Whereas some of the most widely accepted Italian dishes may be a sizzling slice of pizza or a plateful of pasta, many more items are there in the Italian cuisine. All over the many places in Italy, the outstanding Italian cuisine exhibits itself as a varying range in styles of food preparation, choice of locally available ingredients and the eating habits of people. Italian food is also influenced by the changing times, as evinced by the similarities as well as differences between the foods served in the pre-Roman era and the menu of today’s items.
The history of Italian cuisine has earned a reputation over a period of two thousand years including the era of the Roman Empire. In the past, preparation of food was of much cultural significance and this can be found in the only cookbook which is existence from the first century BC, and named Apicius.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the resultant individual city states started to maintain their own identities as well as traditions. This resulted in a great variety of Italian dishes, and each state sought to exhibit its individual method of food preparation such as making a meatball, various types of cheese and production of wine in a particular locality. For instance, Tuscan beef originated from the north, whereas Marchez was famous for black truffles. In the south, the provolone and mozzarella types of cheese, as well as a range of citrus fruits were produced.
The methods of food preparation and various types of bread and pasta were different from region to region. The south of Italy is known for hard-boiled spaghetti whereas the preference of the north is soft egg noodles. Milan is famous for its risotto, Bologna revels in tortellini and Naples is well known for its pizzas.
In the course of time the unique taste and appeal of Italian cuisine has been greatly enhanced by the addition of a plethora of external influences. Initially old Greek cookery was integrated into the Italian menu. Later a range of imported ingredients made their entry into the kitchens of old-time Italians whose Roman ships ventured beyond the high seas in search of staple food items such as wheat, wine, spices and ingredients from all over the world. Sometimes they sailed as far as China to return with food resources that caused phenomenal growth of the Italian cuisine.
The regions near the coastline are famous for their fish and seafood delicacies. For instance, Sardinia Island provides a simple traditional cuisine comprising these items from the sea. The Italian cooking of the region usually covers lobsters, sardines, swordfish, anchovies and others from the Mediterranean. In Sicily Island much cooking is dependent on North African cuisine. Also an Arab influence is there on the island’s cuisine as well as that of the south; a special case is the ice cream cake of Sicily better known as cassata.
According to historical records, one of the most accepted Italian food items known as pasta was brought from China by Marco Polo, the merchant from Venice. In fact it was a rediscovery of a dish from the Roman and Etruscan eras. It is common belief that pasta was initially made like today’s noodles from durum wheat which was oven-cooked rather than boiled.
Nowadays the variations in Italian cuisine continue to be there by differentiating between the north and the south. Every region continues to uphold its individual tradition in preparation of food, which shows the culture and history behind every delicacy that is tantalizing to the taste buds, such as the appetizers, main courses and desserts.
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