The Italian culinary has influenced the food culture all around the world and it is perceived by many people as a form of art. The Italian cuisine is renowned for its simplicity of having only two to four key ingredients for their dishes. The main emphasis that the Italian cooks place is on the quality of the ingredients rather on the preparation of the dish. As the Ingredients and dishes vary by every region in Italy. Several dishes that were once regional have mushroomed with different variations throughout the country. The ancient recipes of the Italian dishes came from the rural areas where people had to depend on the ingredients locally available to make their food.The most traditional dishes of  Italy are Cheese and Pasta which are the most important elements of most Italian meals.  Due to that, many Italian dishes are based on really simple ingredients like cheese, eggplant, olive oil and other items that they could easily access or could grow themselves. Basically, Italian cuisine is all about using superior quality ingredients and eloquent cooking technique. 

 For the Italians, cooking and sharing food is apprehend as a way of life, whether it is at home with family or in a fine-dining restaurant with friends or colleagues. Wherever the food is eaten, it’s always based upon the fresh, seasonal production of the ingredients which is the reason that it is difficult to express about “Italian food culture” as a single entity. As the Italian food varies largely by city, region and even village to village and according to the time of year because for every different festive and seasons they have a separate set of meals. When it’s about buying food in Italy, it’s a usual trend to select local markets and stores over larger-scale supermarkets. The benefit of buying from the local market is that it provides with home-grown and fresh products that is healthy and the dishes made with the fresh ingredients comes out delicious. In Italy, people prefer local market products more than the pre-packaged products from big super-stores. As Italians live with the mantra of simple is the best as a number of Italian dishes have come out from a very basic and humble beginnings. During the Middle Ages, the peasant dishes have stood the test of time and are still famous today.  One of the ancient food, Ribollita is a soup which was started from the peasant origins as it is a really simple yet delicious soup that was made by using the leftovers from the previous day. The  majority of the traditional Italian food made with the simple ingredients has resulted into a truly delicious culinary creation!

One of the great aspect about Italian food culture is its unique feel for the holiday seasons, let it be for Christmas or Easter days. It brings a variety of homemade foods, both savoury and sweet that surely entice the taste-buds. There are some of the traditional dishes which are prepared for the prosperous occasion of  Easter, one of which is Minestra di Pasqua. It’s a soup that includes ingredients such as beef, herbs and kale, it is a dish which is really popular in  the Naples. During Easter time, Agnello or lamb is cooked as a main course in Italy which is one of the most loved dish among the Italians. During the festive season of Christmas has some special dishes among which includes Panettone. It is a sweet bread loaf of dome shape with fruits along a mix of ingredients: lemon zest, candied orange and raisins. It is traditionally served during Christmas and New Year at breakfast or afternoon tea. Yet another popular fruit cake is Panforte which consists of honey, almonds, spices and nuts with a  topping of icing sugar. It is a delicious dessert which is so light yet healthy allowing you to have it to your heart’s content. 

On the other hand, the Italian meals would be incomplete without the presence of  Pasta dishes at Christmas. During the festive dinners, another type of pasta is also eaten  at dinners, Anolini, a stuffed pasta served in broth, vermicelli with mussels. It is considered as a tradition that during the Christmas Eve, the entire family reunites for the preparation of the anolini to have it on the following day which is a speciality of the Naples. 

The fact about the Italian cuisine is its well-made with fresh ingredients and regional recipes which are rich in taste and texture that will make you crave for more. As For the Italians, food is not just about the nourishment, it is life for them. Blog