Tomato rhapsody : a fable of love, lust and forbidden fruit

A village in Tuscany is the setting for this joyous debut—a novel that defies all our expectations as it puts a fresh, clever, captivating spin on the age-old tale of forbidden love. Rich in literary delights, filled with spectacular wordplay, and rife with the bawdy humor of Shakespeare’s comedies, **Tomato Rhapsody** is the almost-true tale of how the tomato came to Italy—at once a brilliantly inventive fable of love, lust, and longing, and a dazzling feast for the imagination.This is a story born from love—a forbidden love—between Davido, an __Ebreo__ tomato farmer, and Mari, a beautiful Catholic girl....But it’s not only Davido and Mari who have secrets of the heart. Everyone around them yearns for something—from Davido’s grandfather, who tenderly cultivates the tomato plant he stole on his voyages with Columbus, to Mari’s villainous stepfather, whose eye is trained on his stepdaughter’s virginity and his neighbor’s land. Caught in the midst of these passions and machinations is a village full of eccentrics who speak in rhyme, celebrate the Feast of the Drunken Saint, and live a life untouched by the passage of time. The schemes and dreams of these men and women are about to change as what is forbidden becomes too delicious to resist. Tradition, religion, and good taste collide unforgettably in a story about the courage to pursue love and tomato sauce at all costs. BookmarkTitle:......Page 4 In Which We Learn How an Ebreo Travels Best in Tuscany......Page 6 In which We Are Introduced to the Theories of Pozzo Menzogna & Learn of Apoplexia......Page 28 In which We Learn the Recipe for Melanzane con Pesto di Erbe......Page 39 In Which we Learn of Truffles & Other Mushrooms......Page 67 In Which We Learn the Shared History of the Tomato & the Ebreo......Page 88 In Which We Meet Cosimo di Pucci de’ Meducci III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, & Learn of His Decree......Page 107 In which We Learn the Recipe for Insalata di Pomodoro e Menta......Page 145 In which We Learn the Origins of Our Heroine’s Name......Page 182 In Which We Learn the Meaning of Cucinare con Collera......Page 192 In Which We Learn of Carciofi alla Judea & Il Fodero di Moses......Page 215 In which We Learn How to Properly Care for chamomile......Page 232 In Which We Learn the Meaning of Il Tuono dell’ Amore......Page 243 In which We Learn How the Mind Stills Itself in Moments of Trauma......Page 265 In Which We Learn How Davido & Nonno Came to Be Invited to La Festa del Santo ubriaco......Page 273 OLIVES......Page 326 In which We Learn the Unusual History of the Good Padre’s Pigmentation......Page 327 In which Temptation Finds Two Takers......Page 339 In which We Learn the old Bite Test......Page 354 In which Davido Contemplates His Fate & Curses a Roman God......Page 358 In Which We Learn the History & Artistry of the Sicilian Dieci Dita Marionette......Page 364 In which We Contemplate the Difference Between Dirt & Earth......Page 409 In which We Learn Man’s Father’s Technique for Curing Green olives......Page 419 In Which We Learn of Little-Known Saint Rachel......Page 433 In which We Learn Mari’s Technique for Curing Black olives......Page 454 in which We Learn the Fine Art of Steam Distillation......Page 472 In Which We Learn the Recipe for Tuscan Toast with Fig Jam & Cream......Page 482 In which We Learn the Divine Reason Behind an Unruly child......Page 493 In Which We Learn the Best Way to Rob a Donkey of His Vigor......Page 508 In Which We Learn of Donkeys & Purim......Page 528 In Which We Come to Better Understand the Symbology of the Drunken Saint Statue......Page 541 In Which We Learn the Unusual Manner in Which the Battle of the Hours Crowns a champion......Page 562 Sobbing & laughing, Part I......Page 603 In which We Ponder Four Types of Death......Page 625 SAUCE......Page 630 In which We Learn of Tossing Crumbs & Furthering Plans......Page 631 In Which We Learn of Broken Stairs & Spilled olives......Page 642 In which We Learn of Rivers, Oceans & Sauce......Page 652 In which We Learn to Discern Between the Guilty & the Innocent......Page 675 In Which We Learn the Significance of the church’s Dictum Coitus di chastatia......Page 692 In which We Learn How Michelangelo Dealt with Sadness, or How Pizza Came to Be, Part I......Page 703 In Which We Learn the Meaning of La Punizione......Page 717 In which We Learn How Bobo & Benito Came to Hug for the Very First Time......Page 724 In Which We Learn the Difference Between Knowing Long & Knowing Well......Page 732 How Pizza Came to Be, Part II......Page 745 In Which We Learn the Meaning of La Dolce e Piccola Morte......Page 755 Sobbing & laughing, Part