L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano I t's true. Medieval Italian monks were the hipsters of their day. Centuries before terms like all-organic, nat- ural cure, and gut cleansing became revered buzz words, monks w ere bus y grinding, crushing, mixing and blending an amazing array of herbal and natural remedies. Whether they healed the illness-at-hand or not is debatable, but it's a fascinat- ing story to look back at the ways and means of these early alchemists and their apothe- caries. Before the modern conve- niences of a mega-pharmacy on every corner, it was the inhabi- tants of the local monastery that offered the populace hopes of healing. Every monk knew his way around a garden; know-how for growing and utilization of medicinal herbs and other plants was an important part of the daily agenda. Perhaps one of the most allur- ing and still in existence exam- ples is Florence's 600-year-old Santa Maria Novella monastery. Upon the arrival of two Domini- can friars in the 13 th century, construction began on the ornate chapels and cloister, replacing the smaller Santa Maria delle Vigne. Located at the time on the outskirts of Florence, the monastery's apothecary became a magnet to those throughout the area seeking cure and escape from the Black Plague. With s piritual tools and healthy herb gardens at their dis- posal, the monks sought desper- ately to find ways to sooth the suffering around them. Balms, tinctures, and disinfectants from their array of plants were devel- oped as protectants against the belief that breathing in the "odors " of the plague w as a sure-fire way to catch it. Docu- mented in their recipe books kept on site today, the monks advocated keeping rooms aired out and pressing cloths saturated in pungent herbal perfume over one's mouth. Effective against a mons trous plague it w as n't; however, it was the inception of products still available today such as the rosewater distillate, Acqua di Rose, once believed to banish plague "airs." A ccording to the current Commercial D irector of the Pharmacy, Gianluca Foa, Acqua di Rose is one of their most sought-after products as a per- fume and skin toner. And per- haps the world's first "designer fragrance" can still be found here, as well: Acqua della Regi- na – the Queen's Water. Created for Catherine Medici in 1533, the bergamot and citrus scent was the first to be developed using alcohol as a base rather than oils which would turn ran- cid. Maybe the tincture didn't turn away sickness, but more than likely it still turns a head or two! The H er bar io, a mas s ive manuscript of plant taxonomy and cure combinations, is a veri- table time machine kept in the basement museum of the Santa Maria Novella. It offers a fasci- nating glimpse into the ailments and remedies of the times. "They were dealing with everything from avoiding pregnancy, to making men fertile, to fighting insanity and the flu," according to Foa. "The monks updated this book with any new discoveries when explorers like Magellan brought plants from new territo- ries back to Italy." Although Santa Maria Novel- la's pharmacy stands out as a shining example of a still-pro- ducing ancient apothecary, the limelight must be shared with a number of others that continue cranking out elixirs and other potions to sooth the human con- dition just as they have for cen- turies. Tucked in the forested eleva- tions of the Tuscan hills above Asciano is the fully operational Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Mag- giore. F ounded in 1313 as a Benedictine monastery, present- day monks continue the tradition of natural medicine with an array of herbal remedies and tonics – all for purchase in their on-site gift shop, as well as by order online. In keeping w ith the notion that a justly prepared tonic would halt any nefarious germ, Flora di Monteoliveto continues to be produced accord- ing to the original recipe. A com- bination of 23 herbs infused in alcohol (to kill the germs, of course!), the tonic is said to forti- fy digestion, especially after lunch, and overall benefit bodily humors. Even if one amoeba with brutish intent never met its demise this way, it's easy to assume that the patient felt a lot better after a cup or two of this 38 proof cure! As an added bonus to anyone paying homage to one of these larger monastic pharmacies, many retain fascinating collec- tions of albarelli, the elaborately decorated ceramic apothecary jars masquerading as works of art. Santa Maria Novella's exten- sive museum also includes an impressive collection of distilla- tion apparatus, mortar and pes- tles, and other equipment used in earlier days of production. However, one doesn't have to seek out a larger monastery to have a personal encounter with the multitude of products created within their confines. Scattered across the Italian landscape from tip to boot are hundreds of age- old spiritual communities still busily seeking to do God's work and tend his flocks. Making a lit- tle income via their plant-based cures, soaps, perfumes, and liqueurs comes in handy, as well. One can't help but think that a nip or two of one of these tonics taken in the tranquility of a serene monastery might just go a long way in healing half our modern maladies. Interestingly so, the early art of pharmacy practiced by the monks was coupled with seem- ingly unrelated practices and practitioners. Medieval Flo- rence's artists were side-by-side members of the same guilds that supported apothecaries. Both depended on in-depth knowl- edge of successful mixing and combining of natural elements – a skill critical to their vocations. Perhaps the sharing of knowl- edge continued off the record, as well. Every monastery, cloister and chapel housing an apothe- cary saw fit and proper to be adorned with painted frescoes and masterpieces. It's not hard to imagine Renaissance painter Mariotto di Nardo taking a break to savor a goblet of Acqua de Santa Maria Novella, originally known as Anti-Hysterical Water, after putting the finishing touch- es on a fresco! The ancient herbal remedies monks created during the Middle Ages are still produced and sold today Monks and Medicinals: Italy's warly pharmacists PAULA REYNOLDS LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE The charm of the old apothecary at Santa MAria Novella, Florence

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