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"On the threshold I strip off my muddy, sweaty, workday clothes, and put on the robes of court and palace, and in this graver dress I enter the antique courts of the ancients and am welcomed by them, and there I taste the food that alone is mine, and for which I was born."
- N. Machiavelli
The idea of 'appetite' lends itself to a variety of interpretations, some may consider it a merely physical, a survival instinct. Some instead may perceive it as an intellectual inclination, a rare inclination capable of weaving together ambition, courage and will to achieve greatness. Florence has indeed been a City of Many Appetites, as throughout its history, the noble Medici Family was able to exemplify this talent so as to develop an intricate texture of political alliances, of military campaigns and economic enterprises aimed to expand their influence. Over the decades of the Renaissance the Florentine appetites have then fueled the intellectual drives which crafted our canons of beauty, and taste in the arts, fashion and lifestyle.
But we cannot limit ourselves to discussing taste without taking into account that even if we were to consider the Florentine appetites as a quality of the mind, appetite has a close connection with the idea of taste and pleasure. The gastronomical and enological traditions of the city have well given Florence pride and honor as in the food the citizen find not only their heritage but a fundamental component of their identity. The impact and transformation that these culinary traditions have had on the world of fine dining are an unparalleled expression of balance and moderation as well as enjoyment and celebration.
These are the premises which led FUA to consider the many appetites pertaining to the city of Florence as the theme for the 5th FUA and Stony Brook annual conference, so as to include not just the intellectual, social, economic aspirations, needs and desires that have stimulated Florence’s history but on a more material plane to incorporate Florence’s contribution to our appreciation and understanding of the fine and culinary arts.
Attending this event will undoubtedly prove to be a unique opportunity to experience the soul of the city, as described and narrated by Florentine and international scholars gathered to give their contribution to Florence: A City of Many Appetites.
The conference will take place on November 8th and 9th, 2013, at FUA facilities. In addition to speaker panels, two art exhibitions will be featured, and the conference inauguration is scheduled to take place at the Cenacolo of the Chiesa di Santa Croce.
For information on the conference and how to attend please contact tbrownlees@fua.it