The Flavors of Italy

Welcome to Phil~italy Cultural Newsletter. We publish bi-weekly exploring the food, culture, music, art, architecture, natural beauty and history of our beloved Italy.

Ancient Times

The first “Italian Food” comes from the Etruscans and ancient Romans.  They mainly relied on beans and ancient grains for protein, with some fish and game used when available.  Faro was used to create soups and porridge-like dishes.  The Roman soldiers carried faro on long marches.

Imperial Rome also relied on beans and grains, fish from the Tiber, and figs. Garum, made from pressing anchovies in salt, was used as a condiment. The Aristocrats dined on exotic meats, sweet wines, and dishes made with honey.  A Roman named Apicius is credited with writing the first cookbook in the 4th century BC!

Dark Ages

In the North of Italy, after the fall of Rome, the cuisine was mostly roasted meats and whatever could be grown and harvested locally.  Even today, the northern Italian food is different from that of the south.  In the south, and mostly Sicily, the cuisine was very different.  The Arabs introduced spices and techniques from North Africa and the Middle East.  We still see this in today’s Italian food.  Almonds, citrus, and ices are still the tradition.

Medieval Revival

The big, powerful city-states like Florence, Siena, Milan, and Venice started to have sumptuous banquets with food flavored by honey, nuts, garlic, and other exotic spices. As we were all taught, Marco Polo did not introduce noodles to Italian food. Pasta was most likely introduced to Italy in the 8th century by the Arabs. Marco Polo may have brought rice back from China instead.

The New World

Here’s where we get all the good stuff from. Italian sailors brought back potatoes, tomatoes, maize, peppers, coffee, tea, sugar cane, and spices. Peppers were incorporated quickly; however, tomatoes were not widely used until the 19th century. Cornmeal replaced faro in the North, and polenta was born. Spices allowed cooks to preserve meats, and sugar was used for candy, fruits, and nuts.  

The Renaissance

When Catherine de Medici became Queen of France in the 16th century, she brought sophisticated Italian food to France. She also brought French lettuce, truffles, artichokes, frozen desserts, and table manners. Two centuries later, France and Austria imparted some of their cuisine to the North.  

Why Is Italian Food The Best?

The secret to why Italian Food is the best? It's not just the use of the best and freshest ingredients, or the aromatic and flavorful staples like basil, olive oil, and garlic. It's the love of food, the passion of the cooks and chefs, and the joy of pleasing our family that truly define Italian Food traditions.

Molise, a region comprising the provinces of Campobasso and Isernia, is a unique blend of diverse landscapes. The western sector is part of the majestic Apennines, while the rest of Molise is a picturesque mix of low mountains, hills, and a narrow strip of lowlands along the Adriatic coast.

One of the nation's most rural regions, Molise is unique in showing virtually no change in population during the first century of existence of the Italian state; from 1861 to 1961, its population increased by approximately 1 percent, mainly because the growth rate was offset by constant emigration, primarily to other regions within Italy. Wheat and potatoes are the principal crops, and livestock raising (pigs, sheep, goats, cattle) is extensive. Industrial development is slight, though small plants are associated with the food and garment industries.

Campobasso, the capital city of Molise, is steeped in history. The old town, perched on a hill, was abandoned in 1732, giving birth to a new borghi on a lower fertile plain. The Castello Monforte (1459), with its six towers of medieval walls, is a testament to the city's rich past. The neoclassical cathedral and an archaeological museum with relics of the Samnites, Frentani, and Campani (ancient Italic peoples) are in the new town, preserving the region's heritage.

Gildone, a hill town and comune in the province of Campobasso is a testament to the resilience of its inhabitants. At its peak, the borghi boasted a population of 3,000, but despite the challenges, it now stands at about 750. The town, nestled in a rural area surrounded by farms dotted with olive trees and sheep, about 15 minutes southeast of Campobasso, continues to thrive.

Emigration

As part of the broader Italian mass emigration, many of Gildone's inhabitants left the town for economic betterment. The first emigrants left around the turn of the 20th century and mainly settled in the United States in Brooklyn, New York,  Cleveland, Ohio, and Colorado. (There is a plaque in Gildone's main church, St. Sabino, commemorating the financial contribution of the Gildonese émigré community of Cleveland towards the church's restoration in 1923.) Following the Second World War, in light of stricter immigration laws into the United States, Gildonesi emigrants sought new lives elsewhere. Many people relocated to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the number of Gildonesi and their descendants exceeds the town's current population. The traditions of Gildone continue to survive in the émigré community of Montreal, such as the August pepper feast and the anniversary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which the local Associazione Gildonese maintains. This history of emigration has significantly shaped the culture and traditions of Gildone, as well as its connection to other parts of the world.

Local economy

Like much of Southern Italy, the area surrounding Gildone consists mainly of small-scale, family-run farms. These farms are the backbone of the local economy, producing various agricultural products such as olives, sheep, and dairy products. There is little in the way of significant industry, with most economic activity centered around agriculture and small businesses.