The Italian Table

Posted By admin on May 9, 2011

One of the most popular destinations for people on a vacation to Italy is the Vatican City. Most people do not know that this is a sovereign city-state. This means that it makes its own rules and has its own governing system independent of the Italian system. The Vatican City is a walled state within the city of Rome. It is the smallest independent state in the whole world with only a little over 100 acres. It was formed in 1929 under an agreement between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See. The Holy See refers to the central governing system of the Catholic Church headed by the Pope. The Pope is also known as the Bishop of Rome. The Vatican City houses the official residence of the Pope and it is visited by millions of people each year on an Italy vacation.

You can enter the Vatican City through the famous St. Peter’s square. This square is characterized by great Baroque architecture from the 1600s to include symbols of the church motherly embracing its people in its arms. St. Peter’s Basilica is another place you can visit in the Vatican City while on your Italy vacation because it is also found in St. Peter’s square. It is the most notable building in the Vatican City and this church’s dome can be seen for miles around Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica seats 60,000 and is said to be the largest building in the Christian church. It is noted for being the burial site of St. Peter who is said to be the founding father of the Catholic Church by being the first Bishop of Rome. The discovery of his tomb was announced in 1950 after a decade of archeological research.

Catholic tradition says that St. Peter is buried under the altar of this Basilica and therefore all the Popes since then have also been buried in the Basilica the most recent being Pope John Paul II in April 2005. At the entrance of the Basilica are statues of Christ, St. John the Baptist and 11 of the 12 apostles. You can enter the Basilica for free during your Italian vacation if you are properly dressed with no bare shoulders or knees. If you would like to attend mass you should go to the Basilica on a Sunday.

There are several other places to see here during your Italy vacation. The largest museum in the world is also found in the Vatican City. It has over 1400 rooms and galleries that represent 3000 years of art. The Sistine Chapel is also found here and is known for being the private chapel that the cardinals go to when electing a new Pope.

So what is the best way to see all the sights that the Vatican City has to offer during your Italian vacation? There are guided tours available that can be taken for half a day or longer. You can take a guided tour of just the museum or a guided tour to include all the important places of interest in the Vatican City and this will ensure that you don’t miss a thing here on your Italian vacation.

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Tags: italian, italian lifestyle, travel, travel italy

Posted By admin on May 3, 2011

Italian food has long been amongst the most popular food in the world. Everyday people all over the world sit down to meals of fresh Italian food that tastes so good it’s hard to imagine making it yourself. However, there are some people who are up to the challenge of learning to make quality Italian food. For some it is not just enough to enjoy Italian food, they need to create Italian food. There are many options today for learning to cook Italian food. Some people live in areas where there are no Italian food cooking classes. Others may feel too self conscious in order to go to an Italian food class. But there is an option for everyone that wants to learn to cook Italian food whether they want to become a world class chef or if they just want to not be intimidated by a pot of boiling water and a handful of spaghetti. The great thing about Italian food is that it has great dishes that are simple to make for the beginner and complex dishes that take world class chefs years to master. There really is something for everyone.

The first option to learn to cook Italian food is cooking classes or cooking school. If you want to become a professional Italian food chef then you will want to attend an accredited cooking school. There are many different culinary institutes in the United States and around the world that can help you specialize in Italian food. Research the different options and decide which will be best for you and will help you meet your goals. Some things to consider are tuition and location. You can attend school abroad or in your local area. If you want to start work right away after graduation at an Italian food restaurant, then see what kind of help the different schools give in job placement after graduation.

Going to school to become a professional Italian food chef is very challenging but in the end it is extremely rewarding to know that you can craft some of the finest Italian food in the world. For those not wanting to necessarily become professionals, you can look into local cooking schools or community centers that offer lessons in cooking Italian food. You can learn to make specific regional Italian food or just take a few classes to teach you how to cook a meal for a special occasion to impress friends or family.

Another great option in today’s world is to learn how to cook Italian food right from home. Today it is possible to take classes in cooking Italian food off of the internet. This is a great option for people who are self conscious or like to take things at their own speed in a comfortable environment. There are both paid and free cooking classes online that can help you with your Italian food skills. Research the different programs available and see what is right for you. Be sure to also check out reviews of online programs and see if previous students feel that they really learned how to cook Italian food from the course.

You can never be too careful online, but once you find a school that you like that has good reviews, don’t hesitate to jump right in. Before long you’ll cooking up fabulous Italian food dishes that previously seemed impossible.

