The fact that Roquefort cheese was relished by Roman epicures twenty
centuries ago indicates that French gastronomy is not entirely a
product of modern times. Yet it was not till the reign of Louis XIV
(who died in 1643) that France began to lead the world in this branch
of civilization. The cradle of modern culinary art was Italy. Katharine
of Medici brought its higher branches from that country, which, in
the sixteenth century, was supreme in all the fine arts, the chef's
included.
Italian cookery differed in those days from that of other countries as
French cookery, with its entremets, ragouts, and salmis, its diverse
light viands and delicacies differed in latter centuries from that of
other parts of the world. What gave the Italian cooks their supremacy
was that they were alive to the importance of Flavor. Montaigne
expressed admiration of these same cooks "who can so curiously temper
and season strange odors with the savor and relish of their meats."
Is it a wonder that the reform was hailed with delight, Voltaire going
so far as to exclaim: _Un cuisinier est un être divin?_
Venice was the gate by which Oriental luxuries entered Italy. At the
same time there were culinary traditions which came to the Italians
of the Middle Ages direct from their own ancestors. Sicilian cooks
were favored by the ancient Romans just as French chefs are in modern
Europe. Among the Greeks, also, the cooks from Sicily were in great
demand, and Sicilian cookery was proverbially good. The Carême of his
time was the Sicilian Archestratus, who, we read, "traveled far and
wide in quest of alimentary dainties of different lands," and who, some
2250 years ago, wrote a long poem on gastronomy.
Three centuries ago Burton referred to the fondness of the Italians for
frogs and snails, two delicacies now universally associated with Gallic
epicureanism. The French, to be sure, have by their special care in the
rearing of these creatures (there are books on the subject) made them
peculiarly their own.
Though now playing second fiddle to France, the Italians are still
holding their own among the leading gastronomic nations. They have
plenty of reasons for liking their own cooking, nor are they alone in
enjoying it. In New York and other American cities Italian restaurants
are always well patronized and not only by Italians, and the same is
true in London, and to some extent in Paris.
Let us briefly pass in review the most desirable foods and dishes of
the Italians to see what we can learn from them.