Garlic and Oil

Italian food is prominent in Western kitchens, cafes, and restaurants. So what is the real history of Italian cuisine? And where do we get our notions about Italian food? Contrary to popular belief, the Italian diet was inadequate and unchanging for many decades. Successive regimes, liberal, fascist, and democratic alike, struggled to improve eating habits, shaping not only Italian cuisine but Italian identity. This book reveals the harsh reality behind the myths surrounding this highly-romanticized cuisine.