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2011

If you are musically inclined or just simply interested in Italian music, a vacation to Italy may be just the perfect vacation choice for you. Italy is famous for opera and classical music but has various other types of music to include traditional music, religious music and popular music which is both native and imported. The culture of Italy is deeply rooted in music and it is very important to the people. Therefore it would be impossible to go on an Italy vacation and not come across some great musical performances if that is what you are interested in. Over the centuries Italian music has taken on elements from foreign sources that may have ruled or influenced the people. Classical music is especially important in Italy and it has taken forms in opera and sacred music. Opera music began in Italy in the late 1500s and sacred music is of course a dominant presence due to the base of the Catholic Church being in Italy specifically in Rome.

So if you are on an Italy vacation, and you are interested in exploring this rich aspect of Italian culture you are most definitely looking for places to go to for concerts. Italy has many music conservatories that hold concerts in virtually every city you visit. There are also several opera houses and symphony halls to choose from where you could see well-known orchestras from Italy and other parts of the world. Open air operas are also held in amphitheatres across Italy. If you are looking for something a little less formal you may want to try going to an international music festival during your Italian vacation. There are several that are organized each year for classical and opera lovers. The most well known include the Festival of Spoleto and the Wagner Festival in Ravello. You will find that some of these international music festivals offer you a chance to enter and win music competitions during your Italy vacation. Some of these competitions are geared towards young composers and allow them to produce and stage their entries. Not only could you win money but your music would be performed at the festival.

For people looking for more modern forms of music specifically pop and rock fans, an Italy vacation also provides for several concerts that occur throughout the year. Some theaters also hold Italian translations of American musicals but for a true experience, try an Italian musical comedy. If you only know a few Italian words, these are still great if you want to immerse yourself in the culture.

Since Italy is the home of the Roman Catholic Church, religious music will show up in many ways during your Italian vacation. There are several parish bands all over the country and they can range in size from 4 to 30 members. They are found performing in religious festivals in honor of patron saints of different towns. Religious music is also found in Italian Christmas carols so if you go on your vacation to Italy during that time of year you may find yourself learning the Italian versions of “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas.”

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Posted By admin on April 19, 2011

You cannot go on an Italy vacation without doing some sightseeing. In fact this is one of the most cited reasons for visiting Italy. The country has a rich culture and a rich history. All over Italy are historic buildings, monuments, museums and all kinds of places to visit that will make your Italy vacation truly eventful. Italy is also a center for high fashion and along with the great food, friendly people, wine and the Catholic Church this may be one of the best sightseeing vacations you have ever been on. It is important to make sure you see the most important sights before you leave. So where do most people go to when they are on an Italian Vacation?

When you go to Italy you must visit Rome. There are several popular places here for sightseers. The Colosseum is a very famous landmark in Rome. It is a huge open air theatre that was built by Emperor Titus in AD80 for games and gladiatorial battles. When many people see the Colosseum the movie “Gladiator” comes to mind. Another magnificent sight is the Pantheon in Rome. It is a huge temple built in AD120 and up until 1960 it had the largest dome in the world. Rome is also the home of the Pope in Vatican City, another popular destination for sightseeing on an Italian Vacation. Other cities in Italy that are popular for sightseers include Milan, Venice, Naples and Sicily.

Pisa is a smaller city but it is world famous due to the Leaning Tower. It is a bell tower in the Pisa Cathedral that is made up of a group of 4 beautiful white marble buildings. Construction on this started in 1173 and went on for 200 years because of a lot of interruptions. Since the construction took so long, the bell tower started to lean hence the name.

If you are a savvy sightseer or traveler and know some Italian you may be able to arrange to see all these sights for yourself. But you may want to consider having everything arranged by someone else because you don’t want to miss any of the important places and you will benefit greatly from a guided tour. There are several sightseeing companies that offer tours for visitors. Guided tours will usually follow a pre-set route through a city or town during your Italy vacation. Not only are the guides fluent in English but they also have a wealth of information on the historical sights and there are opportunities to ask questions. Some tours on your Italian vacation will allow you to get off the tour vehicle to explore and then catch another tour vehicle from the same company later on.

Or if you prefer not to walk, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride without leaving the bus. Sightseeing tours on your Italian vacation range in price. There are luxury tour coaches, full day tours, night tours and also several tours for vacationers on a budget.

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Posted By admin on April 12, 2011

Every year it is very common for Italian wine to be at the top of the pile when it comes to good ranking, not the least of which ranks it as the biggest producer, exporter and consumer of wine in the world. If you consider that Italy is only a few hundred miles smaller than the state of California then this fact here is far more interesting.

Even though Italy produces close to 8,000,000,000, bottles of wine every year, the vinters have kept to the same high quality standard of making wine that has a legacy of over 4,000 years. As a result of this Italy has some of the most unique and quality wines on the globe, as well as having the most grape varieties that are locally produced than any country in the world.

