If you were to close your eyes and try to envision a quaint little Italian restaurant, you would probably have conjured up a dimly lit place, red and white checked tablecloths, a chianti bottle topped with a candle, and a shaker of parmesan cheese on the table. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. When visiting Italy, you will never find a red and white checked tablecloth in a restaurant. Nor will you find a shaker of pre-grated parmesan cheese. There are many misnomers about serving an authentic Italian meal and we hope to clarify a few for […]
Orlando Restaurant
Wild Herbs in Traditional Italian Cooking
Spring and summer are eagerly awaited seasons by Italian home cooks and professional chefs alike. There is something special about savoring the flavors of the herbs that they have both grown and harvested from their own gardens, or have found freshly picked at that special farmers market. Whether it’s basil, oregano, thyme, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, etc., each herb adds its own depth of flavor to a kitchen creation. Frequently found on the hillsides and in the pastures of Italy, wild herbs and greens grow in abundance in the spring and summer. Most are unique to each region, but rest […]
Use Pasta Water for a Quick, and Flavorful Sauce
While it might appear to be a current trend, saving and using some of the water in which you have cooked your pasta is a traditional and authentic Italian cooking method. The gloriously salted water (remember the water should be as salty as the sea) along with the starch that has been absorbed by the water provides an excellent seasoned enhancement to whatever sauce you are preparing. The hot liquid provides body and flavor to your creation. If you find that your sauce base of vegetables and spices are sautéeing or browning too quickly, adding some of the pasta water […]
Celebrate Your Anniversary With Christini’s
It’s a week before your anniversary. You’re proud that you’ve remembered more than a few hours before the day but now you’re panicking. Maybe you outdid yourself last year and you’re not sure how to top it, or maybe you’ve arranged flop after flop over the past few years and really want to dazzle that special someone this time around. Well, we don’t know the details but we do know that anniversaries at Christini’s are second to none. Celebrate your anniversary in style with Christini’s and take advantage of all we have to offer to make this year’s affair one […]
Have Your Culture and Eat it Too
In Italy, food is synonymous with culture. Because food is such a vital aspect of Italian culture, can anyone really say that food has ever been a separate entity, a separate development apart from culture? Truthfully, the two are so intertwined that it is difficult to say which formed first. The best answer might be that they grew together, both contributing to each other’s development. It may be easy to see how culture grows flavors, tastes, traditions and creativity but how exactly does food grow culture? For Italians, eating is not simply the physical act of consuming to gain energy, […]
