Sardinia, the island of centenarians: Sardinian food as a guarantee for a long life.
Nowhere else in the world, it is said, are there more centenarians than in Sardinia. What is remarkable about this is that there is no significant difference in life expectancy between men and women in Sardinia. Sardinian cuisinse certainly plays a role in this record, as Sardinian food is extremely healthy.
Typical Sardinian cuisine: no fish in Sardinia
Anyone who believes that the high average age of Sardinians is due, among other things, to regular fish consumption is mistaken. Contrary to what one might assume, fish, which is considered an ultra-healthy food due to its polyunsaturated fatty acids, is not a traditional part of Sardinian cuisine. Although the Sardinians are an island people, they have a deep-seated aversion to the sea. Various conquerors came across the sea, and malaria mosquitoes prevailed in the coastal marshes. ‘All evil comes from the sea’ is therefore a Sardinian proverb. Fish has only been part of Sardinian cuisine for a good half a century. In the millennia before that, the Sardinians lived a secluded life inland. As a result, their archaic customs have been preserved, especially in terms of nutrition.
Cucina di Terra, traditional Sardinian cuisine
It is unusual for an island that fish and seafood play no role in traditional Sardinian cuisine. The eating habits of the Sardinians are influenced by livestock farming, not fishing. Sardinian cuisine is based on locally sourced ingredients. Until the middle of the last century, shepherds did not have access to cars. Shelf life was therefore very important, as it was not possible to simply pop to the nearest supermarket to replenish supplies in the remote pasturelands. Sardinian flatbread Pane Carasau and Pecorino sheep's cheese are the best-known examples of long-lasting, typical Sardinian food, which shepherds in Sardinia have been eating for centuries. Local dairy and grain products, sheep, pork, game, poultry, local fruit, vegetables, herbs and honey characterise Sardinian cuisine. On this basis, a culinary culture has developed that is impressively diverse despite using few ingredients. The food served in Sardinia is of such high quality that complicated seasoning is unnecessary. Salt and wild herbs from Sardinia's rugged landscape are enough to round off a Sardinian meal to perfection.
Sardinian cuisine in the age of globalisation
A new generation of Sardinian chefs has now discovered ‘cucina di mare’ and raised it to a high level. Italian mainland cuisine, with its pizza and pasta, has also begun its triumphant advance across the island. However, Chinese, Turkish, French and other culinary artists from Central Europe are still few and far between – at least for the time being. We will refrain from listing the diverse dishes that give Sardinian cuisine its unique position within Mediterranean cuisine. Look forward to shopping for food and cooking in Sardinia. The quality of the goods on offer is well above the average in the UK. The Sardinians are simply picky: anything that is not fresh and does not come from their own island rarely finds its way into their cooking pots. And in Sardinia, there are hardly any mass-produced foods.
With a Sardinian ‘Adiosu’, I bid you farewell for today
Yours, Joachim Waßmann
P.S.: When Nonna Antonia (Grandma Antonia) turned 100 two years ago in Brunella, the neighbouring village of Budoni, Sardinian television also congratulated her. Friends assure me that the following exchange took place:
‘Antonia, have you never been ill in your life?’ — ‘Yes, but special home remedies always helped me.’ ‘Home remedies? Which ones?’ "When I have indigestion, I drink a warm Ichnusa; when I have no appetite, a glass of white wine helps; when my blood pressure is wrong, I drink red wine; when I have a cold, grappa with honey helps; and when my throat is scratchy, I drink a Mirto.
Reporter's question: ‘Do you ever drink water?’
‘No, I've never been that sick!’
A nice story! And if it's not true, at least it's well invented.