Program in Food, Sustainability, & Environment

The tradition of "pane sciapo" (unsalted bread) in Perugia, Italy, is attributed by locals to their defeat in 1540 by papal troops in the so-called "Salt War." This paper investigates the veracity of the claim and speculates on the creation of this food myth (culinary urban legend).

Author Mark Kurlansky’s quote underlines just how unique our relationship with salt is. Every European language has its equivalent of “The salt of the earth” or “Not worth his salt,” sayings which represent the value of salt, at least in earlier times. This paper explores why salt is not simply sodium chloride, using the long history of the saltworks in Trapani as a starting point for an investigation that finds salt at the intersection, in the past and today, of economics, politics, and social relations. The paper also examines the documentation that lead to Slow Food recognizing Trapani salt as a presidium, and poses questions about the correct place for artisanal alimentary products, as well as about the curious link between them and identity.

Italy in recent years has become one of the main “landing countries” for immigrants, both legal and illegal, from outside of the European Union. The perception of an “invasion” has led to cultural reactionism; among its various expressions are moves towards reinforcing “traditional cuisine.” The most extreme examples are laws proscribing “foreign food” and prescribing traditional dishes. In the central Italian city of Perugia, the traditional stuffed flatbread, the torta al testo, has lost ground of late to the alimentary newcomer, the kebab. This has perhaps intensified the mythification of the torta al testo as the avatar of traditional Umbrian cucina povera (peasant fare). This essay explores the torta’s past and concludes with some hypotheses about a cultural antagonism with the kebab.

We hear that Dom Perignon could taste a single grape from each arriving tub and know immediately by the taste where it had come from, and exactly how it should be blended with other grapes for the perfect champagne.Brillat-Savarin tells us that Roman gourmands could taste Tiber fish and know whether they had been caught ‘between the bridges’ (i.e. in town) or lower down the stream. This indissoluble bond between place and taste – a strong-as-steel yet nearly transparent strand which only a true connoisseur can perceive – is commonly referred to by its French name, terroir. I will argue here that it is nonsense.

Nell’Italia centrale si trova una larga zona in cui il pane tradizionale viene preparato senza l’uso del sale. Esiste tutta una serie di spiegazioni di provenienza popolare per comprendere questa mancanza, che porta ad ottenere un pane con caratteristiche piuttosto diverse da quelle della maggior parte del resto della tradizione culinaria della penisola. Prendo come oggetto il pane più venduto di Perugia, conosciuto localmente
come “pane sciapo”, il quale non contiene sale. La mia ricerca esamina la possibilità che la Guerra del Sale del 1540 abbia portato alla tradizione del pane sciapo, nel tentativo di valutarne un’eventuale coincidenza con le indicazioni di veridicità storica, attraverso l’impiego di fonti geografiche, letterarie e storiche.

What is a truffle? Is it the über-shroom, the highest order of fungal foods? Does it arrive, as some cultures feel, in the moment of a thunderclap? One thing is for sure: despite its unappetizing appearance, the truffle is without a doubt one of the most prized ingredients in the world’s pantry. In this book, Zachary Nowak digs deep into the history and fame of this unlikeliest of luxury items, exploring the truffle’s intoxicating hold on our senses how its distinctive flavor has become an instant indication of haute cuisine.
           
Nowak traces the truffle’s journey from the kitchens of East Asia to those of Europe and the Americas. Balancing cultural, historical, and scientific perspectives, he offers a thorough and complete portrait of this many-sided mushroom. By comparing the truffle’s history in the Old World with its growing prominence in the New World, he tells a larger story of the growth and dynamism of modern Western cuisine and food cultures. Featuring many instructive and surprising illustrations, and numerous recipes both historical and contemporary, this unique and fascinating book is a must-read for chefs, food historians, and anyone ever drawn by the truffle’s mysterious, rich, and savory allure.

This article evaluates the creation myth of the pizza margherita as presented by those texts which presume to describe its history, as well as an alternative possibility for the story’s genesis. It begins with a description of the contested historiography of Italian unification, then examines evidence for the veracity of the story, concluding with some questions about the assumed boundaries between folklore and history.