Explore the delightful cuisine of Italy
The traditional Italian cuisine consists us a base of wheat products (breads and pastas), vegetables, chesses and meats, usually prepared in a way to keep their original goodness and taste. The cuisine tends to differ largely from region to region, like for instance the mountainous regions have dishes rich in protein, they prefer meat, rich cheeses and butter, whereas the seaside regions prefer vegetables and seafood.
Italian cuisine can include a great variety of goods such as, pasta, rice, tomatoes, cheese, vegetables, fish and eggs. Spices that are usually used in traditional Italian dishes are, pepper, oregano, basil, peppermint and red peppers.
Most people think of Italy's cuisine as mainly pasta or pizza, but that is in fact not totally true. Italy has many delicious varieties of tasty food to offer besides pizza and pasta. However if you are a lover of pizza and pasta, there is no better place in the world to enjoy them.
Some favourite traditional Italian dishes include, Lasagne (a classic oven baked dish, traditionally prepared from meat and strong tomato flavoured sauce, layered between sheets of pasta, and covered with a bechamel sauce and cheese, usually mozzarella or cheddar), Risotto (An Italian rice dish, generally the rice is slowly cooked in stock, and some other ingridients are often added, such as, white wine, onoins, mushrooms and garlic for variety. Risotto is usually sprinkled with mozarella cheese.).
Another traditional favourite is Focaccia, a flat leavened bread, topped with olive oil, liberal amounts of garlic, sundried tomatoes, peppers and mozarella cheese. Focaccia is very tasty, and is usually enjoyed as either a starter or together with your main meal. It also makes out as a marvelous vegetarian dish with some baked vegetables.
The Italians love drinking wine, and with good reason too. Italy is not only the land that produces and exports the most wine in the world, but it also offers the greatest variety of types ranging through nearly every color, flavor and style imaginable.
In Italy, elbows are kept off the table, bread is placed on the tablecloth, the fork is held in the left hand, pasta is not eaten with a spoon, and most fruit is peeled with a knife.
