Albatros Ristorazione’s philosophy has always embraced Mediterranean recipes, rooted in the Tuscan coast and its hinterland. That’s why our banquets often feature fried food, a trend that has become a huge culinary trend. Pictured is a simple example of a fragrant, crispy fried cuoppo, loved by both adults and children, ideal for any type of reception, from the most rustic to the most elegant. We sometimes offer an open frying station, with our staff juggling the squealing of oil and the endless supply of paper cones. Our strengths? The quality of the oil, the expert breading, and the perfect drying process that leaves no trace of grease, essential for a street food-style standing buffet. Citrus fruits and sparkling wine are ideal for degreasing the palate and leaving a sensation of freshness after this precious break. And to think that the famous Neapolitan cuoppo, made with small, unsold fish, originated as a humble dish, eaten in street-side fryers cheap, nutritious, and low in calories. But in Tuscany, we also boast historic fried recipes: traditional products like rabbit, chicken, zucchini flowers, potatoes, and various vegetables. Frying seems to date back to Ancient Egypt, 3000 BC, as evidenced by the tombs of the pharaohs. It originated as a method of preserving and cooking foods, first kneaded in flour and then cooked in lard, then dipped in honey. Frying in olive oil, however, was introduced by the Greeks, great lovers of the olive tree; anyone who happens to visit Pompeii will find many street food stalls serving various fried foods, dipped in sauces or honey, a far cry from the crispiness of today. As the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro wrote, “First came the roast, then the boiled, and finally the cooked in sauce.” It was the Middle Ages and the Renaissance that saw the triumph of fried foods, with lard for meat and vegetables and oil for fish; obviously, all of this was the prerogative of the wealthier classes. And given how much oil costs today, haven’t we gone back to the idea of fried foods as a luxury?