One of the first things that come to mind when we think of Italy is its food, celebrated and renowned worldwide. Yet, what makes food important to Italy and Italians? What can food tell us about Italian society, its people, and its cultural practices? As semiologists have observed, food functions as a language that possesses its own structures and communicates different meanings. Indeed, not only does food convey dietary preferences and habits but also subjects’ cultural values, class distinctions, social restrictions, power relationships, hopes, and desires, which are not necessarily or strictly connected to the edible sphere. This course will consider food a compelling instrument to investigate what shapes Italian culture and the Italic identity. It will also explore how the development of the Italian culinary tradition and the variety of eating habits mirror Italian society’s historical and economic changes over the centuries. Furthermore, the course will include the interpretation and adaptations of Italian and Italian American cuisine in American culture. Students will analyze literary documents, works of art, music, and film, as well as family recipes and cooking tools from ancient Rome to contemporary Italy.