Introduction to Italian Food

In 100 BC the Roman poet Horace commented that Italy was almost one big orchard, as the climate is very well suited to fruit trees such as pears, plums, apricots peaches and so on. It is also good for nuts and vegetables such as the globe artichoke and cardoon and the aubergine, which is actually a fruit like the tomato, and tomatoes grow very well in Italy especially in the southern region of Calabria. Italian cuisine is based on fresh produce which is seasonal and is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world, being as it is one of the homes of the Mediterranean diet.

When people think of Italian food some go no further than the ubiquitous pizza and pasta, and while these are very good they are not what regional Italian cooking is all about. Pasta is certainly a staple, and there is nothing better than ravioli stuffed with seasonal vegetables or seafood. Italians are lovers of this type of food and excel when it comes to dishes with baby clams, octopus, and squid, as well as fish of course.

The Parma hams that hang in many kitchens come into play when guests arrive unexpectedly and these can be sliced at a moments notice, and with buffalo mozzarella and a few slices of tomato and fresh bread, make an ideal light lunch when a little Italian olive oil is added. We can easily buy Mortadella but this is not considered the best of Italian meat products, a good salami is hard to beat, and the pastrami is wonderful too.

Italian cooking relies on the use of fresh ingredients and herbs rather than spices, and basil with tomato sauce, might be one of the simplest dishes to make, but is hard to beat with a plate of spaghetti. Pesto of course is an Italian dish, a mixture of fresh basil and pine nuts with olive oil, making a delightful summer dish.

In winter risottos are made with Italian wine or champagne flavoured with truffles and other wild mushrooms. There are mushroom and truffle festivals as well as festivals for all other kinds of produce, including the tomato. Wild boar is often available with its rich gamey flavour nicely tamed with a red wine sauce, and other game is sought-after in winter particularly.

These food festivals are a must to attend if you are holidaying in Italy as you get the best of the region's cooking and the atmosphere is a real holiday one, and you will experience a truly gastronomic delight.

On Saint Martin's Day in November there are roasted chestnuts, roast goose and some regions have special platters of cold cooked meats and cheeses with different preserves which compliment these platters extremely well.

If the thought of eating copious amounts of spaghetti and getting this neatly onto your fork has deterred you from trying Italian cuisine, don't delay any longer- spaghetti is not compulsory, and other types of pasta such as ravioli are readily available. Farfalle is good as it is as easy to eat as macaroni, and so are the large stuffed pasta shells, which you can easily manage.

So why not try out some real Italian cooking either by going on holiday to Italy or going to your local Italian restaurant which has authentic Italian cuisine?

Posted in: Introduction,Italian