First Edition, 2012

ISBN 978-81-323-2024-1

All rights reserved.

Published by: Library Press 4735/22 Prakashdeep Bldg, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, Delhi - 110002 Email: info@wtbooks.com

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - French Cuisine Chapter 2 - How to Make Vanilla Flavoured French Toast Chapter 3 - How to Make Stuffed French Bread Pizza Chapter 4 - How to Make French Onion Chip Dip Chapter 5 - How to Make a Vegetarian Cassoulet Chapter 6 - Foie Gras Chapter 7 - Italian Cuisine Chapter 8 - How to Make Italian Fish Soup Chapter 9 - How to Cook Pasta Chapter 10 - How to Cook Lasagne Chapter 11 - How to Make a Quick Italian Spaghetti Chapter 12 - How to Make Green Spaghetti Chapter 13 - How to Make Ricotta Cheese Chapter 14 - How to Make Gnocchi Chapter 15 - How to Make Pierogies Chapter 16 - Meal Structure in Italy

Chapter- 1

French Cuisine

Basil salmon terrine French cuisine is a style of cooking originating from France, that has developed from centuries of social and political change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel (a.k.a. Taillevent), a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France. In the 17th century, La Varenne and the notable chef of Napoleon and other dignitaries, Marie-Antoine Carme, moved toward fewer spices and more liberal usage of herbs and creamy ingredients, signaling the beginning of modern cuisine. Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine, playing different roles regionally and nationally, with many variations and appellation d'origine contrle (AOC) (regulated appellation) laws.

French cuisine was introduced in the 20th century by Georges Auguste Escoffier to become the modern version of haute cuisine; Escoffier, however, left out much of the regional culinary character to be found in the regions of France. Gastro-tourism and the Guide Michelin helped to acquaint people with the rich bourgeois and peasant cuisine of the French countryside starting in the 20th century. Gascon cuisine has also had great influence over the cuisine in the southwest of France. Many dishes that were once regional have proliferated in variations across the country.

National cuisine
There are many dishes that are considered part of the nation's national cuisine today. Many come from haute cuisine in the fine-dining realm, but others are regional dishes that have become a norm across the country.

History
French cuisine has evolved extensively over centuries. The national cuisine started forming in the Middle Ages due to the influence of the work of skilled chefs and various social and political movements. Over the years the styles of French cuisine have been given different names, and have been modified by various master-chefs. During their lifetimes, these chefs have been held in high regard for contributions to the culture of the country. The national cuisine developed primarily in the city of Paris with the chefs to French royalty, but eventually it spread throughout the country and was even exported overseas.

Middle Ages

John, Duke of Berry enjoying a grand meal. The Duke is sitting with a cardinal at the high table, under a luxurious baldaquin, in front of the fireplace, tended to by several servants, including a carver. On the table to the left of the Duke is a golden salt cellar, or nef, in the shape of a ship; illustration from Trs Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, ca. 1410. In French medieval cuisine, banquets were common among the aristocracy. Multiple courses would be prepared, but served in a style called service en confusion, or all at once. Food was generally eaten by hand, meats being sliced off large pieces held between the thumb and two fingers. The sauces were highly seasoned and thick, and heavily flavored mustards were used. Pies were a common banquet item, with the crust serving primarily as a container, rather than as food itself, and it was not until the very end of the

Late Middle Ages that the shortcrust pie was developed. Meals often ended with an issue de table, which later changed into the modern dessert, and typically consisted of drages (in the Middle Ages, meaning spiced lumps of hardened sugar or honey), aged cheese and spiced wine, such as hypocras. The ingredients of the time varied greatly according to the seasons and the church calendar, and many items were preserved with salt, spices, honey, and other preservatives. Late spring, summer, and fall afforded abundance, while winter meals were more sparse. Livestock were slaughtered at the beginning of winter. Beef was often salted, while pork was salted and smoked. Bacon and sausages would be smoked in the chimney, while the tongue and hams were brined and dried. Cucumbers were brined as well, while greens would be packed in jars with salt. Fruits, nuts and root vegetables would be boiled in honey for preservation. Whale, dolphin and porpoise were considered fish, so during Lent, the salted meats of these sea mammals were eaten. Artificial freshwater ponds (often called stews) held carp, pike, tench, bream, eel, and other fish. Poultry was kept in special yards, with pigeon and squab being reserved for the elite. Game was highly prized, but very rare, and included venison, wild boar, hare, rabbit, and birds. Kitchen gardens provided herbs, including some, such as tansy, rue, pennyroyal, and hyssop, which are rarely used today. Spices were treasured and very expensive at that time they included pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and mace. Some spices used then, but no longer today in French cuisine are cubebs, long pepper (both from vines similar to black pepper), grains of paradise, and galengale. Sweet-sour flavors were commonly added to dishes with vinegars and verjus combined with sugar (for the affluent) or honey. A common form of food preparation was to finely cook, pound and strain mixtures into fine pastes and mushes, something believed to be beneficial to make use of nutrients. Visual display was prized. Brilliant colors were obtained by the addition of, for example, juices from spinach and the green part of leeks. Yellow came from saffron or egg yolk, while red came from sunflower, and purple came from Crozophora tinctoria or Heliotropium europaeum. Gold and silver leaf were placed on food surfaces and brushed with egg whites. Elaborate and showy dishes were the result, such as tourte parmerienne which was a pastry dish made to look like a castle with chicken-drumstick turrets coated with gold leaf. One of the grandest showpieces of the time was roast swan or peacock sewn back into its skin with feathers intact, the feet and beak being gilded. Since both birds are stringy, and taste unpleasant, the skin and feathers could be kept and filled with the cooked, minced and seasoned flesh of tastier birds, like goose or chicken. The most well known French chef of the Middle Ages was Guillaume Tirel, also known as Taillevent. Taillevent worked in numerous royal kitchens during the 14th century. His first position was as a kitchen boy in 1326. He was chef to Philip VI, then the Dauphin who was son of John II. The Dauphin became King Charles V of France in 1364, with Taillevent as his chief cook. His career spanned sixty-six years, and upon his death he was buried in grand style between his two wives. His tombstone represents him in armor, holding a shield with three cooking pots, marmites, on it.

Ancien rgime
During the ancien rgime, Paris was the central hub of culture and economic activity, and as such, the most highly skilled culinary craftsmen were to be found there. Markets in Paris such as Les Halles, la Mgisserie, those found along Rue Mouffetard, and similar smaller versions in other cities were very important to the distribution of food. Those that gave French produce its characteristic identity were regulated by the guild system, which developed in the Middle Ages. In Paris, the guilds were regulated by city government as well as by the French crown. A guild restricted those in a given branch of the culinary industry to operate only within that field. There were two basic groups of guilds first, those that supplied the raw materials; butchers, fishmongers, grain merchants, and gardeners. The second group were those that supplied prepared foods; bakers, pastry cooks, saucemakers, poulterers, and caterers. There were also guilds that offered both raw materials and prepared food, such as the charcutiers and rtisseurs (purveyors of roasted meat dishes). They would supply cooked meat pies and dishes as well as raw meat and poultry. This caused issues with butchers and poulterers, who sold the same raw materials. The guilds served as a training ground for those within the industry. The degrees of assistant-cook, full-fledged cook and master chef were conferred. Those who reached the level of master chef were of considerable rank in their individual industry, and enjoyed a high level of income as well as economic and job security. At times, those in the royal kitchens did fall under the guild hierarchy, but it was necessary to find them a parallel appointment based on their skills after leaving the service of the royal kitchens. This was not uncommon as the Paris cooks' guild regulations allowed for this movement. During the 15th and 16th centuries, French cuisine assimilated many new food items from the New World. Although they were slow to be adopted, records of banquets show Catherine de' Medici serving sixty-six turkeys at one dinner. The dish called cassoulet has its roots in the New World discovery of haricot beans, which are central to the dish's creation, but had not existed outside of the New World until its exploration by Christopher Columbus.

