For many chefs and gourmet cooks, Apicius is the source from which all Roman recipes began. Estimated to have been written in either the very late fourth or early fifth century A.D., it’s a chronicle of recipes that includes instructions on curing meat, making wine and a host of other interesting facts. The ancestry of many of today’s popular dishes by the best Italian Orlando restaurant trace back to this gastronomic compilation.
The Etruscan diet was hugely comprised of a farro porridge or gruel called puls. While farro is a nut-flavored grain in the wheat family, puls was made from mashed grains such as millet or sorghum or chickpeas boiled in water. History indicates that it was sometimes augmented with herbs or other dressings when available. The grains kept well and were very portable. The Romans evolved the name into pulmentum and it was a staple in the diet of the Roman legions as they set out upon their conquests. It’s believed that the word polenta is a derivative of pulmentum.
Corn was introduced into the Italian diet after the return of Christopher Columbus from the Americas and its presence in Italy is credited to a Venetian diplomat who planted seeds he received as a gift. The corn grew fast and in large quantities making it very affordable to farm. Its popularity spread throughout the country and especially into the mountain regions where the population was often struggling. It was here that corn replaced all other grains in the making of polenta.
Polenta was the mainstay of many impoverished Italian families from its introduction into Italian society until the early to mid-1900s. Meat and poultry were valuable for farmers to put on their own tables and polenta was economical and sustained them. The original dish was relatively bland but satiating, and it was a popular way for landowners to keep their workers satisfied. Eventually, polenta was flavored with a bit of fresh herbs and small bits of vegetables or meat or poultry.
As regional cuisines continued to evolve, dairy products were added into the preparation of polenta making it creamier and more nutritious. Polenta is versatile in preparation. In Northern Italy, it’s made into a more solid food, then sliced and used in place of bread or baked or fried. In Central Italy, polenta is most likely to be served smooth and creamy (similar to porridge or American grits) and paired with other foods or sauces.
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find polenta on the Italian restaurant in Orlando’s menu and anywhere else in the world, having been re-invented and enhanced with cheeses, herbs, spices, wine and pretty much anything you can think of. No matter how you slice it or stir it, polenta is a food rich in history and flavor. Enjoy!
