S+ Stimulant: Manifesto of Futurist Cooking

 

The Manifesto of Futurist Cooking was first published in 1930 by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Fillia. The manifesto comprises of recipes and dining suggestions which are somewhat unconventional to say the least!

The Futurists recognised that people ‘think, dream and act according to what they eat and drink’, and so believed that the cooking and eating experience should be altered to better fit the changing landscape of the 20th Century and, indeed, their own world view. Marinetti and Fillia wanted to revolutionise the way people thought about food. Here are a few of their suggestions:

• No more pasta, as it causes lassitude, pessimism and lack of passion
• Perfect meals requiring originality and harmony in table setting, including all implements, food aesthetics and tastes, and absolute originality in the food
• Sculpted foods, including meats whose main appeal is to the eye and imagination
• Abolition of the knife and fork
• Use of perfumes to enhance the tasting experience

The Manifesto of Futurist Cooking also proposed that the way in which meals were served be fundamentally changed. For example:

• Some food on the table would not be eaten, but only experienced by the eyes and nose
• Food would arrive rapidly and contain many flavors, but only a few mouthfuls in size
• All political discussion and speeches would be forbidden
• Music and poetry would be forbidden except during certain intervals

In line with the Futurists’ love of machinery they encouraged diners to eat in a mock aircraft, whose engines’ vibrations would stimulate the appetite. The tilted seats and tables would ‘shake out’ the diners’ preconceived notions, while their taste buds would be overwhelmed by highly original dishes listed on aluminium cards.

Traditional kitchen equipment would be replaced by scientific equipment, bringing modernity and science to the kitchen. Suggested equipment included:

• Ozonizers—to give food the smell of ozone
• Ultraviolet ray lamps—to activate vitamins and other “active properties”
• Electrolyzers—to decompose items into new forms and properties
• Colloidal mills—to pulverize any food item
• Autoclaves, dialyzers, atmospheric and vacuum stills—to cook food without destroying vitamins
• Chemical indicators or analyzers—to help the cook determine if sauces need more salt, sugar, or vinegar

 

If you fancy giving it a go and turning your next dinner party into a more peculiar experience, click: here.