Many people have the common idea that Italian cuisine is simply a combination of spaghetti, lasagna minestrone and pizza! However, if you have, or ever do visit Italy, you will quickly realize that Italians are not limited to those types of food, not in the slightest! The Italians have a very innovative style of cooking and use various different foods in ways you may not imagine. Although there are many dishes that may be considered to be ‘Italian’, there are various different regions that have different types of foods and dishes. Much of the Italian cuisine changes every season, as they have great respect for natural, fresh ingredients to be used to ultimately create an amazing dish.
Italian Cooking in the South:
The cuisine of the South of Italy is very different to other regions of Italy. The people living in the southern regions eat much more fish in their diet, and in general produce much lighter and healthier food. The people in these regions use virgin oil in many of their dishes, and along with other healthy beneficial foods, are considered to be some of the healthiest people in the world.
Cuisine from Northern Italy:
Many Americans are familiar with Northern Italians cuisine, where lots of cheese and rich white sauces are incorporated into their dishes. These make for wonderful pastas and lasagnas which are also very popular dishes within the US. Although Americans may be familiar with some of the foods from the Northern region, many of the ingredients, cooking and preparation methods and taste are very much unique to anywhere else in the world. The north of Italy is most famous for its Venetian masks so you can only imagine how inventive the local cuisine can be!
Italian cuisine is complex, rich and complicated to prepare to a high standard, and use a much wider range of ingredients to those typically associated ones such as spaghetti and meatballs! Italians put various different spices in their dishes, all of which are natural forms and are used in a perfect way to help produce the perfect tasting dish.
Seasonal Dishes:
The type of food that is cooked up traditionally often depends on what season it is. When certain ingredients are in season, Italians are subject to making the most of them, whilst using other when they are in season too. This means depending on what time of year you may visit will sometimes depend on the food you are presented with should you be dining in a restaurant or Italian family. Much of the meats, pasta and sauces already have very fresh flavours to them, so Italians may add a touch more of certain spices to tailor the taste to the way they like it. Northern Italians are often considered to use more spices in their food as opposed to those who live in the South of Italy.
Regional Differences:
There are 19 regions in Italy, meaning there is no standard dish for everyone. Every single region has its own style of cooking, its own range of ingredients and its own range of local produce that is used to cook with. Although many different regions are more suited to different types of dishes, you will generally find that you will be able to find something Italian that is from other regions no matter where you go, so you will never be stuck for some beautiful food.
No matter when or where you go in Italy, you are guaranteed to enjoy some wonderful cuisine. It is often recommended that you should go with an open mind, not being afraid of trying new things!
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