Italy/Italia

Herbs and SpicesSmell and/or taste the following herbs

Oregano Parsley Basil Sage Thyme Rosemary

What are some characteristics that these herbs share?

What are 2 ways each herb is used?

Meals

Family life is very important to Italians. Suppers are generally very long and revolve around a big family table.

Italians rarely eat at restaurants and usually go for a stroll after meals.

Sundays are often spent at a relatives home, usually the grandparents.

Sunday Lunches

Usually starts between 12 and 1 pm and can go all day

It’s the main time to bring family together and all courses are required on a Sunday lunch.

Even the poorest of families would save their meat to have a full Sunday lunch.

The Food OrderAppetizer

Antipasti – any sort of finger food including cheese, pickles, charcuterie

Main – usually split in two – Primi and Secondi Primo (first course)- pasta, risotto or a soup like

minestrone Secondo (second course) –based on meat or

fish

Salads are then served after the main

Dolce/Dessert - Some sort of cheese platter followed by espresso and a digestif (limoncello)

Pasta Etiquette - Spaghetiquette

Pasta is NEVER a side dish and therefore should not be put next to your steak.

Every shape of pasta is good for some sauces: olive sauce is great for penne or rigatoni, but doesn’t match spaghetti which is perfect with shellfish.

Spaghetti should never be cut. Instead, learn the basic skill of twirling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT7Ed3Xj7Io

Ketchup is not a sauce, especially a pasta sauce!

Never overcook pasta, make sure it’s al dente.

More Food EtiquetteFor Italians coffee means espresso other kinds of

coffee are not permitted.

Cappuccino is strictly for breakfast or afternoon break but totally forbidden during meals!

Take away coffee is a no no! Italians would never drink cappuccino walking in the street

Never add parmesan to a fish-based dish.

Olive oil, vinegar, lemon and salt are the ONLY ingredients for dressing salads

During a meal, only wine and water are admitted (sodas and beer are ok if you are having pizza).

Italian FestivalsMost of Italy’s festivals are wrapped in Catholicism.

E.g. Pasquetta (Easter Monday)

They acknowledge many Saint Days and many Italian towns and villages celebrate the feast day of their santo patrono (patron saint) E.g. The town of Loria’s patron saint is Bartolomeo (Saint of tanners)

November 1, Ognissanti (All Saints Day), a religious holiday during which Italians typically bring flowers to the graves of their deceased relatives

April 25 is the Festa della Liberazione (Liberation Day), an annual national holiday commemorating the 1945 liberation ending World War II in Italy.

Foods Grown in Italy

olives,

grapes,

sugar beets

corn,

Tomatoes

citrus fruits

Italian Dishes

A few Italian Cheeses! Yum

Asiago

Fontina

Gorgonzola

Mascarpone

Mozzarella

Parmigiano Reggiano

Pecorino

Provolone

Ricotta

Making olive oil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aieNV3V4b_s

Foods – North

hot soups like minestrone

Leafy vegetables like radicchio

based on dishes which are rich in fat.

Cheese, truffle, polenta, risotto and game are the star of the kitchen

Potatoes are also used a lot

Food - South

Typically Mediterranean

People cook fish a lot, shellfish are used a lot with pasta and pizza.

While in the North and Center pizza is extremely thin, in Naples it is pretty thick by Italian standard, but still thin compared to American standard. Many wood oven pizzerie are now coming to the US and all feature the Neapolitan version of pizza.

Mozzarella and other typical dairy products are considered the specialities of this area. Dishes always have a beautiful smell, thanks to spices and seasoning like basil, oregano and citrus fruits. While in the North soft cheeses like stracchino are popular, the south is proud of its Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (Buffalo Mozzarella)

Geography