Italian cuisine has had a very big influence on food culture around the world. Some of the most famous parts of Italian meals are wine, cheese and pasta. Many people use Italian cuisine in everyday preparation for their families in many different countries and it also considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

Although our cuisine tends to be “copied”, there are many fun facts about Italian cooking that are unknown around the world - here are some:

• Italians don’t eat spaghetti and meatballs in one dish! The average Italian meal is divided into two courses. The first course consists of pasta or soup, while the second course consists of meat or fish with salad or vegetables.
• There are more than 600 shapes of pasta made world-wide!
• The essential ingredients in Italian food include: olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan cheese, capers, tomatoes, sausage and pasta, however, tomatoes were not used in Italian dishes until the 1700s!
• Italians only drink “milky coffee” such as cappuccinos and lattes for breakfast. This is the only time of the day they drink “milky coffee”.
• Raffaele Esposito, a Napolitan pizza maker, created the original “Margherita pizza” which was garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to represent the national colors of Italy. He created it for the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy!
• The average person in Italy eats over 100 kilos of pasta every year, while the average person in North America eats 30 kilos of pasta a year.

For Italians, food isn’t only considered as nourishment, it is seen as life. It is often the center of family gatherings and meetings with friends.

Each region in Italy prides in eating and preparing food that differ from one another.  Each region has its own specialties; for example, in the North of Italy, fish, potatoes, rice, sausages, pork and many types of cheese are very common ingredients. There are many kinds of stuffed pasta dishes, polenta and risotto. Spaghetti and pizza originate in the central regions of Italy. In the South of Italy, tomatoes dominate dishes and can either be served fresh or in sauces.

Wine is also a very big part of Italian culture and many of the world’s most famous vineyards are located in Italy. Grapes are grown in almost every region of the country and there are more than one million vineyards under cultivation.

Glossary

Italian cuisine:  cucina italiana

healthiest:  il più salutare

although: nonostante

meatballs: polpette

first course: primo piatto

second course: secondo piatto

shapes : forme

garlic: aglio

lattes: caffè latte

garnished : guarnita

average person :  la persona media

nourishment: nutrimento

family gatherings: incontri di famiglia

prides: avere un senso di orgoglio

pork: carne suina

stuffed: ripieno

vineyards: vigne

are grown: vengono coltivati