Good food and wine resonate in Italian culture. When people travel to Italy, one of their main focuses is the amazing food and delicious wine Italy offers. Everywhere you go, you will be surrounded by the rich smell of Italian food and people enjoying their glass of wine. Italian food is not just about pasta, there are many tasty dishes that you need to enjoy. Bologna is famous for its exquisite cuisine. Every city in Italy is known for its different wines. The best wine region in Italy is Florence. Florence is home to Chianti wine. When it comes to food and wine, every city in Italy is unique and offers special dishes and wine. Food and wine are one of the most important and respected characteristics in Italian culture.
But, when people arrive in Italy they realize that their ideology was mistaken. Italy has various dishes for people to pick from that are not only pasta. Also, the way traditional meals are served is different from many cultures. In Italy, the main meal is lunch. Lunch typically consists of antipasto, primo, secondo, contorno and dolci.
Antipasti is like an appetizer; usually, it consists of cured meats, cheese, vegetables, and pate’s. Then we have primo, this is the first course. This course is lighter than the second course but heavier than an appetizer. The first course typically consists of pasta or soup. Then we have secondo, the second course. The main focus of the second course is the protein, so it’s usually meat, chicken, seafood or turkey. If you are vegetarian or vegan don’t worry, the main focus of your second course will be vegetables. Secondo does not come with a side dish, that’s why Italians include contorni. Contorni is the side dish. Contorni consists of vegetables (sauteed or grilled), a green salad or potatoes. The final part of the meal is dolci. Dolci is the desserts! Desserts in Italy consist of small pastries, cakes, soft cakes, and gelato.
Every region in Italy has amazing food!
he top three cities with the most appetizing food are Bologna, Rome, and Naples. Any foodie fanatic must make a stop at these cities to taste the delightful dishes. Bologna is known as the food capital of Italy. The best dishes in Bologna are rooted in egg-based pasta and flavorful meat sauce. The must-try dishes in Bologna are Lasagne, Tigelle, Ragu Bolognese, and Tortellini. Most of these dishes are based on that rich meat sauce that is so simple yet so delicious. Rome is famous for Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Suppli, and Carciofi Alla Giudia. Carbonara is made from an exquisite Roman sauce that no one else in Italy can copy. Cacio e Pepe is a must-try for the vegetarian foodies, this is a local favorite pasta dish. Suppli makes the perfect snack when touring around Rome.
Our last city is Naples. The birthplace of Pizza is Naples so obviously it has the best in all of Italy! Their pizza is rich in tomato sauce and mozzarella, you cannot miss this food when in Naples. If you are not a fan of Pizza there are also other dishes that are delicious: Sfogliatella Riccia and Cuoppo. Food is a very important part of Italian culture, make sure to not miss any of it while touring around the streets!
Wine is everywhere in Italy. Just like food, every region is special because they hold a unique type of wine that they’re famous for.
There are about 350 types of Italian wines! Tuscany is home to the most important wine region in Italy. A bonus from being the best wine region, they have breathtaking vineyard views. They focus on producing Chianti. The most popular wines that derive from Chianti are Chianti Classico and Chianti Rufina. These are rich red wines. Chianti pairs up amazingly with any type of pasta that you are craving for. Sipping on a glass of Chianti will leave you delighted. Veneto is another region in Italy that is home to some of the best white wines.
Veneto is considered to be one of the most important regions in Italy and the largest producer of Prosecco. Prosecco is a delicate white wine. It’s balanced outright to a perfect taste, not too sweet and not too dry. The perfect pair for this wine is antipasti. If you remember, antipasti consist of cured meats, cheese, and vegetables. Another wine region very important to Italy is Sicily. Sicily is one of the largest islands of the Mediterranean. Sicily is home to the largest amount of vineyards in all of Italy! Their main focus is producing Marsala.
This wine has a vast range in style. It is both red and white wine, it can be sweet or dry. The main purpose of Marsala is to include it in the kitchen. Many chefs use this type of wine when cooking. Depending on what you want to cook, you can pick a dry Marsala or sweet Marsala. But if you are not into cooking, you can also sip on it like any other wine. You can pair up Marsala with foods that are not easy to pair up like asparagus or chocolate. Make sure to sip on cool Marsala to get the best out of it.