Risotto Historical Facts and Legends – Food History 101

Welcome to Food History 101. Today, we're going to trace back the history of risotto. The birth time of risotto varies depending on whether you want to refer to the legend or actual documented recipes. If you want to be official, cookbooks began mentioning risotto in the 1800s, but if you want the more fun version, it began in September of 1574, when the daughter of a master glassmaker by the name of Valerio was set to marry a man she nicknamed Zafferano, which is saffron in Italian. He loved it so much that he stained the Milan Cathedral's glass gold with saffron. In response to his love of this vibrant herb, Zafferano's friends cooked a rice dish colored with saffron for him as a joke, but it turned out to be a hit. If you believe that story, then risotto went into hiding for two centuries before it made another appearance. In 1809, a cookbook included a recipe where rice was sautéed in butter, onion, and bone marrow and cooked in a saffron-infused hot broth. Skip over another century and the dish finally got its name as risotto alla milanese giallo by a chef in Milan, which explains why if you're traveling to Milan today, you're better off eating rice than pasta. Thanks for watching Food History 101. If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe or head over to our Fusion Food blog for a Kobe Beef Truffle Risotto at julieho.com forward slash oddpair.