Victoria Pope – Much of the Cuisine We Now Know, and Think of as Ours, Came to Us by War

The relish on my plate is Sicilian, a tangy blend of sweet and sour flavors. I can pick out some of the ingredients—eggplant, capers, celery—right away. I haven’t a clue, however, about the forces that came together to create this exquisite vegetable dish. Gaetano Basile, a writer and lecturer on the food and culture of Sicily, does know. He has …