One of the bigger deliberations with Italy’s unique wine style is the wide scope of assorted cultures that exist all the way through its 20 wine regions. Each of these cultures has a vigorous sense of pride that translates openly into wine production. At the height of it understanding Italian wine making is hard enough, but to those who’s knowledge is rather limited, it is practically impossible.

Like any journey of consequence it’s best to take it step by step. While Italian wine is both vastly complex and inconsistent, there are some concrete starting points.

First, let’s take a look at the general qualities of Italian wine:

Italian wines have a tendency to be very acidic, this is mainly because wines that contain high levels of acidity are well suited with food. It is hardly then that the prominent food cultures in the Italian society have opted for wine that compliments their astounding commitment to cuisine! This means white wines are inclined to be brusque and red wines are more likely to be firm.

Submissive, earthy aromas – One of the paramount qualities of Italian wines is the touch of the land that one can smell and taste in every bottle. The nose might have hints of mushrooms, soil, minerals and grass. These merits are usually referred to as an earthiness that stops the wine from competing with food.

Medium Body – Though there are quite a few wines that are heavier (such as Barolo), the majority of wines are medium bodied in nature. Again, more appropriate to the wide selection of food dishes that achieve better when not weighed down by heaviness.

Distinctly Italian Grapes. While most of the grapes found in the world are grown in Italy, it also has many grape varieties that are only grown in the wine regions of the particular regions. Nebbiolo, is a good example, this is the grape that used to formulate Barolo and is only ever found in Piedmont and Lombardy regions.

Because of the climate in Italy is so perfect for cultivating grapes, much of the grape varieties have been evolving over the last several thousand years. It is because of this that trying to transplant vines to other regions proves immensely difficult.

Major Red Grapes

There are over 20 key varieties of red grapes growing in Italy, but we are going to start with what are debatably the most significant 3:

Sangiovese (san joe VAE sae) – Planted in many vineyards throughout the Italian country side, particularly in Tuscany and Umbria, this is the main grape in the making of Chianti and the ever popular Super-Tuscan wines. Medium in body, the wine will then posses high levels of tannins and strong acidity with flavours of herbs and cherries.

Nebbiolo(nehb be OH loh) – explicit to the Piedmont district, this varity of grape produces 2 of infamous Italian most wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. For anyone who is considering starting up there own wine cellar these 2 wines are the must haves. The grape is intense with elevated levels of acidity and high tannin levels, calling forth flavours of strawberries, mushrooms and truffles.

Barbera (bar BAE rah) – This grape runs side by side with Sangiovese as the most popular grape variety in italy. This particular grape is a good bit lighter than its partner, the tannin levels are a good bit lower while it still maintains it high acidity levels. The fruity flavours are inclined to be more distinct than in other grapes, it is for this reason that this wine is excellent when enjoyed in the summer.
Important Italian Whites

Pinot Grigio(pee noh GREE joe) – The Italian version of Pinot Gris, this grape in particylar has been haled all around the globe. Although the pinot grigio grape is not as flavourable as it French cousin, it boasts a high acidity with mineral flavours and peaches.

Trebbiano (trehb bee AH noh) ñ This grape is very familiar in Italy, it has also suffered from casual growing habits. This white grape variety is known for its production of lower class white wines, it is known for its proclivity for producing bland and highly crisp wines as well.

Tocai Friulano (toh KYE free oo LAH no) ñ For those pinot grigio lovers out there, you will like this grape variety. With the attributes of freshness and bitterness associated with Italian grapes, it can also bring rich and full textures that are more intricate than is usual for whites of this class. It grows for the most part in the Friuli province.

Verdicchio and Vernaccia – These grapes have some of the same body, crispness and acidity as Trebbino, but with a bit more life. Richer flavors and aromas including hints of lemon and sea air are common. They are usually un-oaked.

A person could easily spend an entire lifetime studying this grapes and wine of the Italian country side, especially when these wines are associated with certain foods in there respective areas.

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Posted By admin on April 5, 2011

Lasagne with rocket pesto: very simple and easy to make and delicious to eat!

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

400 g of Pasta (Lasagne)
100 g of Rocket
40 g of Pine nuts
1/4 of an Onion
Some pieces of Parmesan (Italian cheese)
3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Glass of water
50 g of Butter
500 ml of Milk
2 Tablespoons of flour
Some Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
Marjoram

PREPARATION TIME: 20-25 minutes

COOKING TIME: 30-35 minutes

DIFFICULTY: medium

WINE: Pigato Ligure (White Wine)

PREPARATION
Wash, peel the onion and chop it. Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add in chopped onion and the pine nuts and let them brown.

