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Making Typicality: The Birth and Rebirth of the Torta Mattone of Bressana Bottarone, Italy

Author

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  • Michele Filippo Fontefrancesco

    (Department of Sociology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy
    Department of Anthropology, University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
    Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK)

Abstract

This article addresses the concept of “typicality” in community products, proposing a performative interpretation of this category. It ethnographically demonstrates how identifying products as “typical” is a process that involves a community in constructing both the product and its meaning. To illustrate this, this study delves into the case of Torta Mattone from Bressana Bottarone (PV) and its history. It highlights how, over 50 years, this dessert has been created and recreated as a symbol of the community in response to the pressing needs it faced amidst socio-economic changes. In doing so, this paper details its micro-gastronomic history, illustrating how the Torta Mattone has become instrumental in maintaining the social and cultural cohesion of the Oltrepo Pavese area.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Filippo Fontefrancesco, 2024. "Making Typicality: The Birth and Rebirth of the Torta Mattone of Bressana Bottarone, Italy," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:14:y:2024:i:5:p:72-:d:1396493
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