Italian Cuisine and its Origins
Italian cuisine has a long past that begins in the early days of the Roman Empire. The quality and recipe stayed largely unchanged, despite some changes. Numerous political periods have had an impact on Italian cuisine. Despite the diversity of modern Italian cuisine, pizza and pasta have traditionally been the nation's culinary icons. The country's various eras and areas have no influence on Italian cuisine. Some of the Italian recipes were developed locally, while others were brought back from conquerors and traders who traveled abroad. (Parasecoli, 2014). The most delectable and well-known food in the world is created by combining various dishes. In the ancient times, The Romans and Etruscans fed on grains and beans which were occasionally taken with sea food and wild game. In fact the modern Polenta has its roots from the porridge-like dish of Farro. This dish was a favorite in the Northern Italy and soldiers carried it for sustenance in their long march to war.
The Roman Influence
During the Imperial Roman era, Romans still relied on grains and beans like their ancestors. However, they added fig and fish sometime from Tiber. A common dish of Garum was made from fish sauce derived from pressed salt anchovies. In fact, aristocratic Roman grew fond of feasts in which exotic meat, honey-flavored dishes, and sweet wines were taken. Lucullus was one such great Gourmand (Parasecoli, 2014). There was also Apicius who authored the first Roman cookbook in the fourth century B.C. The Roman cuisine had begun to take definite cultural root after Apicius made recipe in official writing.
The Dark Ages and Arab Influence
During the Dark ages, the Rome and Italian Peninsula became engulfed in the influence of the tribes of the North. The ensuing change in cuisine marked the dark times. The Common dishes constituted simple roasted meat and other grown staple foods (Mariani & Bastianich, 2014). In Sicily, the Arab conquest introduced spices and cooking techniques that reflected Middle East and North African culture. The Arab cuisine in the Italian Island of Sicily has been in existence to date as seen in Almonds, Ices, Citrus, Agrodolce, among others.
The Renaissance and Global Expansion
As the medieval revival emerged, Northern cities gained power and formidable influence. Such cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, and other northern towns had the elite enjoy sumptuous dishes that were flavored with honey, imported spices, garlic, and nuts (Mariani & Bastianich,2014). It is also believed that noodles got its way into Italy through the legendry Marco Polo, which became to be known as risotto dish. Arabs are also credited with introducing Pasta to the South around 18th century.
Italian Cuisine Spreads Around the World
The exploration of the new world was the source of potatoes, Pepper, Spices, tomatoes, and Sugar. Cornmeal ( Polenta) became an immediate substitute of Farro in the northern Italy. Meat could be preserved by spices and sugar helped in making sweetmeat (Parasecoli,2014). During the renaissance feasts, Catherine de Medici introduced Italian cuisine in France where she became Queen. However, as France and Austria later conquered north Italy, they introduced desserts and snacks that became a household cuisine. The diversity of Italian food attracted global interest and their culinary conquest goes beyond Europe. From simple vegetables to roasted meat, Italian cuisine is a world celebration and popular among many hotels. Such ingredients as Pasta, Olive Oil, Basil, among others are a common delicacy everywhere around the world. Italian food derived its identity from locally grown grains, exotic flavors, and offshore recipes.
References
Mariani, J. F., & Bastianich, L. (2014). How italian food conquered the world. New York: St. Martin's Press.
Parasecoli, F. (2014). Al Dente: A History of Food in Italy. London: Reaktion Books.
