Our gastronomic culture goes deep back for thousands of years. Starting from the Etruscan traditions, the banquets of Ancient Greece and Byzantium, to Roman Empire, among the flavors of Jewish and Arabic cuisine, our gastronomic reality has been influenced all the way to the Renaissance. Later, following the discovery of the american continent by genoese Cristoforo Colombo, new products from the new land were imported in Italy and introduced to the italian cuisine. At first, as it always happens with what is unknown , their use was gradual and slow, until an intense growth happened between the 17th and 18th century. Potatoes, tomatoes and corn, for example, are right now essential elements in the composition of traditional Italian dishes and are a constant presence on our tables.
ITALIAN CUISINE
Origins & History
REGIONAL TRADITIONS
Today, the great national culinary heritage, the basis of Italian traditional recipes, but also the ways of using the ingredients, the preparation and the composition of the dishes come from the regional and local realities. Their culinary achievements became symbols of excellence of Made in Italy all over the world. Italian cuisine is characterized by typical products that distinguish each and every region. From north to south of the country you can find unique delicacies that have always made Italy one of the most desirable destinations for tourists not only because of the cultural heritage, but also for all the food and wine richness.
Paese che vai, usanza che trovi. / Different places you visit, different traditions you’ll find. Italian Proverb
One of the main features of Italian cuisine is probably its extreme variety, thanks to a wide range of ingredients that are the basis of the dishes and their history. Mediterranean cuisine can be considered a real reference point in terms of healthy nutrition. Among all the foods that constitute the so-called Mediterranean diet, cereals , used for the production of food such as pasta and bread, legumes, fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and many other natural products can be considered the most significant and most used.
We can’t forget about the wine between the excellence products throughout the country. Every Italian Region has its own wine production, a tradition linked to the history and customs of the territory. Italian Wines can rightly be considered the best in the World. From the red wines of Piemonte to the white wines of Trentino, from the Grappa and Prosecco of Veneto, the territorial and climatic differences allow to produce wines with profoundly different characteristics.