July 30, 2010, Newsletter Issue #275: Origins

Tip of the Week

Magna Grecia and the Etruscans
The history of Italian cooking begins with Magna Grecia, where the culture of the Greek colonies popularized the art. The daily fare was simple and sober (pork, salted fish, chickpeas, lentils, lupins, olive pickles and dried figs) but at banquets the food was more varied and plentiful (soups, game in vinegar and honey sauces, sweets with almonds and walnuts) and also took on ritual and symbolic meanings. The Etruscans too had a simple diet based on the cereals favored by the fertile region (present-day Tuscany). The richest Etruscans were particularly fond of excellence and the pleasures of the table: The ancient Romans tell of sumptuous feasts.

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