As usual, so interesting! Culinary curiosity: if I have to point out a Bolognese spice, this one will be nutmeg. In fact, this spice is present in many typical dishes such as traditional meat stock, tortellini filling, ricotta tortelloni filling, béchamel sauce, and many more.
Oh yes! I’ve come across this in a bunch of Italian recipes - especially ones that are centuries old. I believe this use of nutmeg is reflective of Italy’s position as an end point of the spice trade from Asia. Cities like Venice and Naples were where many spices from the east first arrived in Europe, and thus have been used in Italian cuisine for a very long time!
True! In ancient times, Bologna was as navigable as Venice. You could travel by ship from Bologna to Venice, and Bologna had a port until the 1930s, unbelievable but true. This means that in Bolognese cuisine, we find spices and seafood recipes. xo, Monica
As usual, so interesting! Culinary curiosity: if I have to point out a Bolognese spice, this one will be nutmeg. In fact, this spice is present in many typical dishes such as traditional meat stock, tortellini filling, ricotta tortelloni filling, béchamel sauce, and many more.
Oh yes! I’ve come across this in a bunch of Italian recipes - especially ones that are centuries old. I believe this use of nutmeg is reflective of Italy’s position as an end point of the spice trade from Asia. Cities like Venice and Naples were where many spices from the east first arrived in Europe, and thus have been used in Italian cuisine for a very long time!
True! In ancient times, Bologna was as navigable as Venice. You could travel by ship from Bologna to Venice, and Bologna had a port until the 1930s, unbelievable but true. This means that in Bolognese cuisine, we find spices and seafood recipes. xo, Monica
So interesting—thank you!