Garlic and Oil: Politics and Food in Italy

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Pasta, cappuccino, olive oil Italian food culture is a prominent feature of Western society in our cafes, restaurants and homes. But what is the history of Italian cuisine And where do we get our notions about Italian food Garlic and Oil is the first comprehensive history of food habits in modern Italy. Chronicling the period from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, the author argues that politics dramatically affected the nature of Italian cuisine and food habits. Contrary to popular belief, the Italian diet was inadequate and unchanging for many decades. Drawing on the writings of scientific professionals, domestic economists, government officials, and consumers, the author shows how the miserable diet of so many Italians became the subject of political debate and eventually, the target of government intervention. As successive regimes liberal, fascist, democratic struggled with the question of how to improve peoples eating habits, their actions purposefully and inadvertently affected what and how much Italians ate, shaping not only the foundations of Italian cuisine, but also the nature of Italian identity. Garlic and Oil is a popular national food history that offers a new perspective on the history of consumerism and food studies by examining how political change affects food consumption habits.

Reviews

Packed with fascinating insights. * The Guardian *
One of the finest cultural histories of recent times Helstosky shows there is much we can learn about the history of a society from its culinary culture. Marvellous. * BBC History *
Garlic and Oil is a fine work of history. Helstosky has successfully combined two relatively new areas of research - the history of consumerism and food studies - to produce an original, informative and stimulating account of Italian eating habits in the modern era. * Journal of History *
Helstosky has succesfully combined two relatively new areas of research - the history of consumerism and food studies - to produce an original, informative and stimulating account of Italian eating habits in the modern era. -- Nick Carter * History *
The topic is alluring, the style accessible It is very timely to have a book on Italian food that is a work of serious scholarship [This is] a book that many of us have been waiting for. * Robert Lumley, University College London *
This meticulously researched and gracefully written history of Italian food politics provides a fascinating background for understanding contemporary Italian cuisine and culture. * Carole Counihan, Millersville University *

Author Bio

Carol F. Helstosky is Assistant Professor of European History at the University of Denver.