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 […]
Fine Dining Blog
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 […]
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 […]
