Glorious Italian Food

Italy is known worldwide for its food that is appetizing to the palate. Italian food is renowned for its balance of nutrients & fresh ingredients. With the inventiveness of Italy's chefs, each meal, while simply cooked, becomes rich with a variety of flavors that gourmets find delightful.

Italian breakfast or colazione is usually a light meal of cappucino or espresso-style coffee and a sweet pastry or brioche. Pranzo or lunch usually consists of a starter or antipasto, a primo piatto pasta, soup or rice, a secondo piatto of meat and fish with salad or contorna and fresh fruits. Espresso, grappa or amaro (liquer) may top off the meal. The menu for dinner or cena is similar to the options for lunch.

Italy is known for its pizza which is a twist on traditional bread. The first pizza originates in Naples which was made with bread dough, tomato and mozzarella; thus it was called the Neapolitana pizza. The pizza Margherita was named after the Queen Margherita. During a visit to Naples, the queen was offered a pizza that was made with tomato sauce, mozzarella and oregano to symbolize the Italian flag. Needless to say, the Queen loved her pizza!

Aside from the pizza, Italy is also known for its pasta. The are many varieties to choose from such as lasagna, fettucini, macaroni, tortellini and of, course, spaghetti. There choices of sauces and toppings to pair with the pasta are endless! The more popularly known are pesto, marinara, bolognese and carbonara.

Italy is also a wine-growing country. The soil, climate and traditions of Italy make it beneficial, a natural place for producing great wines in large quantities. A sizable part of the Italian populace contributes to the wine-making industry. Wines in Italy are different in every region and every vineyard. There are apertifs, dessert wines and sparkling wines.

And yet wine is not the only drink that Italy is known for. Your local cafe most likely uses terms coined by Italians to describe their coffee. While coffee was not invented in Italy, the coffee culture we know today has its origins in this country. Italians are very picky with their coffee and may even opt to go to a favorite cafe or bar than to have the drink at the same restaurant where they have their meals

There are many places to eat in Italy such as fancy, formal, and usually family-run ristoranti or restaurants. The less formal are trattoria or osteria where you can find the local specialties. For quick meals, there are paninerias or sandwich bars, and, of course, the pizzerias.