Chewing the Fat: An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita

by Karima Moyer-Nocchi

Italy is experiencing a surge of gastronomic nostalgia, a yearning to recreate and relive the delectable rustic meals of yesteryear, of brimming chalices of wine and sauce-laden pasta. A return to the simple abundance of Italy’s past!

Ah, if only it were true. If there was a glorious yesteryear of Italian feasting, it was enjoyed only by society’s elite. As for standard, rustic fare, such meals bore little resemblance to what is now considered—even in Italy—traditional Italian food.

Determined to uncover the true roots of Italian cuisine and reveal its intriguing yet uncelebrated past, food historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi interviewed Italian "ninetysomething" women from various walks of life, from charcoal-makers to countesses. Her travels spanned from the far north to the deep south, as well as Italy's former landholdings. All of the interviewees had lived through the harrowing years called the Ventennio fascista, the twenty-year reign of fascism in Italy, and were eager to have their final say.

What follows are eighteen remarkable oral narratives, each building upon the last to create a mosaic of Italian foodways, from the fascist era through to the post World War II boom, the “Dolce Vita.” Each woman contributes a recipe chosen specifically to reflect what food was like when she was growing up under Mussolini. The narratives are separated by astringent, yet entertaining essay briefs, illuminating various aspects of gastronomic history and daily life in fascist Italy.

Engrossingly entertaining, Chewing the Fat gently debunks the myths of Italy’s gastronomic nostalgia industry, revealing a culture of food that is surprisingly different from the image most people have of Italian cuisine.

"A remarkable insight into the realities of Italian food. This book lays bare the multiple dimensions of Italian geography, politics, social background, education and economics. It is an eloquent dissection of the nuances of the world’s favorite cooking as well as a magical exercise in memory. A brilliant reconstruction of the kitchens and cookery (and much else besides) of a previous generation."

-Tom Jaine, Food writer, publisher, critic, and restaurateur

Genres: History, Food, Nonfiction, Italy, Food History

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2015

Reviews

[Andrew McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great and a surprising read - food, women's history, and fascism all in one. Moyer has undertaken a set of interesting and poignant interviews with women who grew up, and cooked, in the fascist era in Italy. In the process she subjects various myths about Italy and its food to the harsh light of real memory. There is a lot to learn here, and it's an engaging and affecting experience to accompany the author in real lives.

[Dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

As interested as I was in this book I could only get 1/3 of the way through. I though the author put too much of an American slant to the translation of the stories. All I could picture was someone in a cowboy hat and boots. It was so distracting and so very disappointing. Italians don’t speak like that even country people . The author should have just translated without trying too hard to put their spin on it. Spoilt the book so much I gave up.

[Julia Valencia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot of modern Italian history and loved how each chapter is a firsthand account of a woman’s life in Italy during Mussolini’s reign. If you’re interested in modern European history (I.e., events leading up to WWII, WWII, and decade after) or in Italy in general, take a look at this book. Very interesting read.

[Aaliyah Guzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

good I loved the narratives but she doesn’t know a whole lot about fascism … and I think transcribing the womens speech patterns to that of like an old American southern women is really weird, but that’s just me

[Adina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tone for the essays in this book is a bit heavy-handed but the content is interesting and informative.

[Peter J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by my wife Lucia, chef italiano!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book, based on a series of interviews with Italian women over the age of 85, that looks at the myth of Italian culinary traditions and the hunger that the majority of the populace dealt with up until at least the late 1950's.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in food history.