frequently thought of as a compilation of regional customs and age-old recipes that have been skillfully maintained over the ages by nonnas. However, a food historian is now dispelling popular misconceptions and untrue tales, contending that modern Italian cuisine is only a few decades old.
Unquestionably, food plays a crucial role in the nation’s identity and culture. In fact, Italians value Neapolitan pizza and pasta alla carbonara just as highly as the boot-shaped peninsula’s many historical and artistic riches. Every local cheese or cured meat is probably related to the Renaissance or the Middle Ages, and there are stories of centuries-old local rivalries over which city produces the best filled pasta.
Food historian and economic history professor Alberto Grandi
