commoners to obtain. When banquets were held, the dishes served would be spectacular, another way for the noblemen to show how rich they were. Sugar sculptures would be placed on the tables as decoration and to eat, and foods would be dyed vibrant colors with imported spices.

Milan is home to the oldest restaurant in Italy and the second oldest in Europe, the Antica trattoria Bagutto, which has existed since at least 1284. The diet of a commoner would have