Da Vinci's Kitchen: A Secret History of Italian Cuisine

by Dave DeWitt

Part history, part biography, and part cookbook, this fascinating exploration of an as-yet unexamined facet of Leonardo da Vinci's life focuses on what and how he ate. Da Vinci lived to be 67—nearly twice the average life span at the time—and his longevity may well have been due to his diet, which is reconstructed here complete with his notes on ingredients, portions, cooking, drinking, and kitchen inventions. The great artist, scientist, and inventor was no slouch in the kitchen, having worked as a kind of theatrical caterer, producing feasts with extravagant menus for royalty. This book unlocks his cooking code and the food history of his day, bringing 30 recipes up to date, including da Vinci's own salad dressing and an exotic saffron risotto with duck and mushrooms fit for a Medici.

Genres: Food, Cookbooks

214 pages, Hardcover

First published April 11, 2006

About the author

The New York Times calls this author "The Pope of Peppers" and TV viewers recognize Dave DeWitt as the ever-affable chile pepper expert and organizer of Albuquerque's huge annual National Fiery Foods and Barbecue Show. Dave is also the author of more than 40 food related books, including the best-selling "The Complete Chile Pepper Book," "The Southwest Table," and the forthcoming "Growing Medical Marijuana."
National TV appearances include "American Journal," Cable News Network, "The Today Show," "Home with Gary Collins," "Scientific American Frontiers," "Smart Solutions," and "CBS Sunday Morning." He has also been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, American Way, Smithsonian, and approximately 200 newspapers across the country.
Now, the world's authority on the Southwest's hottest food turns his attention to New Mexicos most compelling and legendary historical figures--the rag-tag group of Apache warriors led by an elderly gentleman set on avenging the death of Victorio--and those who pursued them, the officers and buffalo soldiers of the U.S. Army's Ninth Cavalry as told in Dave's novel "Avenging Victorio."
The people, the story and the settings are real; DeWitt poured through endless documentation in the form of military records, old photos, newspaper clippings, letters and other correspondence to piece together the facts. Then, drawing on his background as a university professor of composition and literature-- plus his almost uncanny grasp and sensibility of Apache customs, traditions, rituals (and humor) -- DeWitt has woven a fast-paced and engaging saga. Click here for more information."

Reviews

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love reading about food culture, you'll love this!

English: https://elifthereader.com/books/da-vi...
Türkçe: https://kitaplikkedisi.com/kitaplar/l...

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s an interesting concept to examine the Italian Renaissance through cooking, but its dense – more at the 201 level than 101 level of Renaissance History.

[MIL]

文藝復興時期的人好愛吃糖
什麼都加糖
肉類禽鳥加糖煮真的好吃嗎
實在挺懷疑的Orz
還很愛吃野味
尤其愛烤孔雀!?
這種習慣不知道為什麼沒有流傳下來??
基本上古時的義大利人烹調方式
跟今天沒有太大差別
每一章篇末所附的食譜看起來都好好吃喔
最近看了一堆食物書
每次都越看越餓:p

[Janet Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Italian cuisine has come a long way, but even as early as the Renaissance, vegetables were promoted as being good for your health. Though noodles had already been introduced to Italy, Renaissance recipes seldom mention pasta and then it was called "macaroni" which makes it confusing. Looks as though the Italian ate a shocking amount of sugar during medieval times. Don't recommend much in the way of recipes, but the history of food prep and equipment is fairly interesting.

[Nejra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odlično štivo. Historija hrane mi je vječita radoznalost, s toga sam iz ove knjige pronašla razne odgovore, kao npr.: od kada Italijani konzumiraju pastu, kako su znali odgonetnuti koje su gljive otrovne, odakle zastupljenost riže u italijanskoj kuhinji i mnoga, mnoga druga. Zanimljivo je pratiti Leonardov genij kroz ishranu. Budi mnogo pitanja, ali i dočarava njegov svakodnevni život.
Recepti koja ova knjiga nudi su samo šlag na tortu.
Čista desetka i za autorov multiperspektivni pristup.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and informative

[Deanna]

Interesting to read alongside my reading for my Aruvedic Medicine study group. The Renaissance cook kept the "humors" in mind (which stem from Aruvedic...), although not too accurately.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting reading. Doubt I'll try making any of the Renaissance-inspired recipes though.

[Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

wonderful book ! I learnt a lot about Italian cuisine from it. I'm impressed by Da Vinci's talent, and his genius on every aspects of life. I wrote his memo for health for my folks. :)