Eating History: Italy

Eating History: Italy (2016)

EndedDocumentary show

The history of Italian food is an adventure that takes us a long, long way from advertising's cosy tales of mamma rolling gnocchi for the bambini, or the peasants eating pizza under the pergola. The idea that Italian food issues from a world of timeless rustic simplicity is false.

This six-part series focuses on Italian identity, and with it the Italian flair for food. It's also rather funny - host John Dickie is Professor of Italian Studies at University College London, and the author of several books including Delizia - the epic history of the Italians and their food, Mafia Republic: Italy's Criminal Curse and Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia, but he's far from a dusty academic. He brings to the series wit and a rather entertaining willingness to throw himself into all manner of unexpected situations, from donning painfully authentic recreations of Roman sandals to drinking a vile "sports" drink. Happily for our adventurous host, there are also some fine meals and meetings with good cooks and leading chefs.

Network
Scheduleevery Thursday (60 min)

Last Episode

Viva l'Italia
Season 1Episode 652 min

Viva l'Italia

Italian food's conquest of the world is today almost complete and it is now considered the world's best cuisine. But it was not always like that. John tells the story of a remarkable transformation. In this episode, Johns subjects a group of modern tourist to the food served to 19th-century tourists on their grand tour of Europe. He walks in the footsteps the unlikely father of Italian Food, Pellegrino Artusi, who through his seminal book of recipes did much more to bring Italy together than any politician had until then and, some might argue, since. John reveals how Italian cuisine today is unpretentious, delightful and most of all, healthy! At least that is what the American Scientist Ancel Keys declared when he popularised the term "Mediterranean diet", setting Italian food on its way to conquer the world…a conquest that was completed by the incredibly talented Italian chefs who today are Italy's most important ambassadors.

Aug. 25, 2016

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E06Viva l'ItaliaAug. 25, 2016
S01E05Hunger gamesAug. 18, 2016
S01E04The private life of pastaAug. 11, 2016
S01E03Power lunchAug. 4, 2016
S01E02Holy foodJuli 28, 2016
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