John Dickie provides insight into all aspects of the Ancient Roman selection of consumables, from soldiers' and gladiators' challenging diets to the indigenous wine and fast food.

John Dickie provides insight into the influence of Catholicism on the Italian selection of food. Along the way, he comes across some fun facts that make everything more interesting.

John Dickie describes how people in power used food to demonstrate superiority and exercise control. From Charles V and Napoleon to Mussolini and Berlusconi, everyone features somewhere in this retold history of Italian cuisine.

John Dickie shows that in fact it was not Marco Polo who brought spaghetti from China. John Dickie takes us to a pasta factory, where he learns to use an antique pasta machine. Writer John Dickie takes us on a journey into the past.

John Dickie analyzes the role of poverty in the creation of pizza, provides insight into cruel food games used as a distraction amid a hunger crisis, and gives an overview of the imaginary diet of WWI soldiers.

John Dickie provides insight into the role of Pellegrino Artusi in the popularization of Italian cuisine while retracing its evolutionary pathway.