Standing behind the Palazzi Community Center (PCC), in a dimly lit garden, two members of the Firenze community hosted an event showcasing their unique sauces. Ricci Francesca and Lorella Buti discussed their passions of cuisine and their contemporary recreations of ancient recipes.

The event was hosted by the PCC, an organization that is partnered with the American University of Florence (AUF) and strives to bring together the students of the University and local members of the Florence Community. 

Hosted in Italian, an event for engagement with locals, the two speakers offered samples of their three sauces and a salt; products they make and sell through their company Historiam Firenze. The team started their first projects under their company in 2019. 

Historiam Firenze focuses on natural ingredients and creates items that are good for the body and the soul. They contain aromatic herbs and whole ingredients with no types of chemical conservation. Not only is the flavor left uncompromised, but tasters can be left assured that what they consume is good for their bodies. 

The aromatic herbs involved  introduce an uncommon taste profile meant for savoring. The speakers make sure to invite the guests to hold the sauces in their mouths before swallowing allowing the entire symphony of flavors to be understood. 

The founders of Historium Firenze discovered the recipes to the sauces in an ancient Roman cookbook, which was written around two-thousand years ago, says Francesca.

The sauces cannot be made exactly like the ancient recipes are written due to certain ingredients no longer being available. The hosts innovated the sauces and salt by supplementing some of the ingredients, and added that most of the herbs they use are grown in their own garden on a hillside of Florence, a practice they started a year and half ago. 

When hosting seminars, the ability for the audience to taste their products is very important. Community is tantamount to their mission, and Francesca believes that by allowing the people of Italy to taste the old flavors of history that have since disappeared, one is led to discovery.

Francesca adds “It’s really interesting, and the flavor is incredible. You see the combinations of ingredients and think it is not possible to eat something like that, but when the dish is finished the taste is amazing… I don’t know why but the taste is something incredible.”

Quite different to cooking, Francesca was previously an architect, but after discovering the historical flavors she became fascinated. She made the decision to focus on the ancient recipes and stepped away from her architecture career. Experimenting with food wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary, as she previously had a taste for gastronomy, citing her mother’s passion for cooking. “My mom very much liked to mix.” 

Buti has a background in business consultation, and is a fan of gardening, especially aromatic herbs. With her passions for herbs, and Francesca's background in creative cooking, Historium Firenze thrives.

After their discussion, guests who had enjoyed the sauces were invited to purchase some if they wished. The community members asked for recipes to try them with, and questions about meat and vegetable pairings were heard throughout the courtyard. 

Over the course of the night on the PCC patio, the two founders were able to engage with members of the Florence community, at an event available to AUF students as well. This event bridged the gap between students and local artisans.