Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments 1. "Strange and Horrible Things" 2. Death by Vegetables 3. "They Are to Be Enjoyed" 4. Pasta al Pomodoro 5. "Authentic Italian Gravy" 6. The Autarchical Tomato 7. The Tomato Conquest Epilogue Bibliography Index

Promotional Information

Tomatoes arrived in Italy in the mid-sixteenth century, but three centuries lapsed before they were commonly consumed in southern Italy. Why did it take so long? David Gentilcore's well-researched and well-written Pomodoro! offers delicious insights into how and why the lowly tomato became Italy's favorite "vegetable fruit." A great story and a great read! -- Andrew F. Smith, author of Eating History: Thirty Turning Points in the Making of American Cuisine Frankly, I am amazed that no one had already written this book. It is a fascinating topic, and David Gentilcore does it justice, covering five hundred years in scrutinizing detail. There is probably no food so readily associated with Italy than the tomato, and yet its origin is in the Americas. -- Ken Albala, University of the Pacific, author of Beans: A History

About the Author

David Gentilcore is professor of early modern history at the University of Leicester. He has written widely on the social and cultural history of Italy, from popular religion to the practices of medicine and healing. He is the author of Medical Charlatanism in Early Modern Italy, which was awarded the Jason A. Hannah Medal by the Royal Society of Canada.

Reviews

Food historians and readers interested in Italian cooking will enjoy this rich history of the tomato from its beginning in the New World to its rise to fame in the Old World. Library Journal [An] enthusiastic and informative look at the red fruit. -- Billy Heller New York Post Bright and sunny as summer day, this chatty, informative miscellany harvests all that is of interest in the world of Italian tomatoes. Choice Those with an interest in tomatoes, Italian life, or just cultural history in general may find this both enlightening and entertaining. -- Diane Leach PopMatters Gentilcore rightly highlights the unexpected, the surprising, and the obscure. The author is good at describing how the tomato became so popular... compelling anecdotes, based on original research and already published sources, engage the reader and carefully map the ways in which tomato consumption increased over the centuries. Gastronomica