When the weather starts to warm and we begin to spend more time outdoors in the heat, our bodies naturally start to crave lighter and fresher foods. We don’t need to be comforted by heavy soups, stews, or sauce covered pastas. The same is true for folks all around the world, and in Italy the summer is a time of great celebration of the harvest of the freshest fruits, vegetables, and the bounty of the seas. This is part of the reasons the fine dining Orlando experts at Christini’s is featuring a delicious summer menu. Leggero, which means “light” in […]
Fine Dining Blog
The History of Italian Desserts
Rumor has it that Italian ice was accidentally discovered by Nero sometime before the burning of Rome. It’s an amusing thought. Adding fruit juice and possibly spices to water prior to freezing is what sets Italian ice apart from its brother the snow cone. Regardless of its origins, there is nothing quite a refreshing as a fruit-flavored Italian ice to cool down a hot summer day. Italian desserts are some of the finest, most creative in the world. The availability of sugar was sparse in Ancient Rome and those who had a sweet tooth found satisfaction in dishes flavored with […]
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 […]