Wash and dry the rocket and add it to the pan. Add 1/2 glass of water and cook for about 5 minutes until the rocket wilts. Season with salt, pepper and some marjoram.

Blend the mixture, add some pieces of Parmesan and continue to blend until the mixture becomes a sauce.

Now it’s time to prepare some besciamella! In a pan melt the butter, then add the flour and mix. Add some milk, little by little, and continue to mix until you obtain a kind of cream. Pay attention not to make lumps. Then add the rest of the milk, a pinch of salt and some nutmeg. Let the mixture simmer while continuing to stir, until the mixture thickens.

When the besciamella and the pesto are ready, spread the surface of a baking pan with 2-3 tablespoons of besciamella, then make a layer with pasta, spread with 2-3 tablespoons of pesto and with 2-3 tablespoons of besciamella. Continue in this way until the baking pan is full (make about 4-5 layers).

Bake for about 30 minutes until the surface is golden.
This is the result:

BUON APPETITO!

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Posted By admin on March 28, 2011

I have had many opportunities to travel in the past few years. I am grateful for each chance I have had to see new parts of the world and to learn from cultures and people that are different from me. There are valuable things to be gained from all cultures, but I have fallen in love with all things Italian.

I have never been somewhere as magical and wonderful as Italy. There is something special about that country that cannot be understood until it is experienced. I spent almost a month there and walked away with a deep love for everything Italian.

The first and most obvious Italian thing to love is the food. Never have I tasted more delightful food than Italian. I guess because I have always loved pasta and I cannot get enough tomato. I had a month filled with amazing Italian meals. Some were cooked by experienced Italian chefs and others were cooked by grandmothers of my Italian friends. It didn’t seem to matter who was in the kitchen, though, because each meal was wonderful. I even took a few Italian cooking lessons while I was there, and they have done wonders for my own abilities in the kitchen. My family loves it that I have finally learned to cook something other than chicken.

I also love the Italian language. I didn’t learn much of it myself, but just being around it for a month was a great thing for my ears. I love the sound of Italian and the way it rolls of the tongue of the speaker. It is definitely a romantic sounding language. I was determined to take some Italian language classes when I returned home, but my life got back to busy within weeks and my dreams of learning Italian are on the backburner once again.

I love everything about the way that Italians do family. They share a joy of being together unlike I have seen in any other country. Italian families are big, too, and that makes everything more fun. I love the way Italians take every chance they get to celebrate. Meals turn into three hour long celebrations and they are filled with laughter and joy.

If you ever get the chance to visit Italy, take it. It is an experience worth having. I’m confident that you will fall in love with all things Italian. You will find yourself eating great food, immersed in a great language and making room in your busy schedule for more time there. Everything Italian is truly worth experiencing and enjoying.

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Posted By admin on March 21, 2011

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Tags: italian food, recipes

Posted By admin on March 14, 2011

If you’ve rented a villa or apartment in Italy, no doubt you’ll be trying to sample all the foods of Italy you can– dining out and eating in. Here’s a quick and easy guide for getting food in Italy, whether you’re ordering your first Italian meal at that sumptuous restaurant down the street or buying produce at the local market to create your own authentic Italian food.

Shopping for Italian Food
One of the great delights of renting an Italian villa or apartment is shopping for produce at an outdoor market. Virtually all towns in Italy have an outdoor market, usually once a week (ask around to find out which day). But regardless of whether you’re at a market, a small grocery, or a supermarket, there is just one rule to remember when shopping for food in Italy: DO NOT TOUCH THE PRODUCE. We’re quite used to handling our apples and oranges in the US, but in Italy it is considered very rude!

In an outdoor market, you should indicate which fruits or vegetables you need, and the seller will pick out the best specimens for you. Don’t try to indicate that you don’t, for example, want that slightly green lemon– picking out produce is a point of honor for sellers, and rejecting his/her choice is an insult! Another thing to note about open markets in Italy is that there is no bargaining. In Italy, a price is a price.

In a small grocery, you still can’t touch the produce (no matter how much you want to)! Instead, wait until an employee comes to help you. Indicate you choices and the employee will pick the produce and put it in a bag.

If you really need control over your produce selection, try a large supermarket: here you will be provided with plastic gloves so that you can pick your own fruits and vegetables! Weigh each bag and punch a button for that particular item, whereupon a machine will dispense a sticker that you should put on the bag before taking it to the checkout line.

