Hey dudes! I just got this amazing book from the library called The Futurist Cookbook, written in the 1930s by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, the founder of the Italian Futurist Movement. My art history major boyfriend knows a lot more about this kind of thing, but I think all you really need to know is that Futurists are fascists who like to write manifestos.
Here’s his introduction to the book:
“This Futurist cooking of ours, tuned to high speeds like the motor of a hydroplane, will seem to some trembling traditionalists both mad and dangerous: but its ultimate aim, is to create a harmony between man’s palate and his life today and tomorrow.” Oooooooh.
There are a bunch of dinner ideas and recipes in the book (as well as, of course, manifestos), and many of the ideas incorporate breasts or “Negroes” in some way. Many of the recipes are simply lists of ingredients, while others are detailed in their requirements, which may include blasts from a trumpet or “mechanization.” In the following weeks, I hope to recreate some of these dinners and recipes as best as I can, and I’ll definitely post the results on this blog.
That shit sounds crazy. Looking forward to seeing the recipes come to life.
Marinetti merged many wonderous futurist concepts into any form of art imaginable. I love the ways in which he draws links with Dali’s emphasis of food + art. Did you recreate any of the recipes? Some are absolutely revolting and others work well! love to hear of your recipe interpretations!
I did! It was the first and last time I ever tried.
I’ve been dying to read this book – which library did you find it at?
I got it through interlibrary loan, so the book itself was from Macalester College.
The Futurists weren’t all Fascists, that was mostly Marinetti.
However, Mussolini did approve of this cookbook.
Hi,
I’m Anna. I would like to write an article about Marinetti’s cookbook. I live in Poland and I cannot get this one in our libraries. The prize 140$ is much more than I can pay.
I am a food historian and i write to Polish magazines e. g. “Kuchnia” (it’s “Kitchen” in English, of course). Maybe you could help me and send me some copy of the book if the prize is smaller or give me the address of e-library where I can find it.
Thanks for your help.
Anna
“Futurists are fascists who like to write manifestos.”
Really. What a profound insight.
I have a feeling that majority of modern people are sheep who like to write blogs.
It’s true! Baaa.