L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2024 L'Italo-Americano important occasions. Before meals, especially in the com- pany of the Sforza court, he suggested using rose water and lavender to clean and p e r f u m e t h e h a n d s . F o r s u m m e r r e f r e s h m e n t , h e r e c o m m e n d e d a d r i n k favored by the Turks: a mix- ture of sugar, rose water, l e m o n , a n d f r e s h w a t e r s t r a i n e d t h r o u g h a w h i t e c l o t h , h i g h l i g h t i n g h i s appreciation for diverse cul- tural practices. W h e n i t c a m e t o c u l i - nary science , Leonardo was meticulous about the preparation and properties of food: he recognized the nutritional value of vegeta- bles like turnips and cab- bage, noting their digestive benefits, which he under- stood when observing a goat recovering and a cow rejuve- n a t i n g a f t e r c o n s u m i n g these vegetables. Leonardo clearly believed in the medi- c i n a l p r o p e r t i e s o f f o o d , something modern concepts of nutraceuticals also main- tain. observe this regimen: do not e a t w i t h o u t a p p e t i t e a n d dine lightly, chew well, and whatever you take in should be well-cooked and simple in form." If it sounds famil- iar, it's because we've proba- bly heard our family doctor saying the same many times. L e o n a r d o a l s o a d v i s e s against excessive medica- tion and cautions to avoid a n g e r a n d h e a v y a i r ; h e emphasizes the importance o f p r o p e r p o s t u r e a f t e r meals and advises against midday naps. His guidance o n w i n e c o n s u m p t i o n — m o d e r a t e , f r e q u e n t , a n d never on an empty stom- a c h — r e f l e c t s a b a l a n c e d approach to indulgence. He also insists on regular, gen- t l e e x e r c i s e a n d p r o p e r nighttime covering to main- tain health. Beyond these principles, Leonardo also recommend- ed culinary hygiene and e t i q u e t t e , p a r t i c u l a r l y when dining with nobility: i n o t h e r w o r d s , h e a l s o taught us how to behave on Leonardo's legacy in the culinary arts is not just the- o r e t i c a l . A n e c d o t e s , although partly mythical, suggest his active involve- ment in kitchen innovation. Besides the above-recounted anecdote about his experi- m e n t s w h i l e h e w a s a n apprentice at Verrocchio's workshop, there are other interesting tales to tell. For instance, some say he and his friend Sandro Botticelli had opened the Taverna d e l l e T r e R a n e , w h e r e Leonardo's menus featured e l e g a n t , b a l a n c e d d i s h e s p a i r e d w i t h d r a w i n g s f o r easy comprehension. Recent research and exhi- b i t i o n s , s u c h a s o n e i n L i è g e , B e l g i u m , h a v e brought Leonardo's culinary interests into the spotlight. Curator Jean-Christophe H u b e r t highlighted how dishes like red shrimp with burrata and apricots with m i n t , b o t h c r e a t e d b y Leonardo, show the artist's incredibly modern palate and culinary creativity; key in his diet, Hubert contin- ues, were fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. In con- temporary terms, Leonar- do's near-vegetarian diet and his focus on complete, nutritionally dense foods illustrate a truly progressive way of thinking, because his diet was, ultimately, about a c h i e v i n g a b a l a n c e t h a t p r o m o t e d o v e r a l l w e l l - being, which is very much what science purports nowa- days. Leonardo's approach is all the more remarkable if we consider his era's rela- tively limited understanding of nutrition. Leonardo da Vinci's con- tributions to culinary arts and nutrition, though less celebrated, are an integral part of his genius, and the Codex Atlanticus bears wit- ness to his extensive and varied interests, and to his holistic view of life. Leonar- do's approach to food, much like his art and inventions, was ahead of its time and o f f e r e d p r i n c i p l e s t h a t remain relevant in contem- p o r a r y d i s c u s s i o n s a b o u t healthy living and sustain- able consumption. within these pages that one finds Leonardo's musings on food and diet, which give us a glimpse into his holistic approach to life. Leonardo's dietary advice appears strikingly modern. On folio 207 verso of the Codex, he reflects on the human condition: "Man and animals are really passage- ways and conduits of food, graves of animals, hostels of the dead, making life out of other deaths, sheaths of cor- r u p t i o n . " A p r e t t y b l e a k s t a t e m e n t , s u r e , b u t o n e that suggests an early incli- nation towards vegetari- anism, a stance further evi- denced by other writings w h e r e h e c o n d e m n s t h e consumption of eggs and dairy due to their impact on animal life. But Leonardo's dietary recommendations extend beyond ethical considera- tions to practical advice for health. Always in the Codex A t l a n t i c u s , o n f o l i o 2 1 3 v e r s o , h e w r i t e s , " I f y o u w a n t t o s t a y h e a l t h y , L e o n a r d o d a Vinci's name is s y n o n y m o u s w i t h a r t a n d innovation, with t h e e s s e n c e i t s e l f o f t h e Renaissance, a time of dis- covery, intellectual curiosity, and investigation. Not many know, however, that he also had a profound interest in culinary arts and nutrition: we celebrate him for his masterpieces and inventions, but the truth is that Leonardo had quite an interest in food and cooking, t o o . W h e n h e w a s s t i l l a young apprentice in Verroc- chio's workshop, he would a l s o w o r k a s a n a i d e i n a local Florentine tavern, and legend has it that, late in the evenings, when both cus- tomers and chefs were gone, and he was left alone clean- ing, Leonardo would experi- ment with ingredients and flavors to cook himself some — probably very healthy — grub. But, besides these anec- dotes, which may or may not b e f u l l y t r u e , w e h a v e , i n fact, reliable sources that tell us about Leonardo's passion for nutrition and living well: his very own diaries and notebooks. Leonardo had the habit of recording his thoughts, ideas, and designs in his peculiarly small and flowery handwriting recog- nizable because it went from right to left, as he was left- handed. Many of his handwritten notes, sketches, and designs were collected in the Codex Atlanticus, which is also the source of what we know about his connection with h e a l t h y l i v i n g a n d f o o d . Indeed, the Codex Atlanticus is an invaluable collection of Leonardo's work, spanning t w e l v e v o l u m e s a n d c o m - p r i s i n g 1 , 1 1 9 p a g e s ; c o m - piled in the late 16th century b y t h e s c u l p t o r P o m p e o Leoni, it includes a diverse range of Leonardo's sketch- es, studies, and writings on topics ranging from engi- n e e r i n g t o a n a t o m y . I t i s CHIARA D'ALESSIO Leonardo's kitchen, from vegetarianism to achieving balance through healthy food LIFESTYLE WELL-BEING DIET ADVICE FITNESS A unique edition of the Codex Atlanticus as a box, made by Mario Taddei in 2007 (Photo: Mario Taddei/Wikicommons. CC BY-SA 4.0). Bottom left, Leonardo himself (Photo: Volodymyr Polotovskyi/Dreamstime)

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