SCIENCE IN THE KITCHEN AND THE ART OF EATING WELL by Pellegrino Artusi - 1891
Academia Barilla - Gastronomic Library
Did you know that "Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well" is a fundamental work in the history of Italian cuisine? As the great historian Alberto Capatti writes, "in Italy, Artusi is remembered in the same way as Dante".
Besides collecting more than 800 regional recipes, this book provides a snapshot of Italian society at the end of the 19th century, with anecdotes and personal observations by Pellegrino Artusi (1820-1911).
The Academia Barilla Library possesses all fifteen complete editions published by the author between 1891 and 1911.
Passionate about cooking, though originally a merchant, Pellegrino Artusi thus helped to unify the regional culinary traditions of our country at a time when Italy was still culturally fragmented.
“Science in the kitchen and the art of eating well” is a «social» volume in the sense that it created a community of followers throughout Italy, as if it were a constantly updated blog of regional recipes. That’s why it’s such an avant-garde work.
Furthermore, Artusi anticipated the values of modern Italian cuisine, introducing new techniques and ingredients, promoting the use of fresh and quality products, and spreading the idea of Italian food based on simplicity and genuineness.
Still today, Artusi’s book, which is regularly reprinted, is considered a bible of Italian cuisine and continues to inspire cooks and food lovers all over the world.