To view other Savoring Italy programs, click here.

Americans know and love Italian food, but few of us understand the nuances of history and culture that the ingredients represent. In this all-day seminar, we focus on signature staples of Italian cuisine: wheat products, cheese, olive oil, and cured meats. Each Italian region’s foods reflect distinct geography, cultural influences, and traditions. Using historical examples, food historians reveal the connection of farming practices and cooking traditions to Italian regional identity and cultural history.

Participants enjoy a seasonal, Italian-inspired luncheon with wine, prepared by Chef Alex Bollinger of Urbana Restaurant.

Ken Albala is a professor of history at University of the Pacific and has written several books about food. Nancy Harmon Jenkins writes books about Mediterranean cultures and cuisines, the latest of which is The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook (Bantam).

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wheat

What kind of wheat, pasta, or bread? It all depends on where you are in Italy. Jenkins takes a look at the traditions that make the difference and determine the quality of these basic foods.

10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Cheese

Albala offers a historical overview of the magical transformation of milk into cheese from its discovery to the present, the importance of cheese in Italian cuisine, and details about cheese making.

12 noon to 12:45 p.m. Tastings

12:45 to 1:45 p.m. Luncheon

1:45 to 2:45 p.m. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Jenkins explains what extra-virgin olive oil is and why there’s no such thing as a first cold pressing.

2:45 to 3:15 p.m. Dessert

3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Cured Meats

Curing meat dates back to ancient times. Albala discusses production methods and explains why traditional methods are rapidly disappearing.

Reservations required; no tickets sold at the door.

Products for the tasting and luncheon have been donated by Manicaretti Italian Food Imports, The Rogers Collection, Chef Paul Bertolli of Fra’ Mani Handcrafted Salumi, and Zingerman’s Community of Businesses.

Connect with the Authors is a continuously updated listing of past, present, and future author visits. Through this site, each publication can be purchased in advance of, or following, the program.