source: WindStarCruises.com (link)