17th century - early 18th century

Haute cuisine ("high cuisine") has foundations during the 17th century with a chef named La Varenne. As author of works such as Cvisinier franois, he is credited with publishing the first true French cookbook. His book includes the earliest known reference to roux using pork fat. The book contained two sections, one for meat days, and one for fasting. His recipes marked a change from the style of cookery known in the Middle Ages, to new techniques aimed at creating somewhat lighter dishes, and more modest presentations of pies as individual pastries and turnovers. La Varenne also published a book on pastry in 1667 entitled Le Parfait confitvrier (republished as Le Confiturier franois) which similarly updated and codified the emerging haute cuisine standards for desserts and pastries.

Chef Franois Massialot wrote Le Cuisinier roal et bourgeois in 1691, during the reign of Louis XIV. The book contains menus served to the royal courts in 1690. Massialot worked mostly as a freelance cook, and was not employed by any particular household. Massialot and many other royal cooks received special privileges by association with the French royalty. They were not subject to the regulation of the guilds; therefore, they could cater weddings and banquets without restriction. His book is the first to list recipes alphabetically, perhaps a forerunner of the first culinary dictionary. It is in this book that a marinade is first seen in print, with one type for poultry and feathered game, while a second is for fish and shellfish. No quantities are listed in the recipes, which suggests that Massialot was writing for trained cooks. The successive updates of Le Cuisinier roal et bourgeois include important refinements such as adding a glass of wine to fish stock. Definitions were also added to the 1703 edition. The 1712 edition, retitled Le Nouveau cuisinier royal et bourgeois, was increased to two volumes, and was written in a more elaborate style with extensive explanations of technique. Additional smaller preparations are included in this edition as well, leading to lighter preparations, and adding a third course to the meal. Ragout, a stew still central to French cookery, makes its first appearance as a single dish in this edition as well; prior to that, it was listed as a garnish.

Marie-Antoine Carme

Late 18th century - 19th century

The Revolution was integral to the expansion of French cuisine, because it effectively abolished the guilds. This meant any one chef could now produce and sell any culinary item he wished. Marie-Antoine Carme was born in 1784, five years before the onset of the Revolution. He spent his younger years working at a ptisserie until being discovered by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord, who would later cook for the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Prior to his employment with Talleyrand, Carme had become known for his pices montes, which were extravagant constructions of pastry and sugar architecture. More important to Carme's career was his contribution to the refinement of French cuisine. The basis for his style of cooking came from his sauces, which he named mother sauces. Often referred to as fonds, meaning "foundations", these base sauces, espagnole, velout, and bchamel, are still known today. Each of these sauces would be made in large quantities in his kitchen, as they were then capable of forming the basis of multiple derivatives. Carme had over one hundred sauces in his repertoire. In his writings, souffls appear for the first time. Although many of his preparations today seem extravagant, he simplified and codified an even more complex cuisine that had existed beforehand. Central to his codification of the cuisine were Le Matre d'htel franais (1822), Le Cuisinier parisien (1828) and L'Art de la cuisine franaise au dix-neuvime sicle (1833-5).

Late 19th century - early 20th century

Georges Auguste Escoffier is commonly acknowledged as the central figure to the modernization of haute cuisine and organizing what would become the national cuisine of France. His influence began with the rise of some of the great hotels in Europe and America during the 1880s - 1890s. The Savoy Hotel owned by Csar Ritz was an early hotel Escoffier worked at, but much of his influence came during his management of the kitchens in the Carlton from 1898 until 1921. He created a system of "parties" called the brigade system, which separated the professional kitchen into five separate stations. These five stations included the "garde manger" that prepared cold dishes; the "entremettier" prepared starches and vegetables, the "rtisseur" prepared roasts, grilled and fried dishes; the "saucier" prepared sauces and soups; and the "ptissier" prepared all pastry and desserts items. This system meant that instead of one person preparing a dish on one's own, now multiple cooks would prepare the different components for the dish. An example used is "oeufs au plat Meyerbeer", the prior system would take up to fifteen minutes to prepare the dish, while in the new system, the eggs would be prepared by the entremettier, kidney grilled by the rtisseur, truffle sauce made by the saucier and thus the dish could be prepared in a shorter time and served quickly in the popular restaurants. Escoffier also simplified and organized the modern menu and structure of the meal. He published a series of articles in professional journals which outlined the sequence, and then he finally published his Livre des menus in 1912. This type of service embraced the service la russe (serving meals in separate courses on individual plates), which Flix

Urbain Dubois had made popular in the 1860s. Escoffier's largest contribution was the publication of Le Guide Culinaire in 1903, which established the fundamentals of French cookery. The book was a collaboration with Philas Gilbert, E. Fetu, A. Suzanne, B. Reboul, Ch. Dietrich, A. Caillat and others. The significance of this is to illustrate the universal acceptance by multiple high-profile chefs to this new style of cooking. Le Guide Culinaire deemphasized the use of heavy sauces and leaned toward lighter fumets, which are the essence of flavor taken from fish, meat and vegetables. This style of cooking looked to create garnishes and sauces whose function is to add to the flavor of the dish, rather than mask flavors like the heavy sauces and ornate garnishes of the past. Escoffier took inspiration for his work from personal recipes in addition to recipes from Carme, Dubois and ideas from Taillevent's Viander, which had a modern version published in 1897. A second source for recipes came from existing peasant dishes that were translated into the refined techniques of haute cuisine. Expensive ingredients would replace the common ingredients, making the dishes much less humble. The third source of recipes was Escoffier himself, who invented many new dishes, such as pche Melba and crpes Suzette. Escoffier updated Le Guide Culinaire four times during his lifetime, noting in the foreword to the book's first edition that even with its 5,000 recipes, the book should not be considered an "exhaustive" text, and that even if it were at the point when he wrote the book, "it would no longer be so tomorrow, because progress marches on each day."

Mid 20th century - late 20th century

Paul Bocuse The 1960s brought about innovative thought to the French cuisine, especially because of the contribution of Portuguese immigrants that had come to the country fleeing the forced drafting to the Colonial Wars Portugal was fighting in Africa. Many new dishes were introduced, as well as techniques. This period is also marked by the appearance of the "Nouvelle Cuisine". The term nouvelle cuisine has been used many times in the history of French cuisine. This description was seen in the 1740s of the cuisine from Vincent La Chapelle, Franois Marin and Menon, and even during the 1880s and 1890s to describe Escoffier's cooking.

The term came up again, however, during the 1960s, when used by two authors, Henri Gault and Christian Millau, to describe the cooking of Paul Bocuse, Jean and Pierre Troisgros, Michel Gurard, Roger Verg and Raymond Oliver. These chefs were working toward rebelling against the "orthodoxy" of Escoffier's cuisine. Some of the chefs were students of Fernand Point at the Pyramide in Vienne, and had left to open their own restaurants. Gault and Millau "discovered the formula" contained in ten characteristics of this new style of cooking. The first characteristic was a rejection of excessive complication in cooking. Second, the cooking times for most fish, seafood, game birds, veal, green vegetables and pts was greatly reduced in an attempt to preserve the natural flavors. Steaming was an important trend from this characteristic. The third characteristic was that the cuisine was made with the freshest possible ingredients. Fourth, large menus were abandoned in favor of shorter menus. Fifth, strong marinades for meat and game ceased to be used. Sixth, they stopped using heavy sauces such as espagnole and bchamel thickened with flour based "roux", in favor of seasoning their dishes with fresh herbs, quality butter, lemon juice, and vinegar. Seventh, they used regional dishes for inspiration instead of haute cuisine dishes. Eighth, new techniques were embraced and modern equipment was often used; Bocuse even used microwave ovens. Ninth, the chefs paid close attention to the dietary needs of their guests through their dishes. Tenth and finally, the chefs were extremely inventive and created new combinations and pairings. Some have speculated that a contributor to nouvelle cuisine was World War II when animal protein was in short supply during the German occupation. By the mid-1980s food writers stated that the style of cuisine had reached exhaustion and many chefs began returning to the haute cuisine style of cooking, although much of the lighter presentations and new techniques remained.

