BREAD: AN OVERVIEW ON THE ITALIAN STAPLE FOOD Lecture by Gaia Massai

Istituto Italiano di Cultura ​496 Huron St. Toronto

Please RSVP A $10 contribution will be accepted at the door 

Bread is undoubtedly the Italian staple food and a key component of the Mediterranean diet. From the discovery of leavening to the countless Italian regional variations, bread has always been considered much more than mere food. Besides its philosophical and religious meaning, bread has been a symbol of hierarchy in the society and often determined the alternation of periods of tranquillity to others of social unrest. What’s behind bread? Is bread good or bad for our health? During the lecture you will learn about some general misconceptions related to bread and how to choose and consume it...the Italian way. The lecture will be followed by the tasting of few different Italian breads, together with Gaia’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Gaia Massai is a leading expert on both modern Italian wine and olive oil production and their cultural ramifications. She is the manager of the Fattoria di San Quintino, her family’s 200 hectar estate of which 20 are vineyards, situated between Florence and Pisa, and is President of the Hills of San Miniato Association. She is also the founder of Gaia's Plate, a food import company in Toronto. Gaia Massai received her Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Conservation of Nature (University of Florence) in 2003 and has been living in Toronto since the end of 2007.