Italian Recipe History

The culinary history of Italy has many similar connections to my previous article about Chinese food culture. Both countries are bordered by many neighboring countries and have only recently (in modern history terms) been united as a central governing country. The previous provincial centres which formed China also had similar counterparts in Italy, with each region having its own customs, traditions and of course cuisines.

Externally, Italy borders with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. Each of these countries has influenced the flavors of those border towns’ cooking styles. The temperature in Italy also causes different crops to be in season from the North to the South. Though the climate is usually mild, the North can experience severe winters, with the South enduring hot and dry summers. Recent years have seen terrible heat waves in Italy and other parts of Europe. Due to these alternate climates, Northern Italy is abundant in foods only growable in cold climates and also features a lot more meat recipes than their Southern Italy counterparts.

Italian cuisine has also been heavily influenced by the political atmosphere throughout the ages. Around 570 A.D., many of the inhabitants of Northern Italy had to flee to outlying islands to escape the Lombard invasion. It was not until after 1000 A.D. that these people, who had been the ones to form the town of Venice, could return to the mainland and at this point agriculture flourished. From this time, until the 16th century, art, society and politics also boomed, and cities were founded such as Venice, Verona, Genoa, Florence, Pisa, and Milan. The nobility of these cities were extremely wealthy and records of the time tell about magnificent feasts.

Though not long after, due to a shifting of focus in Europe towards England, France and Spain, Italy lost a lot of its power and became splintered and ruled by competing nations. Though politically, it didn’t unite again until the 19th century, each part of Italy kept its traditional cuisines and customs.

In the mountainous regions which stretch into the Alps, came what we know today as Risotto. This is still one of the most common ways rice is prepared across Italy in modern times. Risotto is basically rice which is boiled in a usually creamy broth, consisting of vegetables and meat or fish. The favored rice to use in making risotto is a short-grain, high-glucose variety, which gives it a stickier consistency. The first recorded instance of Risotto in Italy was around the 16th century.

When tracing the history of Southern Italian recipes, it is quite a difficult task. For example, when looking at the word “parmigiana”, which we all know from its popular chicken or veal varieties, the word translates to “from the North” in Italian. In fact, this dish originated in Southern Italy, with both Sicily and Campania claiming first rights. For those who are unfamiliar with parmigiana, its traditional form developed in the 19th century in Italy, as eggplants and tomato were just becoming popular. The eggplant is fried in oil, then cooked with tomatoes and cheese. Modern variants, such as chicken or veal parmigiana were later created by Italian communities abroad, who also changed the style to use breadcrumbs to cover the main ingredient before covering in tomatoes and cheese.

Studying the roots of any Italian recipe is an interesting adventure and allows us to better appreciate such dishes when we eat them in present day.

Milk Matters: Great Milk Makes Great Cheese

At its heart, cheese is about milk. Without milk, there would be no cheese. Sounds simplistic, but it’s anything but. Milk is an endlessly fascinating and complex liquid and to understand it is to understand the essence of cheese.

Through my experience with the cheesemaking community, I have had an incredible opportunity to observe one of the most ancient rhythms of humanity – the birth of an animal, the abundance of milk that ensues and the symbiotic relationship that has existed between humans and their livestock for countless millennia.

In cheese, I see the ultimate product of that relationship: preserving and concentrating vital nutrients in times of plenty in a tasty, long lasting and portable food.

Archaeological evidence suggests sheep were the first milk-producing animals domesticated by about 8000 BC with goats and cows following. Early cheesemaking is shrouded in pre-recorded history, but there is evidence of cheesemaking tools as far back as 7000 years ago.

Shepherding was one of the earliest service professions, as communities pooled their animals, sending them to graze in the hills, preserving close-in land for agriculture. In many cases, shepherds were also the cheesemakers as well, making and aging cheese and tending animals in remote pastures and returning to villages in the fall with cheeses to sustain through the winter months.

Over the centuries, the production of this essential food was elevated to an art form, with regional specialties emerging as animal breeds established themselves and flourished in certain areas based on geography and climate – a true expression of terroir, a French term that connotes specificity of place.

Milk Types

The three most common milk sources for cheese are cow, goat and sheep, though water buffalo, yak, reindeer and other unusual milks also may be used. The flavor profile, fat and protein content of each milk varies, as does the preferred environment of each breed.

Milk is an average of 87 percent water, which separates from the suspended solids – proteins and fat – during cheese production. Excess liquid is drained off as whey. On average, it takes 10 pounds of cow’s milk to make one pound of cheese. Richer, more concentrated sheep’s milk requires six pounds of milk to produce one pound of cheese.

Cows

Cows prefer cooler, northern climates and flourish in temperate, high-moisture environments. They are the largest stature of the three primary dairy animals and produce the most milk volume per animal. The ubiquitous black and white cow, the Dutch Holstein, was bred to be a champion milker, producing up to six gallons of milk a day. For cheesemaking, breeds like the Jersey, Ayrshire and Brown Swiss are stars, producing a lower volume of milk with higher fat and protein, perfect for making cheese. Cow’s milk cheeses often reflect a buttery, sweet flavor profile.

Goats

Goats can tolerate hotter, more arid environments and are notoriously finicky about rain – they do not like it! Goats browse, meaning they enjoy a variety of shrubs, woody plants, weeds and vines. Prized cheesemaking breeds vary in size and milk production – from the large Alpine, Nubian, and La Mancha to the small Nigerian Dwarf. Fresh goat milk smells creamy and sweet and the cheese has a lemony aroma and tangy flavor when fresh and a spiciness that develops with age.

Sheep

Sheep are extremely hardy and are well established throughout the arid plains of Spain, southern Italy, Greece and the rest of the Mediterranean. They also thrive in the cool, moist regions of northern Europe, though the most famous sheep milk cheeses come from the warmer climates.

Sheep dairying was one of the first organized industries in the world, producing wool, milk cheese and meat. Today, it is the least common cheesemaking milk in the US. Thankfully cheeses made with sheep milk both imported and homegrown, are booming in popularity because of their nutty, savory flavor and rich texture. The most common American dairy sheep are the East Friesian and Lacaune.

Try It!

To get a sense for the flavor profile of each milk type, head on over to your local cheesemonger or the cheese case at any upscale grocery and look for one cheese from each category below:

Goat – Fresh chèvre (look for a locally produced variety, if possible) or a ripened (rinded) cheese like Bucheron or Humboldt Fog. Serve these bright, tangy and delectable cheeses with a crisp, acidic white wine like Sauvignon or Pinot Blanc.

Sheep – Ossau Iraty or Manchego, two excellent sheep cheeses from France and Spain respectively. If you’re lucky enough to have a local sheep creamery, do give their cheeses a try! Rich and savory, sheep milk cheeses pair perfectly with fruity, smooth reds like Zinfandel or Syrah.

Cow – Fontina or Gruyere are two traditional cow’s milk cheeses that reflect the traditional buttery, sweet notes characteristic of cow’s milk. Beverage pairing options are quite versatile – enjoy with lower-tanning reds or even bold, spicy white wines.

As you are tasting, note particular aromas, flavors and texture characteristics. Which are your favorite flavor profiles? Which cheeses do you like most? Knowing your favorites will help you determine what other types of cheeses you’ll likely enjoy. Happy Savoring!