Читать книгу Italian Recipes For Dummies - Amy Riolo - Страница 18

Some cooking trends that are perfectly in line with our modern, fast-paced, even urban lifestyles, believe it or not, began in antiquity! Ancient ways of adding flavor to foods, the notion of culinary medicine, building on base recipes, making smart use of leftovers, and using seasonal produce are a few of my favorites. Thousands of years ago, aromatics such as garlic, onions, and leeks along with fresh herbs and spices were the “go to” flavor enhancers for recipes. Since these ingredients were available, they were combined in ingenious ways to not only make food taste better, but also provide relief and protection from illnesses and disease. Long before “culinary medicine” was a recognized term, food was used to heal the body and keep illness at bay. This concept fits perfectly with modern trends and provides easy and inexpensive ways to flavor our recipes without excess calories or fat.

For centuries, good Italian cooks relied on base recipes. Many of these, such as stock and bread crumbs, were created by using kitchen leftovers efficiently. You can use these same methods to cut down on your carbon footprint while saving money and eating more wholesome foods. Up until very recently, Italian cooks did not have the “luxury” of using out-of-season produce. Forced to use what was local and seasonal, their diet was based upon the nutrients that their bodies craved the most during each season. Even though modern supermarkets provide just about any food any time of year, health experts agree that local and seasonal ingredients do our bodies the most good. The more that we can incorporate these types of “ancient” practices in our modern lives, the better off our wallets, waistlines, and environments will be for it.