An Insight into the Quality of Food made in Italy [Italian Cuisine and Ingredients]

The Italian food culture with its delicacies has a long history and has changed a lot over the centuries. Traces of Italian cuisine can be found to stretch as far back as the 300s BC, although Italy as a country was first formed in the 19th century. Italian delicacies vary quite a bit between different parts of Italy. In the northern parts of Italy, the delicacies are characterized by a lot of butter and dairy products, in the south of Italy, it is more olive oil. Italy is known for its fine olive oils and fantastic cheeses such as Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Gorgonzola. In charcuterie, it is Parma ham, mortadella, and salami that are the most iconic and popular. Italian cuisine has influenced a lot of countries and is appreciated all around the world. In fact, Italian cuisine is seen as one of the most popular foods in the world.

Of course, we must also mention the pasta, the pizza and the good wines such as Chianti and Barolo.

But all great food starts with the ingredients. In this article, we are looking closer at the importance of ingredients for Italian cuisine and how the ingredients play a crucial role in the popularity of Italian food.

Italian cuisine can be described with a few words. It is characterized by simplicity and with an emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients. The simplicity of Italian cuisine consists of simple and common everyday ingredients but which result in amazing dishes when cooked to release the taste of their natural aromas. The ingredients in Italian cuisine do not tend to be very complicated. Italian cuisine tends to keep things relatively simple, and this is partly because of the importance they put on using qualitative and fresh ingredients that are full of flavors. Partially for this reason, Italian cuisine does not frequently use a lot of spices unlike many other food cultures around the world. When it comes to seasoning, Italian cuisine tends to keep things simple and keep spices at a minimum, primarily by using salt, pepper, and other fresh flavors such as fresh basil or fresh thyme. However, the ingredients and dishes of Italian cuisine vary from region to region in Italy due to the long country and the regional differences in the climate.

In general and as a whole, Italian cuisine is categorized as Mediterranean cuisine. In the south of Italy, olive oil is a crucial and central ingredient in the cuisine. On the contrary, butter and other dairy products tend to play a more important role in the north of Italy for obvious reasons. This is due to the climate that differs in the different parts of the nation. Ingredients like butter and dairy, therefore, tend to take the place of olive oil in the northern regions in many cases, even though the base ingredients like olive oil are important throughout the whole country.

Over the centuries and decades, many Italian delicacies have gotten internationally recognized and are now appreciated all around the world. The list can be made long but pesto, sundried tomatoes, and Italian Olive oil are just some of the most well-known and popular Italian ingredients. Italian cheeses are also highly popular, not only in Italy and by the Italians themselves but also around the world. Some of the most popular and recognized Italian cheeses include mozzarella, parmesan, and gorgonzola. Italian charcuterie is another popular ingredient that is extremely versatile and stands out from most other charcuteries that other nations have, Mortadella, parma ham, and Guanciale are just three of the most popular in the Italian kitchen.

Moreover, we can not forget some of the most iconic and popular Italian pasta dishes such as pasta carbonara, cacio e pepe, lasagne, and spaghetti bolognese. Italian cuisine doesn’t only stand out when it comes to food but also wine. Italian wine is, together with the French the most well-known and appreciated wine in the world. Wine production is an important part of Italian culture and history. And naturally, it plays an important role in Italian cuisine. For a true Italian cuisine experience, the food needs to be enjoyed with a lovely Italian wine. Italian wineries such as Chianti and Barolo are two of the most recognized winemakers in the world, known for their incredible wines, which can be partially attributed to the ideal climate that Italy has for winemaking.

Its culture and tastes are carefully crafted to suit specific dishes and occasions. But Italian wine is not the only well-established beverage served with the food, coffee also plays a big role in Italian cuisine. Especially espresso, plays an important role in the cultural Italian cuisine.

Italian Food Tradition

Italian food traditions are basically based on what agriculture in each region provides. As mentioned, in the north it is more common with cows and in the south, it is most common with sheep. Northern Italy (Lombardy and Piedmont) is Europe’s largest rice district. It is therefore increasingly common with risotto in the north than it is with pasta. Thanks to the Italian climate, it is therefore very easy to get fresh raw materials and products. These are usually the main ingredients of the most traditional Italian dishes.

Dieta Mediterranea, the famous and healthy Mediterranean cuisine is found mainly in southern Italy and in the regions bordering the Mediterranean. The main spice in southern Italy is usually extra virgin olive oil (olio di oliva extra vergine) instead of butter (burro). It also includes pasta, vegetables and fresh fruit, peas/legumes, and more.