Serendipity: A History of Accidental Culinary Discoveries

by Oscar Farinetti, Barbara McGilvray (Translator)

Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti reveals the accidental, serendipitous discoveries that gave birth to some of the world’s most well-known gastronomic delights. Did you know that your morning coffee could be thanks to a herd of energetic goats? Or that a forgotten ingredient is behind the invention of the beloved brownie? Who got the fright of their life discovering corn could pop? And which popular soft drink first started out as a medicinal syrup? In Serendipity , Oscar Farinetti, founder of the high-end global food chain Eataly, shares fifty remarkable stories of how some of the greatest successes and examples of excellence in the food world came about by chance, from the invention of foods such as tarte tatin to the sandwich, as well as products like Nutella and corn flakes, plus some of the world’s best wines, Gorgonzola cheese, balsamic vinegar, French fries, rum, and even the ice-cream cone. As Farinetti dives deep into these extraordinary histories, insightful and entertaining interviews with leading artisan food producers, chefs, inventors, and CEOs around the world provide additional color and rare context. The result is a remarkable read that explores humankind’s never-ending quest to discover something new and reminds us that our mistakes, our flaws, and our failures can often be the most necessary ingredient in finding success.  

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, History, Ebooks, Cookbooks, Culinary, Italian Literature

304 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2022

About the author

Natale Farinetti, conosciuto come Oscar , è un imprenditore e dirigente d'azienda italiano, figlio del partigiano, imprenditore e politico Paolo Farinetti, fondatore della catena Eataly ed ex proprietario della catena di grande distribuzione UniEuro, uno dei fondatori del noto supermercato Lidl.

Reviews

[Maira Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and learned a lot about Italian dishes and their place in history. I recommend this book to anyone traveling to Italy or anyone curious about food!

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a long reading hiatus, I'm back in action! And this was a lovely, lighthearted way to get myself back in the swing of things. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my Aunt Laura, and it's a testament to how well she knows me! I have a deep appreciation for anything food-related, especially Italian food, and this was such a fun celebration of accidental culinary discoveries.

This is a great book to pick up + put down throughout the tiny pockets of your day— the stories are bite-sized (pun intended) and enjoyable. Some of my favorite "discoveries" included Nutella and cornflakes! Each story is a much-needed reminder that many of the best things in life are accidental, and our mistakes often lead to unexpected success. What an enjoyable read! Thank you, Aunt Laura <3

[Emili Giancarli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letto sotto covid per alleggerire la situazione tragica di quei giorni. Da' interessanti spunti sull'origine di vari alimenti

[daniele benetton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delle 50 storie un paio di interessanti, il resto un libro un po' "marchetta" per Eat Italy e un po' di amici.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

At best it’s mediocre and it’s never at it’s best. Pass on this meh read

[Tony Zale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Serendipity catalogs an expansive set of foods created or popularized through historical accidents. Cakes, cutlets, and corn are overcooked, then altered into a new, palatable dish. Grapes are left on the vine to freeze or develop fungal growths, and the resulting wine provides new and exciting flavors. Oscar Farinetti, author and founder of Eataly, quickly runs through 50 examples like these, spending just a few pages on each. The style is overly conversational, reading like a direct transcript of an off-the-cuff conversation between himself and a topic expert. In some cases, he barely describes the foodstuff, leaving the reader at arm’s length from sharing his fascination and enjoyment. Many chapters have a fun point of trivia or two, like Napoleon’s role in the popularization of balsamic vinegar, or Italian becoming the language of coffee due to Venice’s role in its initial European imports. Worse is the sometimes banal commentary: “People like gorgonzola because if it's well made it's really very good”. The brief time spent on each chapter means that topics barely get a surface level skim. My personal preference would tilt the balance towards more time spent on fewer topics, and I thought specifically about my enjoyment of a similar read that took that approach: “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” by Tom Standage.

The closing chapter extends the examination of serendipity to the universe, noting that all of cosmic history and the evolution of life on earth is built on one serendipitous event after another. I suppose this is the author’s attempt to reinforce the idea that food is both a critical aspect and mirror of life itself, but it feels out of place and forced.

This book is a very easy read, and anyone interested in food will get something out of it. However, I found it to be inconsistent and ultimately not very satisfying. I could imagine the content working better on TV, with fantastic visuals of food and their place of origin, or perhaps as the foundation of a chef-led tasting experience. In written form, the content could be further thinned to serve as display placards on the shelves of Eataly.

[Alessia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il libro di per sé é molto carino, super interessante, ma non mi ha presa al 100%. Escludendo qualche uscita un po' infelice dell'autore, ho avuto l'impressione che molte delle "invenzioni per caso" fossero state inserite un po' casualmente, forse con l'obiettivo di parlare di prodotti particolari che si collegano a Slow Food. In molti casi la serendipity c'è ed é interessanti, in molti altri questo riferimento é molto più forzato. Detto ciò, il libro é comunque bello ele curiosità contenute al suo interno sono tante e affascinanti

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re at all interested in this book, I suggest trying the audiobook version. It’s incredibly conversational and fun, and kept me entertained and learning for a whole day while doing housework. I think that may be the difference between some of the high and low reviews here. While not a foodie, I am a fan of micro-histories and odd happenings so this was right up my alley. Reminded me of drunk history with the same level of passionate storytelling from notable names but without the level of intoxication. Take a chance on this fun read.

[Davide Battilori · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'errore è generativo, in cucina come nella vita.
Molte delle eccellenze culinarie, e non solo, sono nate per caso o per errore.
Serve però prontezza e curiosità per riconoscere che non tutto il male viene per nuocere, una parte viene per cuocere...

