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ITALIAN CUISINEForeign Language Survey
Pasta!• There are over 600 types of pasta, and
some have over 1300 names.
• The three most popular pastas’ are: penne, spaghetti and macaroni.
• There are many varieties of pasta, such as: long pasta, short pasta, minute pasta, egg pasta, fresh pasta and al forno pasta.
• The traditional Italian way of cooking pasta is known as ‘al dente’.
• If pasta is cooked properly, it should stick to a wall when it is thrown.
Pizza!
• The most well-known authentic pizza is called pizza napoletana is typically made with San Marzano tomatoes, and mozzarella di bufala Campana.
• Basic pizza most likely began in prehistoric times, with bread cooked on flat, hot stones.
• It was the food of the common people because it was inexpensive.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEyQQaFyhxI
Espresso!
• Espresso-style coffee is one of numerous methods for brewing the roasted and ground seed of the coffee tree, but espresso is unique for its dependence on modern technological advances.
• Espresso is made by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee.
• Drinking espresso is also an art. In Italian cafes, you'll see the audience inhale the aroma of espresso while holding a cup and saucer, and drank the whole dish in 3 or 4 gulps quickly.
Olive Oil!
• Italian olive trees are carefully cultivated, and many will produce great olives for hundred years. The quality of the olives depends on the soil and weather during the growing season.
• From the time the olives are picked, the must be pressed shortly after to prevent molding.
• http://youtu.be/_B27bcbT-Vo
Truffles!
• A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean Ascomycete fungus
• Truffles are harvested in Europe with the aid of female pigs or truffle dogs, which are able to detect the strong smell of mature truffles underneath the surface of the ground.
• Since the times of the Greeks and Romans these fungi have been used in Europe as delicacies and as medicines. They are among the most expensive of the world's natural foods, often commanding as much as $250 to $450 per pound.
Wine!
• Italy has been making wines for over 2800 years.
• It is the largest wine producing country in the world.
• It has over 2000 grape varieties planted.
• Quite often wines take the name of the areas or town where the grapes are grown.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxKMRE6CMRw
Parmesean!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev3raLjtCFQ
• Parmesan is a granular, hard cheese, made from cows’ milk and matured for a minimum of 12 months. The cows eat only grass and cereals and are given no antibiotics. The only additive is salt. The cheese spends 20 days in a tank of brine, saturated with sea salt.
• An iconic Italian food, Parmigiano Reggiano is produced in a well-defined area of northern Italy – the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena and Bologna.
Balsamico!
• Traditional balsamic vinegar is produced from the juice of just-harvested white grapes (typically, Trebbiano grapes) boiled down to approximately 30% of the original volume to create a concentrate or must, which is then fermented with a slow aging process which concentrates the flavors. The flavor intensifies over the years, with the vinegar being stored in wooden casks, becoming sweet, viscous and very concentrated.
Gelato!
• Gelato in Italian means "frozen", but it's basically used to indicate the Italian type of ice cream.
• One of the differences between Gelato and the American version of frozen goodness, called ice cream, is that gelato has two thirds less butterfat and less air.
Prosciutto!
• Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked; this style is called prosciutto crudo in Italian and is distinguished from cooked ham.
• Today, the ham is first cleaned, salted, and left for about two months. During this time the ham is pressed, gradually and carefully so as to avoid breaking the bone, to drain all blood left in the meat. Next, it is washed several times to remove the salt, and is hung in a dark, well-ventilated environment. The surrounding air is important to the final quality of the ham; the best results are obtained in a cold climate. The ham is then left until dry.
