 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Eating In Italy
By Dr. Robert Rosati
Eating in Italy is an experience that you should enjoy. The object is to experience good food and what it is like to enjoy eating good food. If you are trying to loose weight, you have to estimate calories and keep within your limits. I do not think you should try to loose weight. Holding your own is fine.
Since food in Italy is made from fresh ingredients and made to order, it is fairly easy to get what you want, although your waiter (il cameriere) may not think so at first. On our honeymoon, we found a little trattoria up towards Tiberius’ villa that is about 30 to 40 minutes uphill from where we were staying. I told the owner, Eduardo, that my wife, Kitty, was a vegetarian, he said he couldn’t help us. He grew everything he cooked in his adjoining garden and also raised chickens and rabbits. I asked if he had ravioli or gnocchi. He said he made the best ravioli and gnocchi we had ever tasted and he was right. Then, he brought us some fish telling us that his son had brought it up the hill for his dinner, but that since we didn’t eat meat, he served it to us. We walked up that hill everyday to eat with Eduardo.
Another time in a trattoria outside Firenze (Florence), when I told the waiter that Kitty was a vegetarian and did not eat meat (carne) or chicken (pollo), he said we should try another restaurant. The waiter wanted us to enjoy our meal and was looking at it from his perspective. He did not see the delicious meal that was possible from our perspective. I looked at the menu (carta) and saw there were antipasti with vegetable and/or cheese. There were many primi (first course, usually pasta or rice (risotto)) without meat or chicken and there were vegetarian secondi (main course) without meat; and, if there weren’t there were delicious vegetables (contorni) that she could easily make into a main course. In another restaurant near Assisi, there was no menu. Ever course, and there were many, was cooked on the grill over an open olive wood fire. They grilled cheese, vegetables and meat. When the meat courses were served they served Kitty a pasta dish, such as cheese ravioli with marinara sauce.
You do have to consider what is in the dish you are ordering. In the north, where butter and cream may be used more frequently, it’s harder to choose, but you can have your sauce on the side. It’s easier in the south with olive oil and tomato-based sauces, but no matter what you order, make sure you enjoy it.
Having established that there is something to eat, be sure to ask that no salt be added to your food. Senza aggiunta di sale, per favore or Non aggiungere il sale, per piacere. You should say that you know there may already be some salt in the ingredients (e.g., in olives, anchovies or capers), but you don’t want any additional salt added to the dish. If they are not to busy, they will even cook your pasta in water without salt.
Always remember that the people you are dealing with really want you to enjoy your meal. And, when you ask for changes, they are just afraid you won’t enjoy your dish since they are used to what they like.
Be careful with desserts, they can be good but they are not the mainstay of Italian cooking. Fresh fruit is always a good choice. If you like ice cream, please have some in Italy, preferably at Giolitti’s in Rome. If you find any that tastes that good in the States, feel free to eat it.
Especially with desserts, but really for any course, if you eating with someone, don’t forget uno per due (one order split between two or more persons)
An espresso or espresso d’orzo (a delicious non-caffeinated coffee substitute made from toasted barley) traditionally finish the meal.
As far as wine is concerned, if you do drink you can order un mezzo (half liter, about 3 glasses). The local wine (vino della casa) is usually good and goes with the food. If you a re determined to try to loose weight, avoid alcohol. And, of course, if you don’t drink, don’t start. I don’t care what they say about the health benefits of wine.
It takes some doing to get the check. Again, because they want you to enjoy your meal. When you’re ready, Il conto, per favore, will get the check.
The usual Italian breakfast (colazione) is grains (bread, rolls, cereal and occasionally cornetti (croissants) with jam, butter and/or cheese and yogurt. And, of course, cappuccino or cafe latte. If you do not want caffeine, I would suggest cappuccino d’orzo. It contains no caffeine and tastes great. Try it. I would suggest bread and a teaspoon of two of jam and cappuccino or cappuccino d’orzo most days.
You shouldn’t eat a full meal at both lunch (pranzo) and dinner (cena). For one, usually lunch, an antipasto such as bruschetta (pronounced brusketta) with various toppings and insalata mista (mixed salad) is enough.
Most, if not all of the time, you’ll be eating whatever is in season. If you're in Italy at the right time, there are certain dishes you should not miss. Fried (yes, fried, but in extra virgin olive oil) baby artichokes (called in Rome carciofi alla judea, artichokes in the Jewish style) and/or zucchini blossoms are musts. Tartufo (truffles) nero (black) or bianco (white) but especially tartufo bianco, if you see it. And porcini mushrooms. I don’t care if you don’t like mushrooms, try these anyway.
One of the things that makes Italian cooking is fresh ingredients. One time near Cortona, in the middle of Italy, I asked the restaurant if we could get fish. He said tomorrow. The next evening, we showed up. No fish. "What happened?" I asked. "The sea was rough today," he responded. The following evening, we had fish caught the same day off the Tuscan coast. So always ask the waiter’s opinion. They know what is the freshest.
Back to Tips
List |
|
|