Regional cuisine

The 22 regions and 96 departments of metropolitan France include Corsica (Corse, lower right). Paris area is expanded (inset at left). French regional cuisine is characterized by its extreme diversity and style. Traditionally, each region of France has its own distinctive cuisine accepted by both its bourgeoisie and peasants and other general citizenry of the regions.

Paris and le-de-France

Paris and le-de-France are central regions where almost anything from the country is available, as all train lines meet in the city. Over 9,000 restaurants exist in Paris and almost any cuisine can be had here. High-quality Michelin Guide rated restaurants proliferate here.

Champagne, Lorraine, and Alsace

Game and ham are popular in Champagne, as well as the special sparkling wine simply known as Champagne. Fine fruit preserves are known from Lorraine as well as the quiche Lorraine. Alsace is heavily influenced by the German food culture; as such, the wines and beers made in the area are similar to the style of bordering Germany.

Nord--Pas-de-Calais, Picardy, Normandy, and Brittany

fleur de sel from Gurande The coastline supplies many crustaceans, sea bass, monkfish and herring. Normandy has top quality seafood, such as scallops and sole, while Brittany has a supply of lobster, crayfish and mussels. Normandy is home to a large population of apple trees; apples are is used in dishes, as well as cider and Calvados. The northern areas of this region, especially Nord, grow ample amounts of wheat, sugar beets and chicory. Thick stews are found often in these northern areas as well. The produce of these northern regions is also considered some of the best in the country, including cauliflower and artichokes. Buckwheat grows widely in Brittany as well and is used in the region's galettes, called jalet, which is where this dish originated.

Loire Valley and central France

High quality fruits come from the Loire Valley and central France, including cherries grown for the liqueur Guignolet and the Belle Angevine pears. The strawberries and melons are also of high quality. Fish are seen in the cuisine, often served with a beurre blanc sauce, as well as wild game, lamb, calves, Charolais cattle, Gline fowl, and high quality goat cheeses. Young vegetables are used often in the cuisine as are the specialty mushrooms of the region, champignons de Paris. Vinegars from Orlans are a specialty ingredient used as well.

Burgundy and Franche-Comt

Burgundy is known for its wines. Pike, perch, river crabs, snails, poultry from Bresse, Charolais beef or game, redcurrants, blackcurrants, honey cake, Chaource and Epoisses cheese are all specialties of the local cuisine of both Burgundy and Franche-Comt. Crme de Cassis is a popular liquor made from the blackcurrants. Dijon mustard is also a specialty of Burgundy cuisine. Oils are used in the cooking here, types include nut oils and rapeseed oil. Smoked meat and specialties are produced in the Jura.

Lyon-Rhne-Alpes
Fruit and young vegetables are popular in the cuisine from the Rhne valley. Poultry from Bresse, guinea fowls from Drme and fish from the Dombes lakes and mountain in Rhne-Alpes streams are key to the cuisine as well. Lyon and Savoy supply high quality sausages while the Alpine regions supply their specialty cheeses like Beaufort, Abondance, Reblochon, Tomme and Vacherin. Mres lyonnaises are a particular type of restaurateur relegated to this region that are the regions bistro. Celebrated chefs from this region include Fernand Point, Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers and Alain Chapel. The Chartreuse Mountains are in this region, and the liquor Chartreuse is produced in a monastery there.

Poitou-Charentes and Limousin

Oysters come from the Olron-Marennes basin, while mussels come from the Bay of Aiguillon. High quality produce comes from the region's hinterland, especially goat cheese. This region and in the Vende is grazing ground for Parthenaise cattle, while poultry is raised in Challans. Poitou and Charente purportedly produce the best butter and cream in France. Cognac is also made in the region along the Charente River. Limousin is home to the high quality Limousin cattle, as well as high quality sheep. The woodlands offer game and high quality mushrooms. The southern area around Brive draws its cooking influence from Prigord and Auvergne to produce a robust cuisine.

Bordeaux, Prigord, Gascony, and Basque country

An entire foie gras (partly prepared for a terrine) Bordeaux is known for its wine, as it is throughout the southwest of France, with certain areas offering specialty grapes for its wines. Fishing is popular in the region for the cuisine, sea fishing in the Bay of Biscay, trapping in the Garonne and stream fishing in the Pyrenees. The Pyrenees also support top quality lamb, such as the "Agneau de Pauillac", as well as high quality sheep cheeses. Beef cattle in the region include the Blonde d'Aquitaine, Boeuf de Chalosse, Boeuf Gras de Bazas, and Garonnaise. High quality free-range chicken, turkey, pigeon, capon, goose and duck prevail in the region as well. Gascony and Prigord cuisines includes high quality pats, terrines, confits and magrets. This is one of the regions notable for its production of foie gras or fattened goose or duck liver. The cuisine of the region is often heavy and farm based. Armagnac is also from this region, as are high quality prunes from Agen.

Toulouse, Quercy, and Aveyron

Black Prigord Truffle Gers in this region has high quality poultry, while La Montagne Noire and Lacaune area offers high quality hams and dry sausages. White corn is planted heavily in the area both for use in fattening the ducks and geese for foie gras and for the production of millas, a cornmeal porridge. Haricot beans are also grown in this area, which are central to the dish cassoulet. The finest sausage in France is commonly acknowledged to be the saucisse de Toulouse, which also finds its way into their version of cassoulet of Toulouse. The Cahors area produces a high quality specialty "black wine" as well as high-quality truffles and mushrooms. This region also produces milk-fed lamb. Unpasteurized ewe's milk is used to produce the Roquefort in Aveyron, while Cantal is produced in Laguiole. The Salers cattle produce quality milk for cheese, as well as beef and veal products. The volcanic soils create flinty cheeses and superb lentils. Mineral waters are produced in high volume in this region as well. Cabcou cheese is from Rocamadour, a medieval settlement erected directly on a cliff, in the rich countryside of Causses du Quercy. This area is one of the regions oldest milk producers; it has chalky soil, marked by history and human activity, and is favourable for the raising of goats.

Roussillon, Languedoc, and Cvennes

Restaurants are popular in the area known as Le Midi. Oysters come from the Etang de Thau, to be served in the restaurants of Bouzigues, Meze, and Ste. Mussels are commonly seen here in addition to fish specialties of Ste, Bourride, Tielles and Rouille de seiche. In the Languedoc jambon cru, sometimes known as jambon de montagne is produced. High quality Roquefort comes from the brebis (sheep) on the Larzac plateau. The Les Cvennes area offers mushrooms, chestnuts, berries, honey, lamb, game, sausages, pts and goat cheeses. Catalan influence can be seen in the cuisine here with dishes like brandade made from a pure of dried cod wrapped in mangold leaves. Snails are plentiful and are prepared in a specific Catalan style known as a cargolade.

Provence and Cte d'Azur

The Provence and Cte d'Azur region is rich in quality citrus, vegetables and fruits and herbs the region is one of the largest suppliers of all these ingredients in France. The region also produces the largest amount of olives, and creates superb olive oil. Lavender is used in many dishes found in Haute Provence. Other important herbs in the cuisine include thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, savory, fennel, marjoram, tarragon, oregano, and bay leaf. Honey is a prized ingredient in the region. Seafood proliferates throughout the coastal area. Goat cheeses, air-dried sausages, lamb, beef, and chicken are popular here. Garlic* and anchovies are used in many of the region's sauces, as in Poulet Provenal, which uses white wine, tomatoes, herbs, and sometimes anchovies, and Pastis is found everywhere that alcohol is served. The cuisine uses a large amount of vegetables for lighter preparations. Truffles are commonly seen in Provence during the winter. Thirteen desserts in Provence are the traditional Christmas dessert, e.g. quince cheese, biscuits, almonds, nougat, apple, and fougasse. Rice is grown in the Camargue, which is the most-northerly rice growing area in Europe, with Camargue red rice being a specialty.