Another great place to pick up some traditional Italian food is a deli. There are no special rules here (although you might have to “take a number” or wait in line). Pick up delicious marinated meats, prepared olives, artichoke salads, roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, and everything else you might find at a full-service American deli– only better!

Here’s a list of some delicious common foods in Italy:

- Pane (bread: get it fresh in the morning!)
- Aceto (vinegar: balsamic or wine)
- Aglio (garlic)
- Basilico (basil)
- Olio di Uliva (olive oil)
- Limoni (lemons)
- Pomodori (tomatoes)
- Capperi (capers)
- Porcini (mushrooms)
- Other vegetables: potatoes, onions, carrots, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and everything else!
- Tonno (canned tuna)
- Uova (eggs)
- Frutta (fruit)
- Pollo (chicken)
- Vino (wine)

Italian Cooking – Recipes
What could be better than cooking in Italy with all those delicious fresh ingredients? Here are a few simple Italian food recipes you can make at your rental. If these tried-and-true favorites get old, eat out and then experiment to see if you can duplicate the recipe.

1. Tortellini in Brodo con Petti di Pollo: Make a broth using bullion and add tortellini, chopped chicken, and veggies. Serve with local parmigiano cheese, mixed salad, and local bread.

2. Pasta al Pomodor: Otherwise known as spaghetti, this is delicious with fresh Italian ingredients! Buy fresh pasta at the market, heat sauce (or make your own), mix in garlic and basil, and add: a can of drained tuna, olives, or artichoke hearts. Serve with parmesan, insalata mista (mixed salad), and bread.

3. Minestrone: Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add broth, bring to a boil, and add vegetables (carrots, zucchini, peppers, etc.). Just before the vegetables are cooked, add pasta and spinach. Season with your herbs of choice.

Italian Dining Customs
When you go dining in Italy, remember this: Italy is a food culture! If you’re looking for fine Italian foods, it’s not going to be fast. Meals are a social event to be enjoyed, one delicious course at a time. Let’s begin with the courses, in order:

1. Primi – A pasta dish
2. Secondo – The main course: meat or fish. This course may also include the contorno, or side dishes, which are usually vegetables.
3. Fromaggio – Cheeses
4. Frutta – Fruit
5. Dolce – A sweet
6. CafÈ – After-dinner drinks, including coffee, wines, liqueurs, and digestives.

Note also that, depending on the restaurant in question, courses 3, 4, and 5 may be condensed or eliminated (for example, only cheese may be offered).

There aren’t any hard and fast rules in Italian dining, but there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. Upon receiving a menu with five or six courses, many Americans feel like they are expected to order one item from each course. Not so! It’s perfectly acceptable to order a first, third, and fifth course if that’s all you want.

When you order, do so all at once, at the beginning. Don’t order the first course, eat, and then tell them you want the second! The exceptions are desserts and coffee; at the end of the meal, your waiter should offer you the restaurant’s choices.

Eating in Italy
Whether you’re dining out or cooking your own Italian meals, have fun! If you accidentally touch that piece of forbidden fruit, remember to say “Mi dispiace!” And when the second course seems to be taking hours to arrive, sit back, relax, and have a good chat with your companions. This is la vita bella– enjoy it while it lasts.

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Posted By admin on March 7, 2011

This article may come as a surprise to you, especially if you follow a healthy and nutritious diet…

It’s about pizza, the weakness of many people including me. I love pizza- always have. I make sure I eat it in moderation, but it’s still one of my favorite foods.

Now there’s  good news for pizza lovers.

According to Men’s Health magazine, research concludes that pizza can be good for you. It’s  important to point out, however, that we’re talking about real pizza- not the kind you get from Pizza Hut, Dominoes or the frozen food section of your supermarket. By real, I mean pizza made with real crust, real tomato sauce and pure olive oil.

According to Men’s Health, scientists writing in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating pizza can reduce your risk of a heart attack. In a 4-year study of nearly 1,000 Italians, those who ate pizza at least once a week were 30 percent less likely to experience a heart attack than the folks who didn’t partake of the pie.

This is contributed to pizza’s cardio protective ingredients, including olive oil and tomato sauce. And here’s  a way to make the pizza even healthier: top it with vegetables, part-skim cheese and use whole wheat crust. You’ll then have a meal that is actually good for you.

Can you get this kind of a pizza in a pizzeria? You might be able to find some that offer whole wheat crust, but I doubt youíll find any that offer part-skim cheese. What you can do is buy the ingredients at your local grocery store and make the pizza yourself. Speaking from experience, this can be a fun thing!

Enjoy the experience of making your own pizza and savoring a nutritious meal. After all, feeding your body with nutritious meals is the number one thing you can do for better health.

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