In response to Marsha's statement on Italian breads often lacking
salt, there is a very interesting story behind their being salt
less. In Umbria and Tuscany (regions of current Italy) salt is left
out of most breads traditionally. It has nothing to do with how it
is eaten or with what foods. Rather the salt was left out in protest
of the taxation of salt by the Pope (one of the "Urbans" but I cannot
remember now which one). There was a very stiff tax on salt. The
tax was collected to reduce the debt of the Vatican which at the time
was involved in wars. So you see, the lack of salt was sort of like
our Boston Tea Party. It was an early form of tax protest. I
learned this while taking cooking lessons in Umbria a few years ago.
--James
[[ Editor's note: Fascinating book on the history of salt: _Salt: A
World History_ by Mark Kurlansky, ISBN 978-0142001615 ]]