SKU: 20886551387

The Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food

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Description

The Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their FoodBuon appetito Everyone loves Italian food. But how did the Italians come to eat so well? The answer lies amid the vibrant beauty of Italy's historic cities. For a thousand years, they have been magnets for everything that makes for great eating: ingredients, talent, money, and power. Italian food is "city" food. From the bustle of medieval Milan's marketplace to the banqueting halls of Renaissance Ferrara; from street stalls in the putrid alleyways of

Buon appetito Everyone loves Italian food. But how did the Italians come to eat so well?

The answer lies amid the vibrant beauty of Italy's historic cities. For a thousand years, they have been magnets for everything that makes for great eating: ingredients, talent, money, and power. Italian food is "city" food.

From the bustle of medieval Milan's marketplace to the banqueting halls of Renaissance Ferrara; from street stalls in the putrid alleyways of nineteenth-century Naples to the noisy trattorie of postwar Rome: in rich slices of urban life, historian and master storyteller John Dickie shows how taste, creativity, and civic pride blended with princely arrogance, political violence, and dark intrigue to create the world's favorite cuisine. "Delizia " is much more than a history of Italian food. It is a history of Italy told through the flavors and character of its cities.

A dynamic chronicle that is full of surprises, "Delizia " draws back the curtain on much that was unknown about Italian food and exposes the long-held canards. It interprets the ancient Arabic map that tells of pasta's true origins, and shows that Marco Polo did not introduce spaghetti to the Italians, as is often thought, but did have a big influence on making pasta a part of the American diet. It seeks out the medieval recipes that reveal Italy's long love affair with exotic spices, and introduces the great Renaissance cookery writer who plotted to murder the Pope even as he detailed the aphrodisiac qualities of his ingredients. It moves from the opulent theater of a Renaissance wedding banquet, with its gargantuan ten-course menu comprising hundreds of separate dishes, to the thin soups and bland polentas that would eventually force millions to emigrate to the New World. It shows how early pizzas were disgusting and why Mussolini championed risotto. Most important, it explains the origins and growth of the world's greatest urban food culture.

With its delectable mix of vivid storytelling, groundbreaking research, and shrewd analysis, "Delizia " is as appetizing as the dishes it describes. This passionate account of Italy's civilization of the table will satisfy foodies, history buffs, Italophiles, travelers, students -- and anyone who loves a well-told tale.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 10/01/2010
ISBN: 9780743278072
Pages: 384
Weight: 1.24lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.85d

