10 Must-Eat Foods In Italy

(EVEN THOUGH YOU EAT THEM ALL THE TIME AT HOME)

Does food play an important role in your vacation plans?

I'd put food right up there with sightseeing and shopping. 

I want it ALL...amazing scenery and iconic landmarks,

some memorable souvenirs, 

and in between, a luscious lunch and a delectable dinner.

Putting together a short list of "must-eat foods" almost borders on the ridiculous, 
as Italy boasts some of the most amazing food the world has to offer.
Pretty much everything qualifies as a "must eat."

 So why would I put together a list of seemingly unexceptional
foods that you eat all the time at home,
and tell you not to miss them in Italy? 

Because, in Italy, basic foods go from ordinary to extraordinary. 

 Wherever you are in Italy, 
it's good to order foods that different regions are noted for, such as...
 
Bolognese sauce in Bologna  
Pizza in Naples
Lemons on the Amalfi coast 
Black truffles in Umbria
Parmesan cheese in Parma

The list goes on an on. 

And then, there are the foods that you shouldn't miss,  
no matter where you are in Italy.  

Grab a fork, and let's mangia! 
    
1. CHEESE (Formaggio)

Oh my, the cheese! 

Fresh, creamy burrata, buffalo mozzarella, velvety ricotta.

I could live on bread and cheese alone -- cholesterol be damned! 

2. PASTA 

Pasta in Italy is perfetto --  al-dente; never over-cooked.

Sauces are matched to the appropriate shapes;
for example, a thicker sauce such as bolognese 
pairs up with a larger pasta shape, like rigatoni. 

No meat sauce on angel hair pasta in Italy, no señora. 

And, you will not find your pasta swimming in a bowl of sauce,

like so many restaurants here in the states serve it; 
 just a nice, light coating, so it doesn't drown out the pasta.

3. TOMATOES (Pomodoro)

Deep red, sweet, juicy...they just taste a heckuva lot better there than here.

Maybe it's because fruits and veggies are served only when they are in season;

unlike here in the US, where everything is available year-round
(pale, tasteless, hot-house tomatoes, anyone?).

Perhaps it's the volcanic soil, which makes everything more flavorful.
Whatever the reason, tomatoes are one of Italy's simple pleasures,
especially when served with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh herbs.

4. PIZZA

Yes, I spent an entire afternoon researching the best pizza in Naples
(we went to Da Ettore, via S. Lucia 56).
That's as important to me as finding the perfect hotel. 
You can't go to Naples...or anywhere in Italy, for that matter,
 and not eat the pizza - it's where it was invented.
When you leave the country, proof of eating pizza is an exit requirement.
Not really, but it should be, if you ask me. 

5. SALAMI AND OTHER CURED MEATS 



I really don't eat salami at home.
It's generally processed; surely not worth the calories, fat and sodium.
In Italy, I can eat it three times a day, and still not have enough.
Do you remember the salami story I told you?
It tastes so different, we shouldn't be allowed to call it salami here in the states.

So, try the salami, proscuitto, soppressata, mortadella...
it's delizioso! 

6. STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS (Fiori di zucca ripieni)

Okay, granted, this is not a staple in my house, and probably not yours,
but,
I had to include it on this list because when you have good zucchini flowers --
batter-dipped and stuffed with creamy ricotta cheese --
they are extraordinary.
I promise it will be one of your most memorable food experiences. 

On our last trip to Italy, I actually had them twice in one day.
Mr. Goo Shoes was skeptical about eating a flower,
but I convinced him, and we both ordered them whenever they were on the menu. 
Trust me on this one. 

7. WINE (Vino)

Italy is one place where you can confidently order the house wine, 
and it will be excellent. 
If you are lucky, you'll be able to take home the pitcher that it comes in.

8. LEMONS (Limone)

On the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento lemons reign supreme, 
showing up in anything and everything.
If there's a pasta sauce made with lemon, order it.
If there's a dessert baked with lemon, buy it.
My advice? Eat anything and everything made with lemon. 
Wash it down with lots of Limoncello.  
Salute!

9. ICE CREAM (Gelato)

I double-dare you not to have gelato multiple times a day!
Yes, you will want it after lunch.
Yes, you will want it after dinner.
And it will take every ounce of willpower not to have it after breakfast
(okay, we did that only once).  
How else will you be able to sample all of those delectable flavors?

10. COFFEE (Caffé)

Italian coffee is stronger than what we get here,
which is why it is so delicious! 
Recently, someone told me that she looks for McDonald's when she is in Italy, 
so she can get American-style coffee.
Oy! I may have to un-friend her.

Forget everything you learned at Starbucks...
 These are the two coffee rules you should know:
 1). Cappuccino is ordered only for breakfast, not after dinner.
2. After dinner, Italians drink espresso, which, is known as caffé. 
Capisce? 

Geez, now look what I've done. 

I've worked up an appetite, and there is nowhere around here  

that will come close to meeting my Italian taste-bud expectations.

I'll just have to be content with my memories...

until my next trip to Italy.

Hmmmm...I think I'll go check on the airfares.    

 

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