First published in 1891, Pellegrino Artusi's La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangier bene has come to be recognized as the most significant Italian cookbook of modern times. It was reprinted thirteen times and had sold more than 52,000 copies in the years before Artusi's death in 1910, with the number of recipes growing from 475 to 790. And while this figure has not changed, the book has consistently remained in print.
Although Artusi was himself of the upper classes and it was doubtful he had ever touched a kitchen utensil or lit a fire under a pot, he wrote the book not for professional chefs, as was the nineteenth-century custom, but for middle-class family cooks: housewives and their domestic helpers. His tone is that of a friendly advisor
humorous and nonchalant. He indulges in witty anecdotes about many of the recipes, describing his experiences and the historical relevance of particular dishes.
Artusi's masterpiece is not merely a popular cookbook; it is a landmark work in Italian culture. This English edition (first published by Marsilio Publishers in 1997) features a delightful introduction by Luigi Ballerini that traces the fascinating history of the book and explains its importance in the context of Italian history and politics. The illustrations are by the noted Italian artist Giuliano Della Casa.
By:
Pellegrino Artusi
Introduction by:
Luigi Ballerini,
Luigi Ballerini
Translated by:
Murtha Baca
Imprint: Toronto University Press
Country of Publication: Canada
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 44mm
Weight: 1.000kg
ISBN: 9780802086570
ISBN 10: 0802086578
Series: Lorenzo Da Ponte Italian Library
Pages: 653
Publication Date: 01 August 2004
Audience:
College/higher education
,
General/trade
,
Primary
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Foreword by Michele Scicolone Introduction: A as in Artusi, G as in Gentleman and Gastronome by Luigi Ballerini The Story of a Book That Is a Bit Like the Story of Cinderella Preface From the Author to the Reader A Few Health Guidelines The Nutritional Value of Meats Admonition The Recipes: Broths, Aspic, and Sauces Soups and Pastas with Broth Pasta Dishes and Soups in Vegetable Stock Appetizers Sauces Eggs Doughs and Batters Stuffings Fried Foods Boiled Meats Entrements Stews Cold Dishes Vegetables and Legumes Types and Seasons of Fishes Roasted Meats Pastries, Cakes, and Sweets Cakes and Spoon Desserts Syrups Preserves Liqueurs Ice Creams Miscellaneous Recipes Appendix Foods for Weak Stomachs Suggested Dinner Menus Luncheons List of Recipes Index I: Names of Dishes in Italian Index II: Names of Dishes in English
Luigi Ballerini is a professor in the Department of Italian at the University of California, Los Angeles. Murtha Baca is head of the Standards and Vocabulary Programs at the Getty Research Institute.
Reviews for Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well
?Artusi?s book stands with Manzoni?s great novel, I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed), and the music of Verdi as works that not only are great unto themselves but represented a sense of identity and self-worth to a nascent country with no nationalistic feeling ? Artusi chose to give Italians their definition by telling them how they ate ? Anyone who seeks to know Italian food avoids Artusi at his or her peril. He is the fountainhead of modern Italian cookery.? -- Fred Plotkin Gastronomica ?One of the defining documents of what it means to be Italian.? -- John Allemang The Globe and Mail ?A landmark work in Italian culture.? -- Darby Macnab Tandem
