Artusi at the table

“The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well” was Pellegrino Artusi’s third book; published for the first time in 1891, it is a collection of 790 home-style recipes from all over Italy that were written, tested, rewritten and retested with the help of two trusted cooks, Francesco and Marietta. It was an immediate publishing success. Still today, it is the most widely read book on Italian cooking and contributed greatly to the creation of an Italian style of cooking. Read the book’s recipes here.

Taking a cue from the book, restaurants in the province of Florence and parts of the Romagna region have created menus featuring one or two of Artusi’s recipes. Thirty recipes from the Tuscan and Romagna areas were selected and are featured using the same classification numbers that Artusi used.

Florentine cooking still uses the ingredients and traditions outlined by Artusi over one hundred years ago simply because these are the products and ingredients naturally found in the area, especially vegetables and beans. There is also a pinch of creativity in every Florentine dish; since they come from the tradition of “cucina povera” (peasant cooking), cooks need to use a little extra imagination when varying the tastes of the final product.

In the Florence area, try the bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine steak); lampredotto and trippa (two types of offal); cured meats like finocchiona (fennel salami) and bardiccio (a type of cured meat made during the winter months); game; roasted meats; “Regina di Londa” peaches; cheeses; olive oils; legumes, including the Reggello pink chickpea and the Pratomagno zolfino bean; and excellent wines from the Chianti Rufina and Pomino area.

Visitors can take advantage of several events and vacation packages designed to celebrate the Centenary of Artusi, as well as the possibility to enjoy recipes and dishes from this cookery master. Florence offers several events including tastings, walks, cooking classes and conferences.

In November, Florence will host Artusi Week: seven days of events (in Italian) dedicated to Artusi’s legacy in collaboration with hotels and associations in the culinary sector including cooking classes with the Saffi and Buontalenti hospitality schools, guided visits of museums in search of “set tables” and other themed events.

Click here for a list of restaurants featuring Artusi’s recipes (in Italian).