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I didn’t like this book, the translation annoyed me. However when I started reading stories on an ad-hoc basis, I really enjoyed it…

I do not think I will read them all, but it’s a book I can pick up again.

[Nigel Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciate the intention of the book and it has a really nice message about embracing serendipity. However, I found it hard to read i’m some areas as I’m not as familiar with Italian cuisine. Maybe I’ll find more value if I visit Italy and try these dishes!

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I really wanted to like Serendipity: A History of Accidental Culinary Discoveries more than I did.

This concept is very interesting, but the delivery ended up being a somewhat off-putting and boring read (listen).

Mi dispiace, Oscar!

[Peter J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm addicted to serendipity, contrary to many others, I like Oscar Farinetti's drive for innovation. I may review my rating as I have only just started.

[Kanako Okiron · Rating 4 out of 5]

If they can do it, why can’t I?

[ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

would have been a four star rating if it weren’t for the weird proselytizing against young people at the end.

[Cole Lorimer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love books on the history of food. This proved to be a series of incredibly short tales of some foods. Not bad, but very disappointing.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Overall I really liked this book, but I have two complaints: there were too many chapters about wine/beer/alcohol when I think more space could have been dedicated to varied foods and the last chapter dragged on and had little to do with food.
I loved the translation though because I could hear the Italian still.
A fun read that I would like to go back to (but skipping around to the chapters that interest me the most).

[Niamh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It might be a weird comparison, but if you loved the vibe of Stanley Tucci's CNN series 'Searching for Italy', you're probably going to like this book.

Being very Italy-centric (it's translated from Italian) 'Serendipity' dedicates chapter upon chapter to food and drink that were created by serendipity, or in layman's terms, a happy accident. Whether it's chocolate ganache (created because cream was accidentally poured into chocolate) or Worcestershire sauce (abandoned for months then rediscovered by two chemists), each item has been carefully researched and is intertwined with interviews and stories from chefs, sommeliers, waiters, food historians and business owners.

I enjoyed this book largely for all of the crazy stories - you're going to be well-armed with facts at your next pub quiz, let me tell you that. The format gets a bit repetitive after a while, but the charm of the author's writing will keep you engaged.

[Doug Lewars · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Possible Spoilers ***

If you're a foodie, I think you'll likely rate this one five stars. Since I'm not a foodie, I found it a trifle boring in places but some bits were interesting. The 'serendipity' part is a little thin. If the author had focused exclusively on that, the book would only have been about one tenth its size. Quite a few recipes are included. Again, if you're a foodie and like cooking, they'll be worthwhile; otherwise, you can just skip over them and keep going. I recommend skipping the last couple of chapters altogether because the author uses them to editorialize and unless you enjoy someone pontificating from a soapbox on nothing related to either food or serendipity you can skip them without losing a thing.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea for the book is laudable, and the list of foods is intriguing, but the writing is difficult to follow. Farinetti drops a lot of random names with no context and writes as if he were talking with chefs or others in the food industry. It was difficult for some of the foods described to see how its discovery was serendipitous. Moreover, I get that you're Italian and the founder of an international chain of Italian market/food hall/dining experience, but I find it hard to believe that so many foods have origins and/or connections to Italy, and specifically the Piedmont region. Can't Guinness remain uniquely Irish and Coca-Cola a U.S. idea?

[David Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, thi was hit or miss as some of the stories were fascinating, while others didn't interest me at all. At times it felt like the author was playing a bit fast and loose with the meaning of serendipity in general. My biggest complaint was that there wasn't enough detail provided for most of the stories. At least those that interested me could have gone n a bit further to more fully examine the situation. Some chapters ended with directions about how to make or use the subject of the chapter, which just felt like fluff to make the book longer.

[Tom Zalatnai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to love this book, having picked it up at Eataly on my last trip to New York, but it just misses the mark. As a book about the history of food, it fails to go deeper than a Buzzfeed article. As a collection of interviews and stories, the chapters, while quick to read and easy to digest, only scratch the surface of the subject matter. And the ending? Two extremely convoluted chapters about humanity and GMOs.

If you’re looking for dinner party trivia, this could be a good read. But if you’re looking for something more satisfying, stick to Eataly’s focaccia and pasta dishes.

[Theresa Jehlik · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Italian-centric approach to food origins relies heavily on interviews with chefs, inventors, and food producers. The author takes an artisanal approach to quality food which relies on an area's terroir, growing methods, and harvest approaches. Originally published in Italian, Farinetti explores how a food that originated elsewhere (Turkey, United States, Ireland, etc.) has been imported and often adapted to suit the Italian palate. Written in 48 short chapters, this is a book you can read before bed without losing sight of the plot.

[BookLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard of this book through the New York Times and was eager to get it as I'm obsessed with Eataly and it truly delivered. I loved the fascinating culinary backstories. So interesting to learn about champagne's origin, and so much more. The illustrations were fun throughout and I adored the Eataly chef's top recipes too. I think this book will be my go-to gift.

[Adam O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

With every chapter I was fascinated by the bizarre ways we've come to have so many common dishes, but more important than that, the illustrative writing about methods and flavors made me crave just about every one.

The book may have originally been written in Italian, but Barbara McGilvray's translation also reads as incredibly smooth and pleasurable.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book filled with culinary stories, some of which have legitimate serendipity, and others that come close but aren’t quite stories of chance encounters. I wanted to enjoy this book, but honestly I found it kind of boring. It was written in Italian, I wonder if some of the magic was lost in translation.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good enough to eat, and paljon fun, too!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and fascinating.

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful vignettes about Italian food. Very chill and enjoyable if you like imagining food and the Italian countryside.

[Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short essays on the possible origins of various foods.