Topic Description: Food and Wine

"FOOD AND WINE" focuses on social and cultural behavior as well as the specifics of food acquisition, preparation and presentation. This includes: descriptions of meals (including table decoration and service); specific dishes and notable ingredients; personal preferences in food and drink; local specialties; the importation, cultivation and processing of new or exotic foodstuffs.

Also: restricted or ritualized food consumption, including fasting for religious or health reasons; popular beliefs regarding the special properties of foodstuffs. Routine references to day-to-day provisioning of the Medici Court, ships and military installations (including the prices of foodstuffs) are seldom indexed.

Gifts of food or wine to and from the Medici Court are cross-indexed under "STATE GIFTS". Elaborate feasts and banquets are cross-indexed under "THEATER AND FESTIVAL".

References to the importation and cultivation of new species of edible plants and animals are often cross-indexed under "NATURAL SCIENCES", "GARDENS" and/or "EXOTIC ANIMALS".

When cooks, pastry-makers, confectioners, etc. are identifiable by name, they are indexed as "ARTISTS". References to unnamed or otherwise obscure artisans of this kind ("Pasquale pasticciere mio") are generally indexed under "FOOD AND WINE", even when they appear in contexts not directly relevant to this activity ("il cuoco vuol tornare a Correggio per la morte del padre".)

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