Anibal Camous, a Marseillais who lived to be 104, maintained that it was by eating garlic daily that he kept his youth and brilliance. When his eighty-yearold son died, the father mourned: I always told him he wouldnt live long, poor boy. He ate too little garlic ! (cited by chef Philippe Gion)

Corsica
Goats and sheep proliferate on the island of Corsica, and lamb are used to prepare dishes such as "stufato", ragouts and roasts. Cheeses are also produced, with "brocciu" being the most popular. Chestnuts, growing in the Castagniccia forest, are used to produce flour, which is used in turn to make bread, cakes and polenta. The forest provides acorns used to feed the pigs and boars that provide much of the protein for the island's cuisine. Fresh fish and seafood are common. The island's pork is used to make fine hams, sausage and other unique items including coppa (dried rib cut), lonzu (dried pork fillet), figatella, salumu (a dried sausage) salcietta, Panzetta, bacon, figarettu (smoked and dried

liverwurst) and prisuttu (farmer's ham). Clementines (which hold an AOC designation), lemons, nectarines and figs are grown there. Candied citron is used in nougats and cakes, while and the aforementioned brocciu and chestnuts are also used in desserts. Corsica offers a variety of wines and fruit liqueurs, including Cap Corse, Patrimonio, Cdratine, Bonapartine, liqueur de myrte, vins de fruit, Rappu, and eau-de-vie de chtaigne.

Specialties by season
French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruit and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities. With the advent of deep-freeze and the air-conditioned hypermarch, these seasonal variations are less marked than hitherto, but they are still observed, in some cases due to legal restrictions. Crayfish, for example, have a short season and it is illegal to catch them out of season. Moreover, they do not freeze well.

Foods and ingredients

Escargot la bourguignonne or "escargot cooked with garlic and parsley butter in a shell" (with a 0.02 coin as scale)

Smoked and salted horse meat on a sandwich French regional cuisines use locally grown vegetables, such as pomme de terre (potato), haricot verts (a type of French green bean), carotte (carrot), poireau (leek), navet (turnip), aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), and chalotte (shallot). French regional cuisines use locally grown fungi, such as truffe (truffle), champignon de Paris (mushroom), chanterelle ou girolle (chanterelle), pleurote (en hutre) (oyster mushrooms), and cpes (porcini). Common fruits include oranges, tomatoes, tangerines, peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, redcurrant, blackberries, grapes, grapefruit, and blackcurrants. Varieties of meat consumed include poulet (chicken), pigeon (squab), dinde (turkey), canard (duck), oie (goose, the source of foie gras), buf (beef), veau (veal), porc (pork), agneau (lamb), mouton (mutton), lapin (rabbit), caille (quail), cheval (horse), grenouille (frog), and escargot (snails). Commonly consumed fish and seafood include cod, canned sardines, fresh sardines, canned tuna, fresh tuna, salmon, trout, mussels, herring, oysters, shrimp and calamari.

Eggs are fine quality and often eaten as:

omelettes hard-boiled with mayonnaise scrambled plain scrambled haute cuisine preparation uf la coque

Herbs and seasonings vary by region, and include fleur de sel, herbes de Provence, tarragon, rosemary, marjoram, lavender, thyme, fennel, and sage. Fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as fish and meat, can be purchased either from supermarkets or specialty shops. Street markets are held on certain days in most localities; some towns have a more permanent covered market enclosing food shops, especially meat and fish retailers. These have better shelter than the periodic street markets.

Structure of meals
Breakfast

Cafs often offer Croissants for breakfast Le petit djeuner (breakfast) is often a quick meal consisting of tartines (slices) of French bread with jelly or jam, croissants or pain au chocolat (a pastry filled with chocolate)

along with coffee or tea. Children often drink hot chocolate in bowls along with their breakfasts. Breakfast of some kind is always served in cafs opening early in the day.

Lunch
Le djeuner (lunch) was once a two hour mid-day meal, but has recently seen a trend toward the one hour lunch break. In some smaller towns, the two hour lunch may still be customary. Sunday lunches are often longer and are taken with the family. Restaurants normally open for lunch at 12:00 noon and close at 2:30 pm. Many restaurants close on Saturday and Monday during lunch. In large cities, a majority of working people and students eat their lunch at a corporate or school cafeteria, which normally serve complete meals as described above; it is therefore not usual for students to bring their own lunch food. It is common for white-collar workers to be given lunch vouchers as part of their employee benefits. These can be used in most restaurants, supermarkets and traiteurs; however, workers having lunch in this way typically do not eat all three dishes of a traditional lunch due to price and time considerations. In smaller cities and towns, some working people leave their workplaces to return home for lunch, generating four rush hours during the day. Finally, an alternative also popular, especially among blue-collar workers, is to lunch on a sandwich, possibly followed with a dessert; both dishes can be found ready-made at bakeries and supermarkets for budget prices.

Dinner
Le dner (dinner) often consists of three courses, hors d'uvre or entre (introductory course, often soup), plat principal (main course), and a cheese course or dessert, sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert. Yogurt may replace the cheese course, while a normal everyday dessert would be fresh fruit. The meal is often accompanied by bread, wine and mineral water. Wine consumption has been dropping recently amongst young people. Fruit juice consumption has risen from 25.6% in 1996 to 31.6% in 2002. Main meat courses are often served with vegetables, along with rice or pasta. Restaurants often open at 7:30pm for dinner, and stop taking orders between the hours of 10:00pm and 11:00 pm. Many restaurants close for dinner on Sundays. Some restaurants open on Sundays, such as pizzerias.

Beverages
Traditionally, France has been a culture of wine consumption, but this has lessened with time. Since the 1960s, per capita wine consumption has dropped by 50 percent and continues to decline, primarily due to less consumption of low quality wines with meals. Beer is especially popular with the youth. Other popular alcoholic drinks include pastis, an aniseed-flavored beverage diluted with cold water. The legal alcohol purchase age is 18 (previously 16; the age was raised by health minister Roselyne Bachelot in March 2009). Usually, parents tend to prohibit their children from

consuming alcohol before they reach their early teens. Students and young adults are known to drink heavily during parties, but usually drunkenness is not displayed in public. Public consumption of alcohol is legal, but driving under the influence can result in severe penalties.

Food establishments
History
The modern restaurant has its origins in French culture. Prior to the late 18th century, diners who wished to "dine out" would visit their local guild member's kitchen and have their meal prepared for them. However, guild members were limited to producing whatever their guild registry delegated them to. These guild members offered food in their own homes to steady clientele that appeared day-to-day but at set times. The guest would be offered the meal table d'hte, which is a meal offered at a set price with very little choice of dishes, sometimes none at all. The first steps toward the modern restaurant were locations that offered restorative bouillons, or restaurants these words being the origin of the name restaurant. This step took place during the 1760s - 1770's. These locations were open at all times of the day, featuring ornate tableware and reasonable prices. These locations were meant more as meal replacements for those who had "lost their appetites and suffered from jaded palates and weak chests." In 1782 Antoine Beauvilliers, pastry chef to the future Louis XVIII, opened one of the most popular restaurants of the time the Grande Taverne de Londres in the arcades of the Palais-Royal. Other restaurants were opened by chefs of the time who were leaving the failing monarchy of France, in the period leading up to the French Revolution. It was these restaurants that expanded upon the limited menus of decades prior, and led to the full restaurants that were completely legalized with the advent of the French Revolution and abolition of the guilds. This and the substantial discretionary income of the French Directory's nouveau riche helped keep these new restaurants in business. Categories English French Description More than 5,000 in Paris alone, with varying levels of prices and menus. Open at certain times of the day, and normally closed one day of the week. Patrons select items from a printed menu. Some offer regional menus, while others offer a modern styled menu. By law, a Restaurant prix-fixe menu must be offered, although high-class restaurants may try to conceal the fact. Few French restaurants cater to vegetarians. The Guide Michelin rates many of the better restaurants in this category. Often smaller than a restaurant and many times using chalk board or Bistro(t) verbal menus. Many feature a regional cuisine. Notable dishes include

