Adam Schell

Tomato Rhapsody by Adam Schell is a historical fable set in a 16th century Tuscan village. As the title suggests, the tomato is very important to this tale. In fact food is front and center throughout the book. Jewish farmer Davido grows the “love apple” with great care and love, cruel Guiseppe and his assistant Benito forage for truffles, the new village priest relishes food and spends much of his time planning his next meal. But when the stepdaughter of Guiseppe, Mari, falls in love with the Jewish farmer, things start to get complicated.

The story plays out much like a Shakespearean comedy which comes to a climax at the Feast of the Drunken Saint donkey race. Throughout the story, there is a puzzlement about the tomato. Although many uses of the raw fruit are described, they do not know how to successfully cook the tomato and have yet to discover the wonders of tomato sauce.

High in humor and high-jinx, the reader roots for the young lovers to find happiness and for tomato sauce to be discovered. Tomato Rhapsody was an unusual, clever and engaging story that also manages to shine a light on the oppression of Jews during the Renaissance. The story is both earthy and bawdy and an altogether delightful read.… (meer)