Even though it’s not quite warm yet, maybe you’ve begun to look forward to lighter and brighter flavors of spring. After a long, cold winter, that’s not a surprise! Now that we’re a week away from the Equinox (March 21), we look forward to dishes and flavors of spring. Italian cuisine is seasonal in its flavors, with many bright items …
The Cultural Influences on Italian Cuisine Italian cuisine is distinct and renowned, tracing back thousands of years. As with all great cuisines of the world, Italian cuisine is a composite of influences from many different cultures over a large expanse of time. Today, we explore the cultural influences on Italian cuisine – from antiquity to present day. The Beginnings …
Ravioli: An Appreciation Everybody Loves Ravioli Ravioli has become a favorite food for Americans, but its roots reach much further back. Ravioli is considered a dumpling, with filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta. Though it takes many shapes, including circular or semi-circular forms, the traditional form of ravioli is a square. In Italian cuisine, vegetarian ravioli is served …
Flavors of Italian Cuisine As with all great cuisines of the world, Italian cuisine is defined by a set of foundational flavors. In every step of cooking, specific ingredients come together to create the profile that we recognize as Italian cuisine. Today, we’ll explore these flavors to examine what alchemy comes together to create Italian food. Olive Oil Olive …
Frutti di Mare: All About Italian Seafood Surrounded by the Sea The Italian term frutti di mare means “fruit of the sea,” and refers to seafood. Geographically speaking, Italy is primed to feature seafood strongly in its cuisine. The characteristic boot-shape is surrounded by the Adriatic, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian Seas and juts into the Mediterranean Sea. All over the country, …
Italian Summer Cuisine Summer is right around the corner, and warm weather brings a bounty of new ingredients. Italian food is traditionally known for hearty, comfort foods – often rich, cheesy, and served warm. But summer ingredients figure prominently in Italian cuisine as well. Today we’ll take a look at the Italian table in summer – fresh, bright, and full …
Spotlight on Tuscany Cucina Toscana gets its name from Tuscany, a region of Italy that traces back to the Iron Age. Tuscany has a long history as the hub of culture, thought, and the arts in Italy — and cuisine! History of Tuscany Now a vibrant cornerstone of Italian culture and cuisine, the region of Tuscany was a pre-Roman settlement. Geographically …