Europe Through Italian Taste Buds: A Humorous Food Map

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Ever wondered how passionate Italians view food across Europe? This entertaining map from Yanko Tsvetkov’s “Atlas of Prejudice” (Amazon link) pokes fun at Italian culinary pride and their (strong) opinions about other European cuisines.

The map playfully divides Europe into food zones that get more “dangerous” as you move away from Italy. Starting from “Real Food” in Italy (naturally!), the zones spread outward through “Mostly Safe to Eat” into increasingly concerning territories like “Caution is Advised” and the dreaded “Toxic” regions.

The map’s creator had fun with “geographical” boundaries too. The “San Umberto Nobile Line” marks the furthest north an Italian might venture for food. Cross the “Culinary Despair Line,” and you’re in truly challenging territory. Coffee lovers will appreciate the “Supersized Coffee Parallel” to the north (hello, American-style coffee!), while the “Overcooked Pasta Meridian” to the west and “Muddy Coffee Meridian” to the east warn of crimes against Italian culinary basics.

There’s some truth hidden in this joke map. Italians do take their food seriously – and with good reason. Their cuisine is one of just four in the world recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. The others? French, Mexican, and Japanese cooking. Not bad company to keep!

You can find ‘The Atlas of Prejudice’ by Yanko Tsvetkov on Amazon (Amazon link).