coq au vin, pot-au-feu, confit de canard, calves' liver and entrecte. Similar to caberets or tavernes of the past in France. Some offer inexpensive alcoholic drinks, while others take pride in offering a full Bistrot Vin range of vintage AOC wines. The foods in some are simple, including sausages, ham and cheese, while others offer dishes similar to what can be found in a bistro. Found in Lyon, they produce traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, such as sausages, duck pt or roast pork. The dishes can be quite fatty, and Bouchon heavily oriented around meat. There are about twenty officially certified traditional bouchons, but a larger number of establishments describing themselves using the term. these establishments were created in the 1870s by refugees from Alsace-Lorraine. These establishments serve beer, but most serve brewery Brasserie wines from Alsace such as Riesling, Sylvaner, and Gewrztraminer. The most popular dishes are Sauerkraut and Seafood dishes. In general, a brasserie is open all day, offering the same menu. Primarily locations for coffee and alcoholic drinks. Tables and chairs are usually set outside, and prices marked up somewhat en terrasse. Caf The limited foods sometimes offered include croque-monsieur, salads, moules-frites (mussels and pommes frites) when in season. Cafs often open early in the morning and shut down around nine at night. These locations are more similar to cafs in the rest of the world. These tearooms often offer a selection of cakes and do not offer alcoholic drinks. Many offer simple snacks, salads, and sandwiches. Salon de Th Teas, hot chocolate, and chocolat l'ancienne (a popular chocolate drink) offered as well. These locations often open just prior to noon for lunch and then close late afternoon. Based on the American style, many were built at the beginning of the 20th century (particularly around World War I, when young American Bar expatriates were quite common in France, particularly Paris). These locations serve cocktails, whiskey, pastis and other alcoholic drinks. Typical of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, these small bars/restaurants used to be a central place for farmers, mine or textile workers to meet and socialize. Alongside the usual beverages (beers and liquors), one Estaminet could order basic regional dishes, as well as play various indoor games. These estaminets almost disappeared, but are now considered a part of Nord-Pas-de-Calais history, and therefore preserved and promoted.

A bouchon, Le tablier (the apron), in Vieux Lyon

Restaurant staff

Cooks at work Larger restaurants and hotels in France employ extensive staff and are commonly referred to as either the kitchen brigade for the kitchen staff or dining room brigade system for the dining room staff. This system was created by Georges Auguste Escoffier. This structured team system delegates responsibilities to different individuals that specialize in certain tasks. The following is a list of positions held both in the kitchen and dining rooms brigades in France:

Chapter- 2

How to Make Vanilla Flavoured French Toast

Don't you just hate soggy French Toast. Here's an easy recipe for delicious crisp French Toast!

Ingredients

1 egg 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract 2 slices of bread Milk

Steps
1. Preheat the frying pan. 2. Mix the egg and the vanilla extract and pour just enough milk in to cover the egg. 3. Whisk the mixture. 4. Place two slices bread in the frying pan until the slices are brown. 5. dip the slices in the batter. 6. Place the slices bread on the frying pan and allow the batter to dry on the bread. Get every side to bake for about 2 or 3 minutes. 7. Remove the slices if you think that they are brown enough. 8. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on the slices. 9. Enjoy!

Things you'll need

Frying pan Spatula Whisk Bowl Spoon

Tips

For a delicious treat you can add Maple syrup. Cut the bread slices for the baking time, this is also great finger food for kids.

How to Make French Toast

French Toast may not really be french, but it sure is tasty! Here's your guide on how to make quick french toast if you haven't made it before.

Ingredients
(Per Batch)

One egg One cup milk Bread (Whole Wheat actually tastes just about the same as white, and it's a lot better for you- also, whole wheat doesn't rip as much so you're left with more "complete" toast.)(Homemade bread is also tasty as long as it's sliced thinly enough!) Pam or other non-stick spray (But try not to use if you're using a non-stick pan--if you're not sure, use a little butter instead.)

Steps
1. Non-stick up your pan or griddle and put it on medium heat. 2. Get your mixture ready--mix the egg and cup of milk in a medium sized bowl, so the bowl is deep enough not to spill. 3. Get out your bread- one slice at a time, dip it into the mixture and let it dribble a bit, then *carefully* lay it on the pan or griddle. 4. Making sure there's enough room to flip the slices, nearly fill the pan or griddle with the wet bread. 5. Using a flipper with a long enough handle, flip over the toast when you think it's as done is as tasty. 6. As soon as the other side is done, put on individual plates or serving plates, whichever your style, and serve! 7. Add syrup, butter, strawberries, any condiment that you like. 8. You may want to make some eggs to go with the French toast.

Tips

Some people like french toast mostly brown and pretty stiff, others like it more mushy and bread-colored. Whichever you like is fine, but remember that eggs can carry samonella, a food poisoning, and can pass it to you if you're not careful. Make sure to cook the food at least enough so that the eggs are cooked. French toast cooks pretty quickly, so if you have to leave the stove for a minute for any reason, turn the heat off and make sure there's no toast to burn or let someone keep an eye on it for you.

Warnings

Salmonella is a food poisoning that can be carried through undercooked eggs. Be careful to fully cook any eggs that will be eaten, and wash your hands thoroughly before and after cooking eggs, and before eating. Be careful when working with stoves, burners, or open flames- make sure you're either allowed to cook alone, or that there's an adult with you.

Things You'll Need

Frying pan or griddle (Pans keep the liquid from getting in around the edges of the griddle, and is easier to clean, but generally holds fewer pieces of bread.) Spatula, or Tongs Stovetop, gas or electric is fine An adult to supervise if you're not allowed to cook alone (though you may still want to ask so you won't get in trouble, especially if you're not home.)

Chapter- 3

How to Make Stuffed French Bread Pizza

You have a group of people to feed, and you aren't quite sure where to start...pizza anyone??? Nah, too messy...well, how about a stuffed french bread 'pizza'?

Ingredients

1 loaf French Bread Meat (any mixture of whatever you like)(basically, about a pound of meat or so) o Hamburger (cooked) o Sausage (cooked) o Pepperoni o Canadian Bacon Cheddar Cheese Soup Cream of Onion or Cream of Mushroom (personal preference) Onions - chopped

Grated cheddar cheese Butter Pizza sauce

Steps
1. Cut your french bread in half, the short way. Remove (gut) the bread from inside and put into a large 5 quart saucepan. Make the pieces fairly small. 2. Take your cooked meat, your soups that you have chosen and add them to your large saucepan. Once you have become familiar with the recipe, you can make changes as your tastes change. 3. Cook them in the pan until they have been mixed thoroughly and are warm. o At this point, you can add the onions in with the food while it is cooking, or leave them on the side to add to your plate while eating. This meal is entirely driven by your own tastes. 4. Once heated enough, take the mixture and stuff the french bread with everything that you have mixed together. Depending on how much you have added to the bread, there may be more stuffing than room. If so, just wrap it up in a bit of aluminum foil and heat it with the rest of the bread. 5. Take the french bread and depending on the desired crust: bake it. o Crispy Crust - put the stuffed french bread on a cookie sheet and let it sit in the oven for a few minutes while everything warms up together. o Soft Crust - butter the crust, wrap in aluminum foil and heat in the oven until the crust has warmed up. About 10 minutes or so. 6. Remove from the oven and slice the bread into slices...about an inch or inch and a half thick. 7. Set the table with grated cheese, pizza sauce, chopped onions, pepperocinis and whatever else your pizza loving heart desires.

How to Make French Toast Waffles

Did you know you can use your waffle iron to make french toast? It will taste something like a waffle and french toast fused together. Makes 6 slices.

Ingredients

1 cup (235ml) of milk (any kind) 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional) a pinch of salt 6 slices of brioche (about 1/4" thick) or plain bread

Steps
1. Whisk the first five ingredients together in a large bowl and pour the mixture into a shallow pan, pie plate, or baking dish. 2. Lay a slice of brioche (or regular bread) into the mixture and soak until the bread is just saturated with the mixture, turning to coat the other side. Repeat for each slice. 3. Pre-heat waffle iron and grease lightly. Place one slice of soaked bread in the center of the waffle iron, cover and cook as if it were a waffle. The cooking time will be about the same as for a waffle. 4. Serve immediately with syrup, powdered sugar, and/or fruit topping for a different, delicious, and unusual breakfast.