II......Page 765 Acknowledgments......Page 824 ABOUT THE AUTHOR......Page 827 A village in Tuscany is the setting for this joyous debut--a novel that defies all our expectations as it puts a fresh, clever, captivating spin on the age-old tale of forbidden love. Rich in literary delights, filled with spectacular wordplay, and rife with the bawdy humor of Shakespeare's comedies, Tomato Rhapsody is the almost-true tale of how the tomato came to Italy--at once a brilliantly inventive fable of love, lust, and longing, and a dazzling feast for the imagination.This is a story born from love--a forbidden love--between Davido, an Ebreo tomato farmer, and Mari, a beautiful Catholic girl....But it's not only Davido and Mari who have secrets of the heart. Everyone around them yearns for something--from Davido's grandfather, who tenderly cultivates the tomato plant he stole on his voyages with Columbus, to Mari's villainous stepfather, whose eye is trained on his stepdaughter's virginity and his neighbor's land. Caught in the midst of these passions and machinations is a village full of eccentrics who speak in rhyme, celebrate the Feast of the Drunken Saint, and live a life untouched by the passage of time. The schemes and dreams of these men and women are about to change as what is forbidden becomes too delicious to resist. Tradition, religion, and good taste collide unforgettably in a story about the courage to pursue love and tomato sauce at all costs.From the Hardcover edition. A village in Tuscany is the setting for this joyous debuta novel that defies all our expectations as it puts a fresh, clever, captivating spin on the age-old tale of forbidden love. Rich in literary delights, filled with spectacular wordplay, and rife with the bawdy humor of Shakespeares comedies, Tomato Rhapsody is the almost-true tale of how the tomato came to Italyat once a brilliantly inventive fable of love, lust, and longing, and a dazzling feast for the imagination. This is a story born from lovea forbidden lovebetween Davido, an Ebreo tomato farmer, and Mari, a beautiful Catholic girl.But its not only Davido and Mari who have secrets of the heart. Everyone around them yearns for somethingfrom Davidos grandfather, who tenderly cultivates the tomato plant he stole on his voyages with Columbus, to Maris villainous stepfather, whose eye is trained on his stepdaughters virginity and his neighbors land. Caught in the midst of these passions and machinations is a village full of eccentrics who speak in rhyme, celebrate the Feast of the Drunken Saint, and live a life untouched by the passage of time. The schemes and dreams of these men and women are about to change as what is forbidden becomes too delicious to resist. Tradition, religion, and good taste collide unforgettably in a story about the courage to pursue love and tomato sauce at all costs. The Almost-true Tale Of How The Tomato Came To 16th Century Italy And The Forbidden Love Between Davido, A Jewish Tomato Farmer, And Mari, A Beautiful Catholic Girl. But It's Not Only Davido And Mari Who Have Secrets Of The Heart. Everyone Around Them Yearns For Something--from Davido's Grandfather, Who Tenderly Cultivates The Tomato Plant He Stole On His Voyages With Columbus, To Mari's Villainous Stepfather, Whose Eye Is Trained On His Stepdaughter's Virginity And His Neighbor's Land. Caught In The Midst Of These Passions And Machinations Is A Village Full Of Eccentrics Who Speak In Rhyme, Celebrate The Feast Of The Drunken Saint, And Live A Life Untouched By The Passage Of Time. The Schemes And Dreams Of These Men And Women Are About To Change As What Is Forbidden Becomes Too Delicious To Resist. Tradition, Religion, And Good Taste Collide In A Story About The Courage To Pursue Love And Tomato Sauce At All Costs. Adam Schell. The almost-true tale of how the tomato came to 16th century Italy and the forbidden love between Davido, a Jewish tomato farmer, and Mari, a beautiful Catholic girl. But it's not only Davido and Mari who have secrets of the heart. Everyone around them yearns for something, from Davido's grandfather, who tenderly cultivates the tomato plant he stole on his voyages with Columbus, to Mari's villainous stepfather, whose eye is trained on his stepdaughter's virginity and his neighbor's land. Caught in the midst of these passions and machinations is a village full of eccentrics who speak in rhyme, celebrate the Feast of the Drunken Saint, and live a life untouched by the passage of time. The schemes and dreams of these men and women are about to change as what is forbidden becomes too delicious to resist. Tradition, religion, and good taste collide in a story about the courage to pursue love and tomato sauce at all costs