47. Minestrone

Minestrone brings back memories of a year marked by collective anxiety and a singular personal experience.

In the year of Our Lord 1855, I found myself at Livorno during the bathing season. Cholera was then making its way through several provinces of Italy, gripping everyone with the fear of a major epidemic, which, in fact, was not long in coming. One Saturday evening I entered a trattoria, and asked: “What’s today’s soup?”

“Minestrone,” was the answer.

“Fine, bring