About the author
Massimo Montanari is a food writer and a professor of medieval history at Bologna University. He is a scholar in food studies whose interest in the subject stems from his researches and studies in medieval agrarian history. He has been invited as visiting professor to a number of leading universities in Europe, Japan, the United States, Mexico, and Canada. His books explore food history and culture, offering detailed academic perspectives that suit home cooks and readers interested in the historical context of what we eat. These works examine how culinary traditions develop over centuries rather than serving as standard recipe collections. Readers can start with Medieval Tastes: Food, Cooking, and the Table or The Culture of Food: 1154 - 1258 (Revised). Other available titles include Cheese, Pears, & History in a Proverb and A Cultural History of Food in the Medieval Age, each providing further insight into historical food studies.
📖 Where to start with Massimo Montanari
💬 What our editors say about Massimo Montanari's books
“Italy's best-known food historian presents a thoughtful examination of how medieval tastes shaped the culinary and cultural landscape we recognize today. It brilliantly details the transition of food into a marker of social…”
Eatbook Family editorial team, Cookbook desk · on Medieval Tastes: Food, Cooking, and the Table
“Montanari offers a sharp, scholarly look at how proverbs encode social conflict. The text effectively traces the journey of these foods from rough origins to high society. However, this is not a cookbook. It lacks instructions…”
Eatbook Family editorial team, Cookbook desk · on Cheese, Pears, & History in a Proverb
“It does not suit casual cooks, bakers, or readers seeking engaging narratives or practical advice. The tone is likely dry and analytical, requiring patience for dense historical theory. While valuable for experts in medieval…”
Eatbook Family editorial team, Cookbook desk · on The Culture of Food: 1154 - 1258 (Revised)
📋 Editions by Massimo Montanari in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medieval Tastes: Food, Cooking, and the Table | 2018 | Columbia University Press | — | 9780231167871 |
| Cheese, Pears, & History in a Proverb | 2012 | Columbia University Press | — | 9780231152518 |
| The Culture of Food: 1154 - 1258 (Revised) | 1996 | Wiley-Blackwell | — | 9780631202837 |
| Cheese, Pears, & History in a Proverb | 2010 | Columbia University Press | — | 9780231152501 |
| A Cultural History of Food in the Medieval Age | 2015 | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC | — | 9781474269919 |
