 |
Italian Traditional Food
Author: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos  | Posted: 02-06-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 103 | Rating: (53)  (?) 
Italian traditional food is known for its wonderful recipes and wines, but often an important side of it is hidden or even unseen.
This side is what eating means for Italians. It's not just eating, it means much more.
If you happen in a major Italian city you may find some shops with continued opening time. But the most close from 1 to 4.30pm. Italians do stop for lunch.
Life has changed in Italy too, not allowing everyone to go home for lunch and maybe take even a rest. But most public offices close at 2.00pm and the ones that work from 9 to 5 have lunch time, where people go to restaurants and have a real meal.
I went to meet a friend who works in a bank office in Rome and we had lunch together. She suggested a small familiar restaurant (trattoria) where I ate wonderful potato gnocchi and unforgettable artichokes with potatoes. A real lunch, that is maybe served in luxury Italian restaurants abroad, eaten during a lunch break from job.
This idea lead to another interesting fact about restaurants in Italy and Italian restaurants abroad.
Usually, the Italian restaurants abroad are good and sometimes luxury restaurants. Very well decorated and often a very pleasant environment, many times tied to society fashions.
In Italy, the luxury and the "environment" are secondary. Often an Italian friend takes you to a very good restaurant, and it looks too poorly decorated. Don't worry, he cares about you, because...you eat wonderful food, and that's the important thing for your friend.
He does not think about taking you to a fashionable place where food is not good. He would fail towards you, and for an Italian, it hurts.
There are so many restaurants in Italy that are square spoiled rooms that are really not inviting...but their food is wonderful. They just don't consider the decoration, but what you're going to eat.
In Italy go out to have dinner is also a social program, as all around the world. But what you eat has a stronger role in the whole evening.
Among other cultures, the food may be medium, and people talk about other things and have a good evening.
In Italy, may be the most enjoyable people, but if the food is not good, they will feel like the evening was a little bit wasted for that. They will talk about it, comment it, showing that the food isn't merely part of the evening, but quite the main attraction.
Another side of tradition concerning Italian food regards eating at certain times, following a established order in eating (never eat a meat dish before the pasta one, for example), and some other small but present rules.
Concerning time, Italians have lunch from 1.00pm to 2.00pm. Most restaurants close at 2.30 pm. It's frustrating for a tourist visiting Rome, for example, to find the restaurant closed at 3pm.
Now some restaurants are offering different scheduled times, but these are the tourist restaurants, not the good ones. These keep pasta cooked and re-warm it. It's better not to trust them if you desire a good Italian homemade dish.
A traditional Italian meal begins with the antipasto (which means before the meal). Usually it's "from land"(di terra) or "from sea" (di mare). Those from land are usually Italian cold cuts, olives, cheese and so on. Those from sea are seafood salad and similar.
After the antipasto comes the first dish, that can be pasta, soup or rice (risotto). After then there's the second, when you can choose between meat and fish. It's necessary to add a side, because in Italy they are not included. If you ask for a steak, it will come by itself, with no French fries or salad.
After that, you can eat fruit and a dessert. Then a good coffee and a liquor called "ammazza caffè" (kill the coffee). It can vary between many choices, being the more used nowadays the lemon liquor (limoncello) and grappa.
At this point, your Italian friend looks satisfied. He will probably rest his shoulders on the back of the chair and take a long breath. After a perfect meal, these few minutes just enjoying it all are surely needed.
Rate this Article:
Current: 4 / 5 stars - 1 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/italian-traditional-food-435850.html
 About the Author:Ana Maria da Costa, economist and enogastronomic expert, lives in Italy since 1983 and shows Italian food culture from the inside, with tips and useful info in her website All About Italian Food
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means to drive traffic to your website and promote yourself and your business. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Related Articles
See Naples and die..!
By: Juliana | 18/02/2006 | Travel
There is a saying in Italy that goes 'vedi Napoli e poi muori'. Translated, this means 'see Naples and die'. The actual meaning of this refers to being overwhelmed by what a beautiful and an incredible city Naples is....
Italian Food and Quality
By: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos | 23/04/2008 | Food & Beverage
The traditional products may loose their characteristics and special taste if nothing is done to preserve it. The quality has to be protected through quality brands.
Why Organic Food is Must for Humans
By: Russ Snapper | 11/11/2008 | Cooking Tips
The increasing awareness among the people about the diseases occurring due to the lingering effect of chemicals has made them to adopt organic food consumption. This article discusses why organic food is essential for disease-free life.
Greek Italy - Una Faccia Una Razza
By: Juliana | 18/02/2006 | Travel
Southern Italy was a centre of Greek culture, music, and language for hundreds of years. Today...
