And the quick history of this dish
When I moved to the United States seven years ago, I went through a phase of cooking Tuscan recipes. All the time. I was surprised, because when I actually lived in Tuscany, I spent most of my time exploring the cuisines of other cultures.
In my kitchen in Oregon I compulsively read Tuscan and Italian cookbooks, trying to hang on to an identity I’d never realized was important to me. I was going through a full-blown identity crisis. I’d given up my job, my friends, my language, and my culture, and I was searching for something from my past to hold on to.
As the years have gone by, I’ve come to accept that I can be many things at once. Yes, I was born and raised in Tuscany, but I’m not a piece of Etruscan pottery.
I recently read a very interesting book, “A short history of Spaghetti with tomato sauce”, by the food historian Massimo Montanari, and I realized that the history of spaghetti with tomato sauce is a bit like my own history. Everyone thinks of the dish as Italian, but its journey has been a lot more complicated.
Listen to the last podcast episode to learn about the history of this dish.
2024 tour dates will be out soon on the website.
Happy holidays, and I’ll see you in January.