Italian food is famous for being one of the most delicious cuisines in the world, and with over 2000 years of history, it has certainly had a long time to build its fantastic reputation, diversity and ingredients.
It is a huge part of our lives nowadays – whether we are out for the evening watching a show and looking for Italian restaurants near the Olympia theatre like https://www.forno500.ie/ or having a relaxed evening in and ordering a pizza, Italian cuisine is a big part of the food we enjoy, not just in the UK but in many parts of the world.
However, there is a lot more to Italian food than this. After the fall of the Roman empire, the various regions of Italy split apart, and each had their own identity. Things like cheeses and wines were different in each region, dependant on the climate and foods that were available there.
Because of the rich influences from around the Mediterranean and the ships that had sailed around the world and found new foods and new ingredients, from Asia to North Africa Italian cuisine really became diverse, interesting and of course delicious!
Today, there are still differences in Italian cuisine based on the regions – from seafood in the coastal regions, Sicilian citrus fruits and of course the famous Naples pizzas! Eating Italian cuisine is something that should definitely be experienced in Italy itself for a truly authentic experience of what it really is.
Why each region cooks differently
Italy only became a single country in the 19th century, and its cooking still reflects its 20 regions. Dishes tend to be simple, using fresh produce and few ingredients, but recipes developed differently from place to place for reasons of climate, geography and history.
Climate shapes what grows. The warm, sunny south favours olive oil and tomatoes, which is why so many southern dishes are built around them. The flatter land of the north is better for raising cattle, so northern cooking relies more on butter, cream and cow’s milk cheese, as in a rich risotto. History left its mark too. Couscous in Sicily and the use of Arabic spices are thought to come from the island’s past conquerors.
Recipes have become part of each region’s identity, to the point where some foods are protected by law. A cheese labelled Parmigiano Reggiano, for example, must come from a set area around Emilia-Romagna.
