“In Italy, they add food and wine to life”. There is much truth to these words, as anyone who has visited the peninsula can attest. Food and wine are integral to the Italian culture and great importance is placed on the social aspects of eating and drinking; food and wine are more than just sustenance; they enrich and enhance the quality of life.
It must be noted that Itay’s drinking culture is entirely intertwined with its eating culture, a drink must enhance the food it is paired with. Also intertwined with drinking is the brindisi (the toast) that is rich with history, tradition and even superstition.
The term “brindisi” derives from the Spanish “brindis” which is actually taken from the German “bring dir’s” which means “I bring the glass to you”. The popular toast of “Cin Cin” in Italian on the other hand, is of Chinese origin, stemming from the term “ch’ing ch’ing” recalling the sound made by clinking glasses. European sailors who visited the British merchant port of Canton brought back the curious toast and made it popular.
The acts and traditions surrounding the toast have evolved over time. In the Babylonian era, it was common practice to raise glasses towards the sky as a sign of devotion and gratitude to the gods. With the ancient Romans came the transition from paying homage to the gods, to honouring well-known public figures. With the advent of Christianity, the toast had a liturgical attribution with the rite of the chalice filled with wine as the blood of Christ. Despite the change in reverence, the brindisi remains an act of unity and honour, and toasting is linked to values of sharing, friendship, gratitude and health.
Beyond its etymology and history, the act of toasting carries with it a certain etiquette along with many beliefs and superstitions. Toasting etiquette involves raising a glass, making a brief, sincere toast, and making eye contact with those being toasted, while avoiding clinking glasses or tapping them with cutlery. It is imperative that you wait for everyone to have a drink in hand before raising your glass in cheer. Other faux pas to avoid include toasting with an empty glass, it’s considered bad luck; and if a person who is present is being toasted, they should not drink a toast to themselves (it is considered arrogant). Instead, they should simply raise their glass to acknowledge the toast. When toasting an honoree, your glass should be at shoulder height in front of you, eye contact must be made with the honoree and others, and a gentle gesture toward the honoree is made.
The custom of looking into each other’s eyes during the meeting of glasses is one that dates back to the medieval era, to ward off unwanted poisonings. Someone wishing to poison another would never look into the eyes of their companion. There is also a strong superstition in several European countries that eye contact must be maintained during the toast as failure to do so can result in seven years of bad sex (though with wine being considered the elixir of the enamored, I’m not sure how much that one holds up).
In many cultures, including the Italian culture, it is considered unlucky to toast with water. This belief is twofold. It originates from the idea that the dead in the underworld drank from the River Lethe or the river of forgetfulness to forget their past lives and be reincarnated; therefore, toasting with water was only for honoring the dead. Making a toast to the living with water is essentially wishing death upon them or yourself. The second is part of naval superstition. Those in the Royal Navy believe that a toast with water is said to bring a watery grave to its honoree.
Lastly, is the custom of bringing the glass back, after the toast. It is first set down on the table and then brought back to the mouth. This act is a virtuous one, done to pay homage to whoever made it possible to drink that glass, for example the winemaker who produced the wine being drunk. It is also a gesture that represents good luck for the future.
Whether you choose to believe in these practices and superstitions, it can only be auspicious to brindiamo alla salute (toast to health) and remember that every glass raised in cheer is a moment to remember. Cin Cin e Buon Appetito!
