Italian Renaissance Food
Italian renaissance food can trace its roots back to about the fourteenth century. When Marco Polo returned from the Far East, the rebirth of Italian food really began. Polo returned to Italy with a new variety of spices, foods, and cooking techniques from China. One such technique was stewing foods, fruits, and vegetables in wine and spices.
Florence became the center for Italian renaissance food. This region of Italy had separate economic classes, and from this, various cooking and eating habits were formed. The poor class only had light meals, and would scrimp to come up with enough money to purchase bread, which was a very expensive product during the renaissance. Most of these citizens only had fruits and vegetables, and meat was eaten only on Sundays. The meals of the middle class were somewhat more varied than the meals of the poor. A serving of fresh fruit or salad was always consumed first, followed by a serving of meat (pigeon or liver was quite common). Goat cheese, grapes, and dried fruits were also prevalent. The middle class is credited with introducing pasta to Italy by the early fifteenth century. The richest class had an even more extensive diet. This class is credited with creating the multi-course meal, starting with appetizers and ending with desserts. They would dine on fresh fruits, vegetables, veal, sausages, roast chicken, pigeon, and trout. Cheese was then served followed by a sweet dessert.
The evolution of Italian renaissance food brought with it many new rules for dining. During this time, it was considered polite to wipe ones mouth with the tablecloth. Spitting politely was acceptable, but sharing of food was not. Forks and other utensils were still not commonly used at this time.
Coffee was also gaining popularity during the renaissance. It was considered to be an exotic food from the Middle East, but once it was brought into the ports of Venice, it became a popular accompaniment to meals. Wine was consumed in vast quantities, not only by the Italians, but also by the sailors who came into port. Salt was extremely popular and used in large quantities. Bread was often salty as the flour was preserved with salt to discourage insects from infesting the supplies.
During the renaissance, Venice became a main trading center in the world. Many common ingredients that are used in today's cooking, such as cream, spices, and various types of meat, were introduced to Italy at this time. Italy also began to influence France and other parts of the world by showcasing its cooking styles and exporting its wine.
Italian renaissance food was most certainly a rebirth for the country as well as the world. This time was of great importance as many cultures and regions began to share cooking methods, ingredients, and wares.