Presented by
Anthony F. Buccini, PhD
Long regarded as emblematic for Roman cookery and now internationally beloved as a delicious representative of Italy’s emerging national cuisine, spaghetti alla carbonara has –– not surprisingly –– been the subject of considerable speculation, debate and even teeth-gnashing with regard both to the ‘authenticity’ of different recipes and to the circumstances of the dish’s invention. Indeed, the various theories proposed for the origins of this pairing of pasta, pork, cheese and eggs illustrate a remarkable range of possible accounts for such cultural items and yet few of these pass beyond the anecdotal and none considers broadly the cultural context in which the dish arose. Continue reading