Italian Foods and Eating Style
By: Sunita Kaushal | 24/06/2008 | Cooking Tips
When it comes to talking about Italy, food is everything - sitting around a table after a long day working or at the beach, it is food that brings the family together. Discussions about life, family matters, Italian politics and the world as a whole are quite popular during meal times when extended families sit for hours.
Italian London
By: Juliana | 18/02/2006 | Travel
Italians have been coming to live in London for hundreds of years, including Canaletto...
Szechuan, China Sichuan Cuisine
By: Sunita Kaushal | 24/06/2008 | Cooking Tips
Sichuan Cuisine, known more commonly in the West as “Szechuan,” is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world. Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavors, Sichuan cuisine, with a myriad of tastes, emphasizes the use of chili. Pepper and prickly ash are always in accompaniment, producing the typical exciting tastes.
Food of Italy...Buon Appetito!
By: Juliana | 18/02/2006 | Travel
The pleasures and love of Italian cuisine are known the world over. Italian cookery and recipes vary from region to region, and....
Latest Food and Beverage Articles
New York Raw Food Restaurants
By: virgilio vallecera | 18/11/2008
New York raw food restaurants are attracting attention, as more people desire healthier diets and lifestyles. New York City consistently serves some of the best raw food cuisine in the world, and proudly hosts 10 raw food restaurantsincluding 3 vegetarian restaurants that are partially raw. The Big Apple is known for its diversity of cuisine and raw food restaurants provide a healthy and delicious alternative.
Widen Your Customer Reach With Online Food Ordering System
By: Shefali Dhamija | 18/11/2008
For proper proliferation of any business, it is quite essential to have a wider customer database. Businesses often follow various strategies to increase their customer reach. Online Food Ordering System is one such strategy which is designed for the restaurateurs who are looking forward to broaden their customer database.
Life as a Chef!
By: Deb Brown | 17/11/2008
To help people to decide if they want to be chef.
What to Expect From a Cheap New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
Cheap does not necessarily mean a bad thing especially when we are talking about a New York hotel. You will just have to be extra careful because some establishments abuse the word cheap and they would offer horrendous services. A stay in a New York hotel need not be expensive and while you may want to spend a little on it, you can still get at least the basic accommodations and necessities anybody would expect.
Chic Boutique Hotel Rooms in New York
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
These visitors may have a lot less budget for vacation but they are most deserving for a decent stay in the Big Apple. They would need chic and comfortable New York hotel rooms regardless of the size and shape. However, with the country’s dollar rates going down and the sales demand of hotels in New York City going up, these desires would be very difficult to attain. Of course, that’s true if we can’t help…
How to Choose the Right New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
New York City is like the melting pot of the world. It is probably the only place on Earth where you can find every nationality. It is also a melting pot of cultures brought about by the migration of the early part of the 20th century. Some say that this migration is not yet finished because year in and year out there are still many people coming to New York. Well, you may not be migrating to New York City but if you are planning to visit it one day, you should probably think about a few importa
How to Find a Cheap New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
Your first stop for information in finding a New York hotel would be your travel agency. With all probability, they have a list of partner hotels where they can recommend you and perhaps even easily book a good and cozy room for you. Ask for it outright when you first deal with them about your travel plans. I'm sure they would just be very happy to help you out.
Visit the Sights After You Have Found Your Perfect New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
New York City is the largest city in the United States and by far, the home of world famous tourist attractions. Just think about the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Central Park just to name a few. These are just a few of the reasons why millions of tourists visit the city annually. Therefore it is considered a sin if you just stay in your New York hotel room and don't go out to see the wonderful things the Big Apple can offer you.
More from Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos
The Mediterranean Diet
By: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos | 21/10/2008 | Cooking Tips
The Mediterranean food model is a program in which some typical food (olive oil, pasta, bread and legume, vegetables and fresh fruit, wine) are wisely matched with proper animal products quantities (meat, specially the white ones, fish, dairy products and eggs).
Three Easy Pasta Recipes
By: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos | 21/10/2008 | Recipes
Pasta is a healthy meal that can be prepared in few minutes and please most. These three quick recipes are tasty, easy to do and complete as a meal.
Italian Salami, Prosciutto and Mortadella
By: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos | 08/06/2008 | Cooking Tips
Italian salami is one of the most known Italian cold cuts, other than Italian prosciutto and mortadella. These tasty specialties are commonly used by Italian people in their daily diet.
Lasagna Recipes
By: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos | 03/05/2008 | Recipes
The lasagna recipes can vary from traditional lasagna recipes to veggie recipes including pesto or grilled eggplant
Italian Food and Quality
By: Ana Maria Da Costa Vasconcellos | 23/04/2008 | Food & Beverage
The traditional products may loose their characteristics and special taste if nothing is done to preserve it. The quality has to be protected through quality brands.
|
|
Food & Beverage 
