Bartolomeo Scappi

Bartolomeo Scappi (c. 1500 – 13 April 1577) was a famous Renaissance chef. The first known fact in his life is April 1536, when he organized a banquet while he was in the service of Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio. [ [http://www.coquinaria.nl/english/recipes/04.4histrecept.htm Coquinaria - An Italian recipe from the sixteenth century] URL accessed December 31, 2006.] He served several other cardinals after this, then began to serve pope Pius IV, entering the service of the Vatican kitchen. He continued to work as a chef for the pope Pius V.

He acquired fame in 1570 when his cookbook "Opera dell'arte del cucinare" was published. In the book he lists approximately 1000 recipes of the Renaissance cuisine and describes cooking techniques and tools, giving the first known picture of a fork.Harv|Rolland|2006|p=273.] He declared parmesan to be the best cheese on earth,Harv|Rolland|2006|p=481.] and noted that "the liver of [a] domestic goose raised by the Jews is of extreme size and weighs [between] two and three pounds",Harv|Ginor|1999|p=11.] indicating that Jews of the time were practicing the overfeeding needed to produce foie gras. Reprints of "Opera" were continually published from 1570 to 1643.Harv|Levillain|2002|p=303.]

Scappi revolutionized the kitchen of his time through new preparation methods and the use of ingredients imported from America.

Scappi died on 13 April 1577 and was buried in the church of SS. Vincenzo ad Anastasio alla Regola, dedicated to cooks and bakers.Harv|Benporat|2005.]

The "Opera dell'arte del cucinare" was partially translated in Catalan ("Libro de cozina" (1599) by Diego Granado Maldonado) and Dutch ("Koocboec oft familieren keukeunboec" (1612) by Antonius Magirus).Harv|Schildermans|2007.] [ [http://www.magirus.net/2007/11/08/a-dutch-translation-of-bartolomeo-scappi%e2%80%99s-opera-1612/2/ Schildermans - A Dutch translation of Bartolomeo Scappi’s Opera (1612)] URL accessed December 19, 2007.]

Notes

References

*Harvard reference
Author=Ginor, Michael A.
Last=Ginor
First=Michael A.
Title=Foie Gras: A Passion
Publisher=John Wiley & Sons
Year=1999
ID=ISBN 0-471-29318-0.
*Harvard reference
Author=Levillain, Philippe
Last=Levillain
First=Philippe
Title=The Papacy: An Encyclopedia
Publisher=Routledge (UK)
Year=2002
ID=ISBN 0415922283.
*Harvard reference
Author=Rolland, Jacques L.
Last=Rolland
First=Jacques L.
Title=The Food Encyclopedia
Publisher=Robert Rose
Year=2006
ID=ISBN 0778801500.
*Harvard reference
Author=Schildermans, Jozef M.
Last=Schildermans
First=Jozef M.
Title=Lieve schat, wat vind je lekker? Het Koocboec van Antonius Magirus (1612) en de Italiaanse keuken van de renaissance
Publisher=Davidsfonds
Year=2007
ID=ISBN 9789058265005.
*Harvard reference
Author=Benporat, Claudio
Last=Benporat
First=Claudio
Title=Bartolomeo Scappi, il mistero svelato
Publisher=Appunti di gastronomia, nr. 46
Year=2005.