I have been living in Italy almost 5 years now….time really flies….

Finally I do speak Italian, that was one of the most important thing to conquer the language and became a part of the community.

If YOU want to learn any language, check out my blog 10 Tips for learning a Language in 8 month!

BUT understanding the culture is a different matter, because the rituals of homemade cooked meal is a different story.

Everything in Italy is about FOOD! And a pleasure experienced by a quality of food!

YOU upset? Unhappy? Happy? For any mood, there is a quick fix called authentic Italian food.

“First we eat, then we do everything else!” – M.F.K. Fisher

Before I moved to Italy, I have never even dreamt about living here, but once I tasted Italian food, I must agree, it is impossible to leave this. Everything here is truly based on a simple pleasure.

The key of the healthy Mediterranean diet:

• Their way of preparing the food from a fresh ingredience and the key is to always keep it seasonable!
• Italian cuisine is characterized by its simplicity
• Many dishes are regional so always while traveling through Italy, pay attention what is the speciality of the region.

“Italian food is about ingredients and it’s not fussy and it’s not fancy”. – Wolfgang Puck

Italians really know, how to live and enjoy and treat themselves well!

Keep the food regional while visiting Italy:

Lazio – Roman cuisine 

To read about Roman food click on my previous blog “When in Rome, eat as the Romans do!”

Lombardy – Milan

Famous food: Risotto Milanese, Cotoletta knows such as “Milanese” Wiener Schnizel.

I do enjoy Milanese food, but it is a bit heavy. I couldn’t eat it on daily bases.

Liguria – Genoa

Famous food: Pasta al Trofie , Foccacia, Fritto misto and marinated anchovies

I really enjoy Ligurian dishes, thx to fishing tradition, fish is usually just few hours out from the sea while before appearing my plate.

Tuscany – Florence

Famous food: Pecorino cheese, Steak alla Fiorentina

I am not big on steak, but seriously the best steak I had in Italy, probably ever! 🙂

followed by Chianti wine – wine from this region

Veneto – Venice

Typical food: polenta e baccalà – dried and salted cod

I have been to Venice, I enjoyed the food there but I completely don’t like the taste of baccala, too strange for me.

Piedmont – Torino

Typical food: Pasta con Truffles

I love this dish! One of 10 top Italian dishes for me. I am always excited when truffle season starts!

Emiglia-Romagna – Bologna

Typical food: Tortellini, Bolognese sauce and very typical is egg pasta

From Emiglia-Romagna comes also  Parmiggiano Reggiano, Balsamic vinegar of Modena and of course Prosciutto di Parma. yum!

Campagna – Naples

Pizza has origin in Neapol.

Especially the most delicious pizza Margherita, which was created to honour Queen Margherita of Savoy during her visit in 1889 in Neapol.

The chef created a pizza resembling the Italian flag – colours – white, red and green, so he used mozzarella, tomatoes and basil and named the pizza – Pizza Margherita!

That’s my favourite pizza! 🙂

Sicily – Palermo

Sicilian cousine – lots of pistachio nuts and an amazing tuna steak and pasta with a sea food. That’s for me a flavours of Sicily. Of course followed by cannoli, a typical Sicilian dessert.

Sardinia

Lots and lots of sea food, especially gamberoni – scampi. And a delicious tuna steak as well. The food in Sardinia and Sicily is for me the best!

Calabria

I love Calabrese food, everything is spiced up and so tasty. I have never been to Calabria (hoping to have a change to pop in soon) but I met on the market in Camogli Nando Frandina and he introduced me to the unique Calabrese style of food. Can’t wait to taste more of Calabrese favours.

A bit of history of Italian cuisine:

Although the country known as Italy didn’t unite until the 19th century, the cuisine has developed over the centuries.

Because the first known Italian food writer was a Greek Sicilian Orchestrates from Syracuse, 4th century BCE.

His masterpiece was a poem where he was talking about the top quality and seasonal ingredients. He said the flavours shouldn’t be hidden behind spices and herbs. He was celebrating the importance of a simple preparation of a dish.

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta! – Frederico Fellini

I promise as more as  I will travel though Italy, I will taste for you all their delicious creations! 🙂

BUT so far I haven’t been to Campagna – Naples. So hopefully during a spring I will have a look at this wild place!

I wish for a coast ride on Amalfi and then Naples, where I want to finally taste the amazing pizza Margherita.

Then of course Puglia is famous for a delicious food, another highlighted point of my future wonderlust.

That’s why I am not writing about Pugliese treats yet, because first I need to go there, taste everything and then share with you my personal experience 🙂

Writing this blog made me hungry actually, time to eat!

Sometimes I wish I had my own Italian mamma, who would cook for me and spoil me day after day  😉

With LOVE,

Zuzi