The Countess Blessington Reviews the Food of Genoa

The Countess Blessington, who is described, cast her eye intriguingly on the food of Genoa. While most nineteenth-century British travelers found Ligurian food unsavory, Countess Blessington, as was her wont, was more open-minded and receptive to things that were unfamiliar to her. What she initially describes are the friggitorie, the fry shops that are part of the Genoese food scene and provide a very high quality “fast food.” Then, as now, the Genoese were eager to consume freshly fried fish, a piece of hot focaccia, or a wedge of vegetable pie that was purchased on the street so that they could return to work as quickly as possible.