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SKU: 20886551387

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4.8 ★★★★★
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Lauren
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
just get it and stop second guessing
Color: White, Color: White
I reallllly love this chair. I almost talked myself out of it because of some of the bad reviews here and there but i’m glad i listened to a majority of the good reviews, because this chair is perfect. shipping: it was super fast. it came 5 days earlier than expected. I got it on a Monday when it said it’d be here on Friday packaging: double boxed and bubble wrapped. Didn’t find any dings or scratches on anything. all parts were there including instructions assembly: my boyfriend put it together in 40 minutes. We didn’t have any issues zipping up the back cover like other reviews said and he said it was easy instructions to follow, and easy to put together. size and comfort: it’s bigger than the pictures let on! I’m 5’3 135lbs and feel like I’m sitting on a giant cloud. The comfort is 10/10. I just had a chair with basicslly zero butt cushion which i cannot have while working from home 8+ hrs a day in a chair. Comfort was the most important for me and I finally can’t feel the flat seat under me. I can’t express how comfy it is. Functions: can move the arm rests up and down. adjust the back to tilt all the way back to a sleeping position or fully upright which i didn’t even realize was a function! The only thing with the armrests; if you’re wanting your pet on it (like advertised) when the arm rests is put down there is a big gap that isn’t comfortable for animals (as pictured) so I have to put a blanket or pillow there for my small dog to lay comfortably. I’m obsessed with the fact I can sit cross legged, normally, laying down, sprawled up, or legs up. I have room to sit however I want, and the foot rests helps a ton with feeling even more comfortable. Overall, I’d get this chair 10x over. Not only do I work from home and spend hours in a chair, but I spend additional time playing video games so a good quality chair is very important to me. This has began to help fix my posture and back and neck issues. Get it!!!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Jessica
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
If You Sit Weird Like Me… Just Buy This Chair
Color: Galaxy Black
I work from home and spend a lot of time sitting for hobbies like Legos, PC games, and crafts—so a comfortable chair is a must. I LOVE this chair so far. I’ve always struggled to get comfortable in traditional office chairs, and the ability to move around is really important to me. With this one, I can easily cross my legs, use the footrest to stretch out with my knees bent, or just sit normally. I’m 5’4”, so my feet don’t quite touch the ground, but that doesn’t bother me since I’m constantly switching positions anyway. I’ll probably add a small pillow for extra back support and maybe fold a blanket for a bit more seat cushioning. It’s comfortable overall, but after long periods of sitting, you might start to feel it. The black sparkle version is MUCH cuter in person, and I’m so glad I went with it. A lot of reviews say, “don’t think about it, just get it”—and honestly, they’re right. I debated for a couple weeks before buying, and I have zero regrets. Assembly was easier than I expected. I tend to get frustrated putting things together, but this was pretty painless. One tip: check inside the cushioned back piece for the extra headrest part—you’ll need it to attach to the hard back before inserting it into the cushion. Once I figured that out, the rest was simple. The chair is a bit larger than a standard office chair and can feel a little bulky depending on your desk setup, but I actually like the extra space since I move around a lot while sitting. It feels sturdy and well-made. It’s also slightly warmer than a mesh chair, which I personally love because I’m always cold. I am just happy to find a chair that feels comfortable like a recliner and movable like an office chair.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2026
S
Verified Purchase
Space Coven
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Great chair
Color: Pink
I love this chair! I use it for streaming and working on making jewelry! It’s very comfortable and I love that I can sit different ways in it! I can stream longer than I could in other computer chairs I’ve had! I definitely recommend this if you have to sit for a long time but like to sit in different positions! The instructions were a bit confusing but I did figure it out! I have had to spot clean it a few times because of kids and pets but the material has held up! The back is very comfortable and supportive! I like that I can adjust it! Great chair for the price! It’s held up well and I like that you can adjust the back!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Allen
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 4
Good office chair for the money
Color: White
It is a good quality chair that is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. The arms aren't necessarily big enough to hold our cat - but that's because he's fairly large by cat standards. The arm rests moving is definitely nice and provides lots of opportunities to 'setup the chair' in a way that works best for you. The instructions were relatively easy to follow (take your time and think it through to make sure you have everything 'aligned right' at first) and the chair is sturdy and holding up well.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Dre
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Comfortable. Great Value for money. Easy to assemble. Great customer service.
Color: Black, Size: Pack of 1, Color: Black, Size: Pack of 1
I've been looking for a new chair to replace a cheap $30 chair i bought off of Amazon last year that had been killing my back and shoulders. I wanted something in the $150-$200 range and settled on the M18. Shipping was a fast 3 days with Prime and the box arrived in great condition. All parts were separately wrapped or in their own boxes. Came with all hardware and nothing was missing. Assembly took me a little longer then normal because i have rotator cuff injury in my left shoulder so that arm is mostly useless. The most difficult part for me was attaching the wheels to the base. Other then that it was simple. Once the chair was assembled i sat in it for the first time and started making my adjustments with the recline feature, armrest level along with the headrest. Next i reached around for the lumbar support knob and tried to adjust it but with my bad shoulder i decided to just get out of the seat and turn it around and adjust it with both hands. After spinning the chair a round to get at the lumbar knob i noticed a large crack in the plastic in the middle of the back of the lumbar plastic piece. I had not made any lumbar adjustments yet so i assumed this is how i received it. The lumbar support comes preinstalled to the backrest so it either was damaged before or during the shipping process. Either way it was damaged before being delivered to me. The lumbar support still functioned properly but it was still broken. I decided to contact Sihoo's customer support that came along with the installation instructions regarding the damaged lumbar piece. I received a reply the next day and after sending them some more info about my order and a couple pics they shipped me a replacement part which took a week to arrive. I swapped out the damaged part and after owning the chair for a week so far i am really happy with my purchase. Im about 5'10 180lbs. At its highest height level my feet reach the ground comfortably flat footed. The backrest fully covers my back and the headrest adjusts very well to sit on the back of my lower head/upper neck. The armrests only go up and down....not forward and back or tilt inwards. This is fine for me as they are grooved to fit your forearm while sitting at your desk/keyboard. The armrests are also a soft cushioned rubber material...not a hard plastic. The mesh of the backrest and headrest are good material and seem well made. The seat is very wide and the cushioning is firm which i prefer. Usually more firm cushioning seems to last longer and hold its form. The base of the chair is VERY sturdy and made of all metal. My chair is on carpet and holds its position very well. As far as recline goes you can set it to recline all the way back, half way or lock the chair in the upright position. You can also adjust the resistance on the reclining feature. So that being said im very happy with my purchase. It arrived with a slight flaw which the company corrected in a fast manor and was very polite in their customer support. I personally don't have a lot of experience with many office chairs and have never used a high end chair($500-$1000+) chair before to make any comparisons. All my chairs for the most part have been from local stores like Staples or Office Depot. Id recommend this over anything they carry in this price range....and i went and looked at their products before buying this chair as well.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2023

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