A Unified Country and Cookbook -Blog #15

Italy is a fairly young country, it was only fully unified in 1870. The unification process is one with a long story, it is a story filled with violence and struggle. Italy was a deeply divided country, and many would argue that it is still heavily divided today. Italians were divided in many ways; economy, social structures, language, and food. However, there is a Risorgimento food hero, Pellegrino Artusi. 

Unification was a slow process

Artusi's life story honestly sounds like a movie. Originally from the Emilia-Romagna region, he and his family fled to Florence after being robbed and terrorized by brigands. Artusi eventually amassed a wealth that allowed him to live a comfortable life, one where he could turn his focus to food. Artusi wrote a cookbook (Science in the Kitchen) that included recipes from all over the country, helping bridge the divide. He asked his readers to send in their own recipes and with each edition of his cookbook, more and more recipes were added. Artusi also helped with the language barrier many Italians faced by defining Florentine words in a way that would be understandable to other Italians, something that as a non-native Florentine speaker he well understood. 

I mean, just look at that facial hair!

Although regional food difference may be a sign that Italy was never fully unified, I think these differences are also incredibly important. They add diversity and innovation to the culinary experience of Italy as a whole, just like the differences between food in the North-East and South add diversity in the US. I have loved exploring all the different food every region of Italy I've visited has to offer me. When I was in Venice I was able to get incredibly fresh and local seafood that I wouldn't have been able to get in Umbria and in Umbria, I was able to have incredibly fresh and local truffles that I wouldn't have been able to get in Venice. The differences between the regions are fascinating and tell stories about the area and the people who live there, every region has different 'classic' dishes that they are known for and I think thats amazing.