Some basics of Italian food culture you should to know

Everyone knows that food in Italy is out of this world because it’s well-made, rich in flavor and has a lot of variety. Italian food has a large tapestry of history and trends: in this article, we explore some of the key aspects of the Italian food culture.

The perfect Italian breakfast

Breakfast in Italy is a refreshingly modest affair in comparison to other meals. The typical Italian breakfast runs along the lines of a coffee (such as caffé latte or cappuccino), bread rolls, cookies and pastries. Other popular choices include fruit salad, yoghurt and muesli. Some of these snacks are often eaten later in the morning as a snack. The main reason that breakfast tends to be on the lighter side is because Italians need to save their appetites for the main meal of the day: lunch!

Only fresh foods, please

When it comes to buying food in Italy, it’s a common trend to choose local markets and stores as opposed to larger-scale supermarkets. The big advantage of the market is that it offers home-grown and fresh produce that’s both healthy and delicious in equal measure.

Italian gelato vs Ice-cream

Do you know the difference between Italian Ice-cream or Gelato and the “common” Ice-cream? In Italy, the word “Gelato” means “frozen” and it used to describe any type of sweet iced confection. True Italian Ice Cream is made with raw and high quality ingredients: the best bases, made with natural and non-chemical ingredients, fresh fruits and nut purees, fresh cream and  milk and natural sugars. And if that’s not enough of a difference, there is also a difference between Gelato and Sorbetto. For more info on it, you can read, “The science of sorbet: the frozen dessert.”

Sauce is Queen

The most common way to eat pasta is with a fork or a fork and knife or, of course, with a spoon and fork. But once upon a time, you could just eat pasta with your bare hands. Eating pasta without tomato sauce is like eating salad without lettuce. So, just one question remains: what kind of pasta shape should you choose today? And what kind of sauce? To know more, check out our infographic!

God bless the holidays

One of the great things about Italian food is that it gives the holidays a unique feeling. Christmas and Easter alone come with a selection of specially made foods: If you’d like some examples, read How to have an Italian Christmas meal and Easter lunch in Italy: special menu for your Italian Easter.

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