| The pleasures and love of Italian cuisine are known | | | | life. Not only in the language and music, but also in the |
| the world over. Italian cookery and recipes vary from | | | | cookery. |
| region to region, and on the whole it is very healthy | | | | Some original and unique types of ingredients and |
| and nutritious, using natural ingredients that are in | | | | cooking originated from the North; Balsamic vinegar |
| season. | | | | (Modena), pesto (Liguria), and tortellini (Bologna) to |
| Most traditonal and 'speciality' dishes as we know | | | | name but a few! Other food characteristically eaten |
| today, are on the whole derived from simple peasant | | | | in the North is Polenta, that can be eaten in many |
| cookery, for example the Pizza, which could be found | | | | different ways, e.g fried and even in a polenta cake. |
| a couple of centuries ago on the streets of Naples | | | | Dishes in the North tend to be a bit 'heavier' than |
| being sold by street vendors to those that had no | | | | that in the South, (think the ingredients used for |
| cooking facilities of their own at home. | | | | Spaghetti Carbonara compared to the classic healthier |
| Although there are essential ingredients that every | | | | and lighter tomato sauces of the South!) |
| Italian kitchen should have, (including basil, garlic and | | | | Central Italy is very diverse, and such regions as |
| olive oil!), the most important ingredients are passion | | | | Rome, Florence and have little in common. Some |
| and creativity. | | | | examples to be found all around central Italy are |
| Italians take great pride and pleasure in their food, | | | | Porchetta (pig stuffed with rosemary and fennel), |
| and cooking and eating habits can vary from region | | | | pork, lamb, black truffles and porcini mushrooms. |
| to region, even from village to village. Each place has | | | | Cuisine in the South is characterized by the |
| their own unique dishes and ingredients, and even the | | | | abundance use of fish, aubergines, peppers, olives, |
| traditional dishes that are so popular all over Italy are | | | | the spicy ingredient pepperoncino, and first and |
| cooked in different ways depending which region you | | | | foremost the tomato, which has a huge industry in |
| go to. For example, if you eat a lasagne from Naples, | | | | Naples. In the Naples and Campania regions, there is |
| it doesn't have the bechamel sauce as you would | | | | some Spanish and French influence to be found in the |
| expect in the more traditional lasagne. It also has | | | | cookery. Pizza and pasta are especially popular and |
| small meatballs (or polpette)as oppposed to mince, | | | | traditional, the Pizza Margherita having been born in |
| and also salami and eggs. | | | | Naples. In Apulia, they have a diet rich in fish (mussels |
| The different regional cooking depends on a number | | | | and oysters being a speciality)and vegetables. The |
| of factors, not only as to what ingredients are most | | | | orecchiette (little ears)pasta is also from Apulia. |
| abundant each region, but also historical factors. | | | | Although the cuisine varies greatly all over Italy, there |
| Naples, for example, was founded by the Greeks, | | | | is one thing you can be sure of, and that is enjoying |
| and this had some influence on the Neapolitan way of | | | | your food! Buon Appetito! |