Latini, Antonio

Latini, Antonio (1642–1692), was among the first to write about sorbetto. The author of Lo Scalco alla moderna (The modern steward), Latini rose from street urchin to knight in a life fit for a fairy tale. He was born in a small town in the Marche region of Italy in 1642. Orphaned at five, he seemed destined for poverty. But he found work as a servant and learned to read, write, cook, and manage a noble household. Eventually, he became steward to the Spanish prime minister in Naples, and in 1693, three years before his death, Latini was knighted.