Antonio Latini

Who was Antonio Latini?

Antonio Latini was a steward of Cardinal Antonio Barberini, cardinal-nephew of Pope Urban VIII in Rome and subsequently to Don Stefano Carillo Salcedo, first minister to the Spanish viceroy of Naples. Born in Collamato, now a frazione of the town of Fabriano], in the province of Ancona, his cookbook, Lo scalco alla moderna "the Modern Steward",contains in its first volume the earliest surviving recipes for tomato sauce, though he did not suggest serving it over pasta. One of his tomato recipes is for sauce alla spagnuola, "in the Spanish style". In his second volume Latini gives early recipes for sorbetti.

Latini had gone to Rome at the age of sixteen, and worked his way up in the familia or household of Cardinal Barberini. By turns assistant cook, waiter and wardrobe attendant, he learned the theatrical carving skills expected of a maître d'hôtel and swordsmanship as well. Mastering the arts of successively important stewardship positions, he was made a Roman conte, a "Knight of the Golden Spur" for his service. After working in Rome and at courts in Macerata, Mirandola and Faenza, Latini went to serve as scalco, or household steward, to Carillo Salcedo in 1682.