What's in a Name?

• Bruschetta is derived from the Italian verb "bruscare" meaning "roast over coals". Since the name reflects the original cooking technique, bruschetta was prepared in a coal oven with old, stale bread drenched in olive oil with garlic rubbed on for extra flavor. The original bruschetta had no tomatoes.
  
  

Food for the Poor

• Bruschetta was originally a food for the poor; old, stale bread was covered in olive oil to cover up the taste. This snack would fill the belly of any hungry Italian farmer in the fields. However, over the years bruschetta has become a delicacy; a luxury rather than a necessity.
  
  

Purpose of Bruschetta

• After it was adopted by the rich, the role of bruschetta changed. During the olive harvest, farmers would spread their fresh olive oil onto bread for sampling, proving the worth of the harvest. It was less about the combination of bread, olive oil and garlic; bruschetta was an outlet to show the value of olive oil.