THe Regional Cuisine of Italy
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The Regional Cuisine of Italy Think About It: When you think of Italian food, what dishes come to mind? Fact: Depending on where you live in Italy, somebody from the south not be familiar with an item found up north and vice versa. For example, pizza is more popular in the south of Italy as risotto is more popular in the north. Centrally, there is a “blend” of lots of ingredients but around Rome is where you will find a lot of pasta specialties. Interesting History: -In the north of Italy, there are more industrial factories and cows. Therefore, a lot of products made consist of dairy and meat. That is why a lot of cream-based dishes are from northern Italy. If you’ve ever heard of Prosciutto di San Daniele, that comes from the north! Same with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. -In the south of Italy, the locals rely more on seafood and olive oil. Hence, vegetable driven dishes and lots of grilling and light cooking methods. These dishes tend to be lighter and not as heavy. -If you ever want to visit Italy and try excellent regional food, Bologna is the best place in my opinion. Tortellini Bolognese is a classic dish that everyone should try! -Whenever you see “di” in an Italian dish, that usually means the term “from” as in the location it was made in or grown in. Countries That Have Influenced Italy: -Germany (meat & dairy up north) -Greece (seafood & olives down south) -Middle East (Sicilian cuisine where you’ll find a lot of chickpeas and eggplant like in Arabic culture) Q&A: ● -Why is Italian food so popular? ● -How is the food different in Italy than Italian food found here in the USA? ● -What are the regional foods of Italy? ● -What is the ideal foundation for a quality ingredient grown/produced in Italy? ● -Where should I visit if going to Italy to experience food and wine? .