Comments on: Bread, Part 2, Italian Bread – A Broad Overview

By: J @ JFN

J @ JFN — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:43:02 +0000

“…. by the time the Greeks and the Romans took over ….” – in Tuscany, where the Etruscans lived. It is common cause that the first grains (emmer or as you Greeks call it, zeiai or olyra) and the famous einkort (tiphe) were actually developed into the wheat we know today in Thrace, which forms part of Greece, methinks.

By: Sam Sotiropoulos

Sam Sotiropoulos — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:02:16 +0000

Jacoba, Apicius and Pliny were Romans without a doubt, but “artolaganus” (cake- bread), and “speusticus” (in a hurry bread) belie their roots simply by their names which are both of Greek origin. Indeed, to this day, on “Clean Monday” or “Ash Monday, the Monday of Lent” the traditional bread (artos in Greek) that is served throughout Greece -and wherever there are Greeks- is called “lagana” and it is similar to what the Italians refer to as foccacia. As for the milling of grains, I have a different take on its introduction and was simply wondering what your source for Roman primacy was… So, no, not always the Greeks, but it is always good to verify such statements against the available sources.

By: J @ JFN

J @ JFN — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:49:44 +0000

Heheh – always the Greeks, is it Sam?

I use Apicius and Pliny since they were the most vocal about food of the day and they were, without doubt, Roman!

By: Sam Sotiropoulos

Sam Sotiropoulos — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:37:20 +0000

A nice introduction, though there are a couple historical innacuracies. The breads artolaganus‘ (cake- bread), speusticus (in a hurry bread) you mention are both of Greek origin, not Roman. Also, I am wondering what your source is for the claim that the Romans taught us to grind millet/wheat. For, as far as I have been able to research the matter, it was more likely the Greeks (specifically the Greeks of Sicily) who introduced the mill to the Romans, though I would be interested in any differing account. As always, I enjoy your posts and the opportunity to compare notes on gastronomica.

By: justfoodnow

justfoodnow — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:39:27 +0000

Con piacere!

Confido di incontrarLa presto when I go back again.

I left a piece of my heart behind when I said goodbye to my friends, Alessandra and Franco once again in January this year. They live in Sabaudia by the lake, so do look them up!

Thanks so much.

By: albatro

albatro — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:08:58 +0000

Favoloso questo ‘inno al pane (italiano)’…!
E molto istruttivo.
Bravissimo/a.
(This ‘hymn to (Italian) bread’ and to central Italy is fabulous…!
And teaches a lot.
Very well done.)

By: Caroline

Caroline — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:07:01 +0000

I love the educational aspect of your posts. So refreshing and different!
Thanks

By: Jacoba

Jacoba — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:26:50 +0000

Thanks guys! As you can see I’m pretty new at blogging and terribly humbled by your stunning sites. I’ll be off for 2 weeks in hospital, but see you soon after that.

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:34:38 +0000

Jacoba, this is so interesting. Thank you for leaving a comment on Vanielje Kitchen. I would not have found you otherwise. I am just going to reread your article on salt. The red Hawaiian salt looks amazing

By: Rosemary

Rosemary — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:58:12 +0000

What would we do with out the Italians? They have brought us so many of the foods we could never live without. Thank you for this amazingly interesting post.
Thanks for the visit. I’ve linked you to my site too.