I love this. Thanks for writing it. Many years ago I worked in a rare book and manuscript library and remember seeing a first edition of the La Cucina Futurista. It was such a strange (but beautifully designed) book. I don't read Italian and had no idea of its links to fascism. Very interesting indeed!
Jul 24, 2023·edited Jul 24, 2023Liked by Emiko Davies
The past is so quickly forgotten. This happened not all that long ago and yet so few seem aware of Italy’s history in the 20th century. Are you familiar with the book A Bold and Dangerous Family, by Caroline Moorehead? It’s about another anti-fascist family (Rosselli) who helped to lead the resistance. Filled with details I knew nothing about. A fascinating read.
Non sono sicura, da ricercatore di storia, di essere d'accordo con le parole di Alberto Grandi. La pasta era molto diffusa nel Nord e Sud Italia: nel 1600 i napoletani conquistano l'appellativo di mangia-maccheroni in precedenza attribuito ai siciliani. Fra l'altro, in Sicilia, attorno al '200 nacque la prima fabbrica di pasta secca. La pasta fresca è diffusa sulla tavola degli Italiani sin dall'epoca dei romani. Durante il Medioevo le torte di epoca precedente diventano tortelli e tortellini. In campagna la pasta fresca è più diffusa di quella secca ma che a casa di Mussolini, romagnolo, non si facessero tagliatelle e strozzapreti, non è credibile. Pellegrino Artusi parla ampiamente di molte paste, e relativi condimenti, nel suo ricettario pubblicato nel 1891, ben prima della Prima Guerra mondiale. Sono però d'accordo sul fatto che la pasta diventi un pilastro della identità italiana grazie alla spinta che arrivò dagli expats italiani di Oltreoceano (ma non grazie alla prima ondata migratoria bensì a quella successiva).
As a lover of food and history I am finding this series so interesting, thank you Emiko. Even having studied this general time period at school and university I have never heard much about the Italian experience, and I am so glad to learn more now.
Wow. Interesting. My Grand father was an Italian Army prisoner in German POW camps, he refused to serve Hitler. While in a camp, he collected and wrote a "cook book", recipes from the other prisoners, on scraps of paper he found in the camp. My mother has it now.
Did you read this book in Italian? I am a native who speaks excellent Sicilian and pretty good Italian, but reading it is another game that just frustrates me. I struggle to find books like this in translation.
It is wonderful to see a photo of the Cervi family, including the two daughters. What a tragic end. My mother was a child in Rome during the war, but she never spoke about it, and she is dead now. So I am very interested your war articles.
This was SO interesting. And, I loved learning more about the Futurists.
I love this. Thanks for writing it. Many years ago I worked in a rare book and manuscript library and remember seeing a first edition of the La Cucina Futurista. It was such a strange (but beautifully designed) book. I don't read Italian and had no idea of its links to fascism. Very interesting indeed!
Fascinating! I'll never look at pasta in bianco the same way again.
The past is so quickly forgotten. This happened not all that long ago and yet so few seem aware of Italy’s history in the 20th century. Are you familiar with the book A Bold and Dangerous Family, by Caroline Moorehead? It’s about another anti-fascist family (Rosselli) who helped to lead the resistance. Filled with details I knew nothing about. A fascinating read.
This is truly fascinating, Emiko. Thank you so much for sharing!
What a terrific read. That period is so heartbreaking--and like Domenica said, just not that long ago.
My Italian landlady used to say “pastasciutta” and that was the first time I’d heard it. Now I can proudly declare myself a Pastasciuttist!
Non sono sicura, da ricercatore di storia, di essere d'accordo con le parole di Alberto Grandi. La pasta era molto diffusa nel Nord e Sud Italia: nel 1600 i napoletani conquistano l'appellativo di mangia-maccheroni in precedenza attribuito ai siciliani. Fra l'altro, in Sicilia, attorno al '200 nacque la prima fabbrica di pasta secca. La pasta fresca è diffusa sulla tavola degli Italiani sin dall'epoca dei romani. Durante il Medioevo le torte di epoca precedente diventano tortelli e tortellini. In campagna la pasta fresca è più diffusa di quella secca ma che a casa di Mussolini, romagnolo, non si facessero tagliatelle e strozzapreti, non è credibile. Pellegrino Artusi parla ampiamente di molte paste, e relativi condimenti, nel suo ricettario pubblicato nel 1891, ben prima della Prima Guerra mondiale. Sono però d'accordo sul fatto che la pasta diventi un pilastro della identità italiana grazie alla spinta che arrivò dagli expats italiani di Oltreoceano (ma non grazie alla prima ondata migratoria bensì a quella successiva).
Thank you for this post Emiko, I learned so much!
This just makes me sad as Italy once again embraces fascism. History is constantly being erased and too easy to forget.
Thank you, Emiko! So interesting .
As a lover of food and history I am finding this series so interesting, thank you Emiko. Even having studied this general time period at school and university I have never heard much about the Italian experience, and I am so glad to learn more now.
Wow. Interesting. My Grand father was an Italian Army prisoner in German POW camps, he refused to serve Hitler. While in a camp, he collected and wrote a "cook book", recipes from the other prisoners, on scraps of paper he found in the camp. My mother has it now.
We refer to pasta schiutta in Sicily as any pasta that is not in a brodo.
Did you read this book in Italian? I am a native who speaks excellent Sicilian and pretty good Italian, but reading it is another game that just frustrates me. I struggle to find books like this in translation.
It is wonderful to see a photo of the Cervi family, including the two daughters. What a tragic end. My mother was a child in Rome during the war, but she never spoke about it, and she is dead now. So I am very interested your war articles.