It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

Italian wine is one of the most famous wines, owing to Italy’s fame as the world’s oldest wine producing regions and the exceptional quality of wine produced here. Italy has more than 1 million vineyards under cultivation and is the world’s largest wine producer. Drinking wine is customary and most people have a glass of wine after their meals or in-between meals.

Italian wine is classified into two types – The EU Category and the Table Wine category.

Italian table wine can be in the form of ‘Vino da Tavolsor’ or ‘Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)’. Vino da Tavolsor label indicates that the wine is from Italy, but it is not of very high quality. The Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) label indicates that the wine is from a specific region in Italy and though it is not made according to the traditional wine making process, the wine is of a superior quality.

The wine belonging to the EU category can be either ‘Denominazione di Origine’ Controllata (DOC) or ‘Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita’ (DOCG). While both classes of wine under the EU category wine are from specific regions of Italy and use only certain types of grapes in the wine making process, the DOCG class has to go through a blind taste test.

Italy has about 20 wine making regions and some of them are Lombardy, Sicily, Sardinia, Piedmont (Piemonte), Liguria and Tuscany. Each region’s wine is specific to the grapes grown in that region and its cuisine. Italian wines include the Red Wines variety and the White Wine variety. Some important Italian Red Wine varieties are Sangiovese, Barbera, Dolcetto, Sagrantino and Malvasia Nera. Well-known Italian White Wine varieties are Trebbiano, Pinot Grigio, and Moscato Malvasia Bianca Garganega.

When serving Italian wine, food served during the occasion must blend with the wine served and it is always best to go with food specific to the region from where the wine come from to highlight the taste and quality of the Italian wine.

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

Traveling to a foreign land is not complete without tasting the local delicacy and menu of the place. It wouldn’t definitely be complete to travel in Italy without tasting the country’s own pasta and pizza. Just imagine, it’s like visiting the United States without tasting their burger, shake, fries and hotdogs.

It’s a must to dine out at least once at an Italian’s local restaurant, autogrill, osteria or the trattoria. But before you engage yourself to the sumptuous Italian dishes, you have to painstakingly order something right? Don’t be scared in reading the Italian words in the menu. The thing is that, menus in Italian restaurants are entirely done in the Italian language. To clue you in further, you only need to know the food under Italian descriptions which follow the order of the meal. It is common in Italy to serve different plates for specific orders so expect to find groups of food under certain categories like before meals, main course and dessert.

To translate the Italian categories from the menu, we start with food like mozzarella in carrozza or crostini. These types of food are served “before the meal” so it’s called L’antipasto in Italian.

First course servings already include pasta, risotto and soup (zuppa). It is called “Il Primo” in Italian. Next is the second course serving and it includes heavy meals and it is also regarded as the main course. Meat, poultry or fish are what this meal offers and it is called by Italians “Il secondo”.

Then, there’s also the side dish and dessert after the main course. Usually, the Italian side dish consists of melanzane (eggplant), spinaci (spinach), or insalata mista (mixed salad), yes, it’s all vegetables and it’s called “Il contorno” by Italians.

Now the dessert is plainly called “Il dolce” and as always, it’s mostly sweets. There are a wide variety of desserts served in Italian restaurants but most of it is made of custard.

There, now that you know how to properly identify Italian food from a menu, you can now truly enjoy your meal and your stay in Italy.

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

Italy is famous for many things, but perhaps it is most famous for its wine. The wines of Italy are almost as varied as the people themselves. Wine is very common in Italy, as are tea and coffee in other parts of the world. There are many different types of wine. The two most distinct classifications are red wine and white wine. There is a lot more to that than meets the eye when it comes to fine wine though. There are table wines, after dinner wines, lighter wine to be enjoyed during the day, the types of wine, whether white wine or red wine, are almost endless.

Almost all wine is produced from fermented grapes. Red wine is made by fermenting red grapes just as white wine is made from fermented white grapes. The red wines are usually heavier, often creamier and richer than their white wine counterparts. After dinner wines are frequently very strong and bold red wines produced with much aplomb. Red wines are served with red meats such as beef during meals. In Italy it is not uncommon to have a glass or two of wine when enjoying any meal.

If you are serving fish, poultry or perhaps pork, a white wine is usually served with the meal. White wines are usually lighter and fruitier than red wines. The white wines of Italy vary region by region and even batch by batch.

While wines are produced in similar fashion, even under ideal circumstances in the fermentation of the grapes, there are variations in the wine production. Something so seemingly unimportant as a change in temperature during the fermentation process can have a noticeable effect on the wine being produced. Probably the best thing to keep in mind when you are sampling Italian wine, is to make sure you find one, whether a red wine or white wine, that you enjoy personally.

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

When one comes to visit Florence, Italy the museums, architecture, and countryside are some of the most memorable attractions, but no one comes to Italy for the sights alone. Florence, Italy recipes are what awake the senses and keep the memories of a visit to Italy alive. The food is good, not overly fancy, and easily created at home. In fact, the best restaurants in Italy have taken what Italians have created in their own kitchens and made it available to the public just as if they were close friends or family who have come for warm family dinner.

The Typical Italian Meal – Anything but Typical

In Florence and around Italy the typical Italian meal consists of 4 courses: the anti-pasta, pasta, meat, and dessert. The anti-pasta is a platter of cold cuts, olives, and other non-pasta foods. It is served with a plain salad of just lettuce and tomato with plenty of olive oil and a splash of vinegar.

Next in line is the pasta course. American cuisine has turned pasta into a main course. In Italy, it is served as a side dish or course before the entrée. Pasta is served “al dente” or “to the tooth” meaning it is not overcooked or mushy, but just softened to the point it is chewable. It can be served with butter and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, a red, marinara sauce, or white Alfredo sauce. Pesto, made of basil, pine nuts, and olive oil, is also another common pasta sauce used in Florence Italy recipes.

Meat also accompanies the main course in Italian cooking. A pork roast, lamb, or veal is usually sliced thinly and served with a side dish of pasta or by itself. Only in America will you find a side of green beans served with the spaghetti or ravioli. Italians consider the salad to be their green vegetable serving. You may find some roasted peppers with or without sausage slices on the side.

Desserts served with coffee are the final course in Italian cuisine. Many, such as the cannoli are served with a sweetened ricotta cheese filling. Pastries and cookies with a jelly filling are another common dessert. Tiramisu made with coffee and mascarone cream are an Italian favourite.

Wines for Dinner and Dessert

There are several Tuscan wines that each have their own flavour and go well with different foods. For example, the Galestro is light and fruity and goes well with snacks and light meals. For seafood, the Vernaccia de San Gimignano is good with its dry and full bodied flavour.

Wines that are especially good with desserts are the Vin Santo and Aleatico dell”Elba. Of course, there is the famous Chianti with its bright red colour and smooth dry flavour that is perfect with most foods and all meats.

There are not many places around the world where the food and wine can be the main attractions for tourists, but Florence, Italy is one such place with the unique recipes, wines and traditions that go along with the Italian dining experience. Whether you stay at a posh hotel in the city, a private villa, or countryside farm house, the food is sure to become one of your greatest vacation memories.

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/