As we do here in the States, Italian cooks feature the bounty of the seasonal harvest in their dishes. During the summer, Italian cuisine will reflect the abundance of eggplant, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, berries, almonds, apricots, figs, and plums, just to name a few. Eggplant will frequently replace meat in dishes as it is very versatile. It can be roasted, grilled, fried, or sautéed. It can be served room temperature or cold. Eating lighter dishes and foods that don’t require spending a lot of time in the kitchen are the key to surviving the Italian summer. Zucchini is served from […]
Orlando Restaurant
The Differences in American and Italian Life
When considering the differences in American and Italian lifestyles, the first noteworthy and openly observable trait is the passion for life that is expressed throughout Italy. Within that fervor is a sincere passion for everything! What’s most interesting is that Italians tend not to keep their feelings a secret. Italians are well known for their ability to be expressive and emotional – they don’t keep things bottled up. Italians tend to take things in stride and to be more accepting. They tend to have a “live and let live” approach. Don’t get the wrong idea; it’s not that Americans aren’t […]
Formaggio Fabuloso!
With well over 80 cheeses currently being produced throughout Italy, it is no surprise that cheese is considered an integral part of many Italian dishes and a perfect accompaniment of many more. How did cheese come to be such an important component of Italian cuisine? To understand the answer to this question requires us to go back to the actual origins of cheesemaking. The history of cheesemaking dates back to about 3,000 years ago and can be traced throughout the history of various cultures around the globe; however, it is the Ancient Romans who are credited with perfecting the aging […]
Five Italian Food Rules Foreigners Need to Know
While visiting Italy, there are five food rules that you, as an American traveler, should be aware of. Learning them may help you to navigate the ins and outs of the local ristorantes and trattorias. While the odds of you remaining anonymous as a tourist are slim, sticking to these rules may help to better your odds from being identified as “one of those” tourists. Don’t Americanize your breakfast. In Italy, there’s a right way to do breakfast, and there’s a wrong way. When ordering, it’s important to keep in mind that eggs and bacon are an uncommon food to […]
Cooking & Serving Practices NOT To Use When Serving Italian
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 […]