Tips

Stick to a standard (shallower) iron for these. You can also simply cook the french toast on a griddle on top of the stove if you don't care to use a waffle iron. Coffee or tea would make a good accompanying beverage. Use slightly stale bread (referred to as "day-old bread"), or let it sit out an hour before use. The surface will hold more egg mixture, preventing saturation. It will also not tear as easily when cooking. For a fluffier coating, whisk until you get a frothy mixture. Refrigerating the mixture will decrease its ability to foam. A fork and pie pan make perfectly fine alternatives to a whisk and mixing bowl. Use a fork in a circular motion, from your wrist, to beat the eggs evenly into the mixture.

Warnings

You can't use just any waffle iron for these. A Belgian waffle iron is likely to tear the bread unless you are making a very, very thick slice of french toast. Do not use Soy milk. Regular milk (whole, 2%, etc.) is often used in cooking as a thickening agent. Soy milk lacks these qualities. Remember to be careful when handling items that are cooking or which have recently been cooked as they may be hot and burn you.

Chapter- 4

How to Make French Onion Chip Dip

Whether you like ketchup, dill pickle, all dressed, or regular, we all like chips. If you want to make your own chip dip rather then buy expensive dips from the store, try this.

Steps
1. Prepare your dip. In a medium mixing bowl, combine one 8oz (500ml) container of sour cream with one package of Lipton dry onion soup mix. Mix well to ensure

that all the dry ingredients blend in with the sour cream. Add 8oz (500ml) of cream cheese. You may want to warm the cream cheese first to make it easier to stir. 2. Allow the dip to sit. Place the combined dip into the fridge for at least four hours. 3. Present your chip dip. Place your chip dip in a serving dish and garnish with chives or green onions.

Tips

The dip can be stored in the fridge for the length of the expiration date on the sour cream. Use more or less sour cream to make the flavor milder or bolder, respectively. For low fat chip dip, use low fat or non fat sour cream and cream cheese. Plain yogurt can work just as well.

Things You'll Need

8 oz (500 ml) of Sour Cream. 8 oz (500 ml) of Cream Cheese. 1 package Lipton Onion soup mix

How to Make PB&J Stuffed French Toast

Want to make french toast with peanut butter and jelly? Here's how.

Ingredients

Two eggs A dash of cinnamon A dash of vanilla extract Bread (fresh bread is not recommended) Peanut butter Jelly Butter or oil Honey, syrup, or other condiment (optional)

Steps
1. Take two eggs and beat them with a fork. While you are beating them, put in the cinnamon and vanilla. 2. When you are done make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 3. Put the sandwich in the egg mixture on both sides to soak up the mixture. 4. Put it on a hot frying pan with butter and flip after a few minutes; when it's golden brown it's time to flip.

Tips

This goes well with a dip in honey, syrup, etc.

Warnings

Pan and french toast will be hot.

Chapter- 5

How to Make a Vegetarian Cassoulet

This is a cassoulet dish, wider at the top to give a better crust. To classical French cooks, a cassoulet without meat isn't a cassoulet. It tastes great however so should a vegetarian name be made its fine to use that to keep the peace. Here's what to do for a delicious "lazy cook" cold weather dish to serve 4 or 5 as a side dish.

Ingredients

2 cups dried cannelini or navy beans (soaked overnight), or 2 x 400g cans of the same, drained & rinsed. 2 small brown onions or 1 large one, peeled and chopped. 2 or 3 cloves of garlic or 1/2t dried garlic, soaked in water for at least 15 minutes before use. 400g can of chopped tomatoes 1 carrot, chopped 1 stick of celery, chopped Fresh herbs to taste: thyme, rosemary, parsley. 100g (give or take a little) of fresh breadcrumbs. Olive oil or butter 1 L stock (vegetarian grade bacon or chicken flavours are preferred, or just vegetable.) Optional extra vegetables: zucchini/courgette, red sweet potato/kumara Optional extra flavours: 1 x chopped red chilli and/or black pitted olives (to taste). Both optional extras make good compatible flavours, but aren't classical cassoulet ingredients.

Steps
1. Heat oven to 140C. 2. Heat olive oil or butter in a large frying pan (about 1T worth). Fry onions, garlic, carrot, celery (extra vegetables can also be added at this stage). 3. Add beans, tomatoes, stock and chopped herbs (except parsley) and stir well. Taste for seasoning, it will get a little saltier as the stock evaporates, but you are looking for the strength of garlic and herbs.

4. Place into a large casserole dish and top with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle with about 1T melted butter or oil. 5. Bake for an hour up to 1.5 hrs. Traditionally, the crust is broken up occasionally through the baking time so its not stirred in but agitated gently with a fork and baked again to become a thicker and more golden crust. The crust can be the best part. 6. When the beans are tender and the stock is mostly all absorbed, sprinkle with the chopped parsley. It does add to the flavour as well as looking nice. 7. Serve and enjoy, ensuring everyone gets a bit of the crust top.

Tips

TVP sausages should be fine to have with this, but not tested. Garlic bread is excellent with this. Herb & garlic would be the central flavours. Its good and lazy because after cooking the vegetables and mixing it together, baking is all thats left with nothing else other than a tidy up. Its good as a meal in one, or with something else. Covering cassoulet with foil will protect it from burning or drying out, but you won't develop that crust. If it goes dry, add a little stock, or turn down oven temperature.

Warnings

Avoid adding extra salt because as the stock evaporates the meal will get saltier.

Things You'll Need

A cassoulet or casserole dish. Frypan & wooden spoon Chopping board, knife & vegetable peeler Can opener & measuring utensils.

How to Make Deux Foie Gras

Deux Foie Gras The appetizer Deux Foie Gras, as the name suggests, consists of two types of the famous French delicacy, Foie Gras Crme Brle with Vanilla and Kumquat Compote and Sauted Foie Gras. With a combination of sweet and savoury to tickle the tastebuds, coupled with its gentle yet aesthetically pleasant presentation, Deux Foie Gras will build up the appetite of even the fussiest guest in your next dinner party!

Ingredients
Vanilla and Kumquat Compote

1 Vanilla Bean 100ml Honey 200g Sliced kumquats

30ml Red wine vinegar 40ml Water

Duck Foie Gras

4 x 40g Duck Foie Gras slices Estimated Plain flour for dusting 1 pinch Cracked black peppercorns 1 pinch Sea salt

Foie Gras Crme Brulee

100g Duck Foie Gras 1 Egg 1 Egg yolk 250g Cream 1 dash Brandy 1 pinch Salt & Pepper

Garnish

10ml Apple Balsamic Vinegar (Reduced) 1 Green Apple (cut into small wedges)

Steps
Prepare the Vanilla and Kumquat Compote:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. First, pour honey into a pot. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the vanilla seeds into the honey. Caramelize until dark brown. Add sliced kumquats, red wine vinegar and water. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Afterwards, set aside to cool until ready to use.

Prepare the Foie Gras crme Brulee:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Blend all of the ingredients except the brandy in a blender until smooth. Add in Brandy. Season to taste. Pass through a fine sieve. Pour into shot glasses, filling up to the brim of the glass. Line a gastronome pan with a cloth then place the shot glasses on the cloth. Fill the pan with hot water until the water reaches marking of the shot glasses. 6. Cover tightly with tin foil. 7. Place pan in an oven at 100C for 1 hour. 8. Once cooked, remove from the pan and allow to cool.

9. Sprinkle sugar on top of the crme Brulee and use a hand torch to caramelize the sugar.

Prepare the Duck Foie Gras:

1. Dust the foie gras lightly with the flour. 2. Sautee on both sides until brown while keeping it soft in the middle. 3. Finally, arrange foie gras on plates and serve.

