Pizza

Arguably the most popular dish in the world, the pizza hardly needs any introduction. But there are a few things you don’t know about this Italian gastronomic invention. The pizza is one of the national foods of Italy. This oven-baked flat bread actually originated from the Ancient Greeks who like to cover their bread with herbs, oil and cheese. The word ‘pizza’ hailed from the Byzantine Greek word ‘pita’ means pie. The Romans later developed the ‘placenta’ which is a thin sheet of flour topped with cheese, honey, and bay leaves.

The modern day pizza was developed in Naples, Italy. It was originally a staple food of the poor. When tomato was introduced into the country in the 18th century, it was also the poor folks who started to put tomatoes on their pizza to add flavor. This was the Neapolitan pie topped with tomato. In 1889, cheese was added to the mix to give us the pizza we know today.

Eating pizza in Italy is quite different from the more popular American way of eating it in slices. When you find yourself in a ‘pizzeria’ in Italy and ordering one, you will be served your own personal pizza on a plate. Unlike in America, it will not be served in slices and shared by the whole table. Instead, you will be given a whole uncut pie, which you will have to eat using a knife and a fork. It may seem a little daunting to eat it by yourself but try to finish it. If you cannot do this, do not ask for the remainder of your pizza to be wrapped up as the Italians do not normally do not do take outs. Simply explain that you are full and leave it.

On the surface, the passeggiata may seem like a meaningless ritual but there is more it to than meets the eye. It is an important social event where the goal is to see and to be seen. People put on their best clothing to indicate how well off they are. It also fosters a feeling of belonging among the people of the community. The greeting of one another and swapping of news seem to make communities across Italy more closely knit. For young women of marriageable age, this is also a socially encouraged opportunity for flirting and courtship.

So if you are in Italy and you find yourself outside at sunset, you may very well become part of this long standing tradition. It is advised that you dress up to better blend in with the crowd. It is also perfectly acceptable to stop by for a gelato (ice cream) along the way. In larger cities, the passeggiata takes place in the piazza or around parks, but in smaller towns, you may head for the main street.

It is a citrus-based lemon liqueur served chilled during summer, usually after dinner as a palate cleanser. Although it is mainly produced in Southern Italy, you can find it in almost any store or restaurant in the country. The limoncello is an all-natural product made through the infusion of lemon skin in pure alcohol. Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon peel, however most types of lemons will produce good limoncello just as well.

The history of this Italian dessert dates back to Ancient Rome and Egypt where it was made from ice and snow that is brought down from the mountains and preserved underground. Much later, the gelato was recorded to have been served in the Medici court in Florence. In fact, a Florentine cook by the name of Bernardo Buontalenti was said to have invented what we know today as ice cream in 1565 when he presented to Catherine de Medici his recipe and refrigerating techniques. In 1686, a Sicilian fisherman named Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli developed a machine that can produce gelato in a larger scale. In the 1920s to the 1930s, the first mobile gelato cart was developed in Varese, a city in Northern Italy.
In Italy, you will find ‘gellaterias’ in almost every corner, as it is a very popular treat in Italy. Some Italians even claim that although this is largely a northern invention, the further south you go, the better the gelato. But you should be the judge of that.