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Americans Discovered Tomato Sauce on Pizza, Claim Food Historians
**Americans** not **Italians**, according to a book by a pair of food experts, is responsible for the tomato sauce that adorns pizzas. Alberto Grandi and Daniele Soffiati, authors of La Cucina Italiana Non Esiste – Italian Cuisine Does Not Exist, revealed that Italians only discovered tomato sauce in large quantities upon emigrating to the United States in the 19th century. The book challenges common perceptions about the origins of Italian cuisine. Read more
Quick Facts
- Americans, not Italians, introduced tomato sauce on pizzas in the 19th century
- Tomatoes and tomato sauce originated in the New World
- Italian cuisine was influenced by the abundance of tomato sauce in America
In the book, Grandi and Soffiati argue that tomatoes and tomato sauce originated in the New World, and it was the Americans who embraced it first. The authors claim that the abundance of tomato sauce was seized on by Italian immigrants in the US, leading to the widespread popularity of pizza in America.
Furthermore, the authors challenge the mythology surrounding Italy’s culinary traditions. They assert that Italy was impoverished during the 19th century, and it was only through emigration to countries like the US that Italians were able to afford a better diet and discover tomato sauce. The book also claims that authentic Italian cuisine does not exist as it is intended by the gastro-nationalists, and it is a way for Italians to affirm their identity in a rapidly changing world of globalization and immigration.
Lastly, the conservative coalition in Italy, led by prime minister Giorgia Meloni, has embraced the rhetoric of preserving Italy’s extraordinary food heritage in response to the threats posed by global changes, such as laboratory-grown meat and food products made from insects like crickets.