Tips
Presentation:

Serve the Brulee with 2 wedges of apple on the top and a few drops of apple balsamic. Place the seared foie gras to one side of the Brulee and serve with the vanilla and kumquat compote.

Warnings

Be very careful when using the hand torch as you might get yourself burnt. When caramelizing the sugar, carefully make sure that it does not get over burnt as this will ruin the taste. Gastronome pan will be extremely hot, so be caution while handling and removing it.

Things You'll Need

Chopping Board Knife Jug Scraper Hand Torch Blender Pot Bowl Whisk Sieve Shot Glasses Plates Gastronome Pan Tin Foil

Chapter- 6

Foie Gras

Foie gras with mustard seeds and green onions in duck jus

An entire foie gras (partly prepared for a terrine)

Pt de foie gras, canned

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy Carbohydrates Dietary fiber Fat Protein Thiamine (Vit. B1) Riboflavin (Vit. B2) Niacin (Vit. B3) Sodium 1,933 kJ (462 kcal) 4.67 g 0.0 g 43.84 g 11.40 g 0.088 mg (7%) 0.299 mg (20%) 2.51 mg (17%) 697 mg (30%)

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Foie gras is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage (force-feeding) corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding. Pt de foie gras was formerly known as "Strasbourg pie" in English due to that city being a major producer of this food product. Foie gras is a popular and well-known delicacy in French cuisine. Its flavor is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of a regular duck or goose liver. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pt (the lowest quality), and may also be served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak. French law states that "Foie gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of France."

Another European cuisine employs fattened goose liver almost to the extent as in France; in Hungary, libamj (lit. 'goose liver') is produced, as in France, both at the small farm and larger commercial levels, and is consumed both plain and in cooking by all levels of society. As with French foie gras, tinned libamj is exported and can be purchased around Europe and North America. The technique of gavage dates as far back as 2500 BC, when the ancient Egyptians began keeping birds for food and deliberately fattened the birds through force-feeding. Today, France is by far the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and the People's Republic of China. Gavage-based foie gras production is controversial due to the force feeding procedure used. A number of countries and other jurisdictions have laws against force feeding or the sale of foie gras.

History

A bas relief depiction of overfeeding geese

Ancient times
As early as 2500 BC, the ancient Egyptians learned that many birds could be fattened through forced overfeeding and began this practice. Whether they particularly sought the fattened livers of migratory birds as a delicacy remains undetermined. In the necropolis of Saqqara, in the tomb of Mereruka, an important royal official, there is a bas relief scene wherein workers grasp geese around the necks in order to push food down their throats. At the side stand tables piled with more food pellets, and a flask for moistening the feed before giving it to the geese. The practice of goose fattening spread from Egypt to the Mediterranean. The earliest reference to fattened geese is from the 5th century BC Greek poet Cratinus, who wrote of geese-fatteners, yet Egypt maintained its reputation as the source for fattened geese. When the Spartan king Agesilaus visited Egypt in 361 BC, he was greeted with fattened geese and calves, the riches of Egyptian farmers.

It was not until the Roman period, however, that foie gras is mentioned as a distinct food, which the Romans named iecur ficatum; iecur means liver and ficatum derives from ficus, meaning fig in Latin. The emperor Elagabalus fed his dogs on foie gras during the four years of his chaotic reign. Pliny the Elder (1st century AD) credits his contemporary, Roman gastronome Marcus Gavius Apicius, with feeding dried figs to geese in order to enlarge their livers: "Apicius made the discovery, that we may employ the same artificial method of increasing the size of the liver of the sow, as of that of the goose; it consists in cramming them with dried figs, and when they are fat enough, they are drenched with wine mixed with honey, and immediately killed." Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book VIII. Chapter 77 Hence, the term iecur ficatum, fig-stuffed liver; feeding figs to enlarge a goose's liver may derive from Hellenistic Alexandria, since much of Roman luxury cuisine is of Greek inspiration. Ficatum was closely associated with animal liver and it became the root word for "liver" in each of these languages: foie in French, hgado in Spanish, fgado in Portuguese, fegato in Italian and ficat in Romanian, all meaning "liver"; this etymology has been explained in different manners.

Postclassical Europe
After the fall of the Roman empire, goose liver temporarily vanished from European cuisine. Some claim that Gallic farmers preserved the foie gras tradition until the rest of Europe rediscovered it centuries later, but the medieval French peasant's food animals were mainly pig and sheep. Others claim that the tradition was preserved by the Jews, who learned the method of enlarging a goose's liver during the Roman colonisation of Judea or earlier from Egyptians. The Jews carried this culinary knowledge as they migrated farther north and west to Europe. The Judaic dietary law, Kashrut, forbade lard as a cooking medium, and butter, too, was proscribed as an alternative since Kashrut also prohibited mixing meat and dairy products. Jewish cuisine used olive oil in the Mediterranean, and sesame oil in Babylonia, but neither cooking medium was easily available in Western and Central Europe, so poultry fat (known in Yiddish as schmaltz), which could be abundantly produced by overfeeding geese, was substituted in their stead. The delicate taste of the goose's liver was soon appreciated; Hans Wilhelm Kirchhof of Kassel wrote in 1562 that the Jews raise fat geese and particularly love their livers. Some Rabbis were concerned that eating forcibly overfed geese violated Jewish food restrictions. The chasam sofer, Rabbi Moses Sofer, contended that it is not a forbidden food (treyf) as none of its limbs are damaged. This matter remained a debated topic in Jewish dietary law until the Jewish taste for goose liver declined in the 19th century. Another kashrut matter, still a problem today, is that even properly slaughtered and inspected meat must be drained of blood before being considered fit to eat. Usually, salting achieves that; however, as liver is regarded as "(almost) wholly blood", broiling is the only way of kashering. Properly broiling a foie

gras while preserving its delicate taste is an arduous endeavour few engage in seriously. Even so, there are restaurants in Israel that offer grilled goose foie gras.

Bartolomeo Scappi Gentile gastronomes began appreciating fattened goose liver, which they could buy in the local Jewish ghetto of their cities. In 1570, Bartolomeo Scappi, chef de cuisine to Pope Pius V, published his cookbook Opera, wherein he describes that "the liver of [a] domestic goose raised by the Jews is of extreme size and weighs [between] two and three pounds." In 1581, Marx Rumpolt of Mainz, chef to several German nobles, published the massive cookbook Ein Neu Kochbuch, describing that the Jews of Bohemia produced livers weighing more than three pounds; he lists recipes for itincluding one for goose liver mousse. Jnos Keszei, chef to the court of Michael Apafi, the prince of Transylvania, included foie gras recipes in his 1680 cookbook A New Book About Cooking, instructing cooks to "envelop the goose liver in a calf's thin skin, bake it and prepare [a] green or [a] brown sauce to accompany it. I used goose liver fattened by Bohemian Jews, its weight was more than three pounds. You may also prepare a mush of it."

Main producers
Today, France is by far the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and China. Country Production (tons, 2005) % of total France 18,450 78.5% Hungary 1,920 8.2% Bulgaria 1,500 6.4% United States 340 (2003) 1.4% Canada 200 (2005) 0.9% China 150 0.6% Others 940 4.0% Total 23,500 100% France is the leading producer and consumer of duck and goose foie gras. In 2005, the country produced 18,450 tonnes of foie gras (78.5% of the world's estimated total production of 23,500 tonnes) of which 96% was duck liver and the rest goose liver. Total French consumption of foie gras was 19,000 tonnes in 2005. Approximately 30,000 people are members of the French foie gras industry, with 90% of them residing in the Prigord (Dordogne), the Midi-Pyrnes rgions in the southwest, and Alsace. The European Union recognizes the foie gras produced according to traditional farming methods (label rouge) in southwestern France with a geographical indication of provenance. Hungary is the world's second-largest foie gras (libamj) producer and the largest exporter (1,920 tonnes in 2005). France is the principal market for Hungarian foie gras; mainly exported raw. Approximately 30,000 Hungarian goose farmers are dependent on the foie gras industry. French food companies spice, process, and cook the foie gras so it may be sold as a French product in its domestic and export markets. Bulgaria produced 1,500 tons of foie gras in 2005; Canada also has a thriving foie gras industry. The demand for foie gras in the Far East is such that China has become a sizeable producer.

