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A review by kairosdreaming
A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce by Massimo Montanari
4.0
*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.
So this really was a short history of spaghetti and tomato sauce, and some various things that go along with such a dish. I wouldn't call this "light" reading, despite being short though. In fact, I'd say this was written more to an academic standard (which makes sense, the author is a professor), than for a casual reader.
With that tone in mind, the book delves into various parts and histories of the makeup of a plate of spaghetti and tomato sauce. The shaping of the ingredients; ancient noodle making, cooking methods for those noodles, the advent of dropping it into salted water. It touches on the utensils used to eat the dish (very brief telling of the origin of the fork). And of course the evolution from what used to be put on noodles, to how tomatoes became the ingredient of choice.
It was interesting, albeit brief, and that academic spin did make it a bit more intense to read than some of the other food histories I've read out there. But because of that briefness it was approachable from that regard. Care was given to the histories and the ingredients and my favorite part was learning about lasagna and some of the origins that overlapped there.
If you're deep into the studies of food history, this is one you're not going to want to miss!
Review by M. Reynard 2021
So this really was a short history of spaghetti and tomato sauce, and some various things that go along with such a dish. I wouldn't call this "light" reading, despite being short though. In fact, I'd say this was written more to an academic standard (which makes sense, the author is a professor), than for a casual reader.
With that tone in mind, the book delves into various parts and histories of the makeup of a plate of spaghetti and tomato sauce. The shaping of the ingredients; ancient noodle making, cooking methods for those noodles, the advent of dropping it into salted water. It touches on the utensils used to eat the dish (very brief telling of the origin of the fork). And of course the evolution from what used to be put on noodles, to how tomatoes became the ingredient of choice.
It was interesting, albeit brief, and that academic spin did make it a bit more intense to read than some of the other food histories I've read out there. But because of that briefness it was approachable from that regard. Care was given to the histories and the ingredients and my favorite part was learning about lasagna and some of the origins that overlapped there.
If you're deep into the studies of food history, this is one you're not going to want to miss!
Review by M. Reynard 2021