The captivating island of Sicily has been influenced by a variety of cultures dating back to antiquity—each adding its own complex flavor to what is now-renowned gastronomy. Many foreign ingredients have entered Italy via the island and, over the centuries, they have become so absorbed into local culinary tradition that it is difficult to imagine them existing elsewhere. The focus of the lecture will be on Sicily’s unique culinary traditions and on those vegetables which hold in the Sicilian kitchen a position of importance second only to pasta.
Pietro Frassica, Professor of Italian at Princeton University and Associate Chair, has done principal work in the Renaissance, the Eighteenth Century, contemporary literature (Marinetti, Vittorini, Sciascia, Morante, Primo Levi) and theater (Pirandello). In recent years, he has extended the field of cultural studies to literary texts concerned with gastronomy. He is the author of more than one hundred published articles and numerous books. He is fellow of “Accademia Ambrosiana”. For his lifetime’s work in promoting the Italian culture, Professor Frassica was awarded the title of “Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is an annual event primed to celebrate Italy’s incredibly varied regional cuisine and food traditions with a wide array of events promoting culinary culture and flavours to millions of consumers worldwide. The third edition will celebrate Mediterranean cuisine, with a specific focus on the cultural aspects linked to food and wine.
Free admission, booking recommended.
Reservation no longer available