Forms of foie gras

Moulard duck foie gras with pickled pear In France, foie gras exists in different, legally-defined presentations, from the expensive to the cheap:

foie gras entier (whole foie gras), made of one or two whole liver lobes; either cooked (cuit), semi-cooked (mi-cuit), or fresh (frais); foie gras, made of pieces of livers reassembled together; bloc de foie gras, a fully-cooked, molded block composed of 98% or more foie gras; if termed avec morceaux ("with pieces"), it must contain at least 50% foie gras pieces for goose, and 30% for duck.

Additionally, there exist pt de foie gras; mousse de foie gras (both must contain 50% or more foie gras); parfait de foie gras (must contain 75% or more foie gras); and other preparations (no legal obligation established). Fully cooked preparations are generally sold in either glass containers or metal cans for long-term preservation. Whole, fresh foie gras is usually unavailable in France outside the Christmas period, except in some producers' markets in the producing regions. Frozen whole foie gras sometimes is sold in French supermarkets. Whole foie gras is readily available from gourmet retailers in Quebec, the United States, Hungary, Argentina and regions with a sizable market for the product. In US, raw foie gras is classified as Grade A, B or C, with Grade A typically being the highest in fat. It is

especially suited for low-temperature preparations, because the veins are relatively fewer and the resulting terrine will fit the aesthetic requirement of lacking obvious included blood. Grade B is accepted for high-temperature preparation, because the higher proportion of protein gives the liver more structure after being seared. Grade C livers are generally reserved for making sauces as well as other preparations where the high proportion of blood-filled veins will not impair the appearance of the dish.

Production methods
The physiological basis of foie gras production is migratory birds' capacity for weight gain, particularly in the liver, in preparation for migration. Toulouse geese and Mulard ducks are the most commonly used breeds for foie gras. Mulards are a cross breed between a male Muscovy Duck and a female Pekin duck, and are considered to be about 35% of all ducks consumed in the US. Typical foie gras production involves forcefeeding birds more food than they would eat in the wild, and much more than they would voluntarily eat domestically. The feed, usually corn boiled with fat (to facilitate ingestion), deposits large amounts of fat in the liver, thereby producing the buttery consistency sought by the gastronome.

Physiology and preparation

Geese and ducks are omnivorous, and, like many birds, have expansive throats allowing them to store large amounts of food, either whole or pre-digested, in the crop, an enlarged portion of the esophagus, while awaiting digestion in the stomach, similar to python feeding. In the wild this dilation allows them to swallow large foodstuffs, such as a whole fish, for a later, long digestion. Wild geese may consume 300 grams of protein and another 800 grams of grasses per day. Farmed geese allowed to graze on carrots adapt to eat 100 grams of protein, but may consume up to 2500 grams of the carrots per day. A wild duck may double its weight in the autumn, storing fat throughout much of its body and especially on the liver, in preparation for winter migration. Force feeding produces a liver that is six to ten times its ordinary size. Storage of fat in the liver produces steatosis of the liver cells. The geese or ducks used in foie gras production are usually kept in a building on straw for the first four weeks, then kept outside for some weeks, feeding on grasses. This phase of the preparation is designed to take advantage of the natural dilation capacity of the esophagus. The birds are then brought inside for gradually longer periods while introduced to a high starch diet. The next feeding phase, which the French call gavage or finition d'engraissement, or "completion of fattening", involves forced daily ingestion of controlled amounts of feed for 12 to 15 days with ducks and for 15 to 18 days with geese. During this phase ducks are usually fed twice daily while geese are fed up to 4 times daily. In order to facilitate handling of ducks during gavage, these birds are typically housed in individual cages or small group pens during this phase.

Fattening

Traditional gavage feeding process, which takes 2-3 seconds to complete In modern production, the bird is typically fed a controlled amount of feed, depending on the stage of the fattening process, its weight, and the amount of feed it last ingested. At the start of production, a bird might be fed a dry weight of 250 grams (9 oz) of food per day, and up to 1,000 grams (35 oz) (in dry weight) by the end of the process. The actual amount of food force-fed is much greater, since the birds are fed a mash whose composition is about 53% dry and 47% liquid (by weight). The feed is administered using a funnel fitted with a long tube (2030 cm long), which forces the feed into the animal's esophagus; if an auger is used, the feeding takes about 45 to 60 seconds. Modern systems usually use a tube fed by a pneumatic pump; with such a system the operation time per duck takes about 2 to 3 seconds. During feeding, efforts are made to avoid damaging the bird's esophagus, which could cause injury or death, although researchers have found evidence of inflammation of the walls of the proventriculus after the first session of force-feeding. There is also indication of inflammation of the esophagus in the later stages of fattening. Several studies have also demonstrated that mortality rates can be significantly elevated during the gavage period.

Alternative production
Fattened liver can be produced by alternative methods without gavage, and this is referred to either as "fatty goose liver" or as foie gras (outside France), though it does not conform to the French legal definition, and there is debate about the quality of the liver produced. This method involves timing the slaughter to coincide with the winter migration, when livers are naturally fattened. This has only recently been produced commercially, and is a very small fraction of the market. While force feeding is required to meet the French legal definition of "foie gras", producers outside of France do not always force feed birds in order to produce fattened livers that they consider to be foie gras, instead allowing them to eat freely, termed ad libitum. Interest in alternative production methods has grown recently due to ethical concerns in gavage-based foie gras production. Such livers are alternatively termed fatty goose liver, ethical foie gras, or humane foie gras. The terms ethical foie gras or humane foie gras is also used for gavage-based foie gras production that is more concerned with the animal's welfare (using rubber hoses rather than steel pipes for feeding). Others have expressed skepticism at these claims of humane treatment, as earlier attempts to produce fattened livers without gavage have not produced satisfactory results. More radical approaches have been studied. A duck or goose with a ventromedian hypothalamic (VMH) lesion will not tend to feel satiated after eating, and will therefore eat more than an unaffected animal. By producing such lesions surgically, it is possible to increase the animal's food consumption, when permitted to eat ad libitum, by a factor of more than two.

Preparations

Foie gras with onions and figs Generally, French preparations of foie gras are over low heat, as fat melts faster from the traditional goose foie gras than the duck foie gras produced in most other parts of the world. American and other New World preparations, typically employing duck foie gras, have more recipes and dish preparations for serving foie gras hot, rather than cool or cold. In Hungary, goose foie gras traditionally is fried in goose fat, which is then poured over the foie gras and left to cool; it also is eaten warm, after being fried or roasted, with some chefs smoking the foie gras over a cherry wood fire. In other parts of the world foie gras is served in exotic dishes such as foie gras sushi rolls, in various forms of pasta or alongside steak tartare or atop a steak as a garnish.

Cold preparations
Traditional low-heat cooking methods result in terrines, pts, parfaits, foams and mousses of foie gras, often flavored with truffle, mushrooms or brandy such as cognac or armagnac. These slow-cooked forms of foie gras are cooled and served at or below room temperature.

In a very traditional form of terrine, au torchon ("in a towel"), a whole lobe of foie is molded, wrapped in a towel and slow-cooked in a bain-marie. For added flavor (from the Maillard reaction), the liver may be seared briefly over a fire of grape vine clippings (sarments) before slow-cooking in a bain-marie; afterwards, it is pressed served cold, in slices. Raw foie gras is also cured in salt ("cru au sel"), served slightly chilled.

Hot preparations
Given the increased internationalization of cuisines and food supply, foie gras is increasingly found in hot preparations not only in the United States, but in France and elsewhere. Duck foie gras ("foie gras de canard") has slightly lower fat content and is generally more suitable in texture to cooking at high temperature than is goose foie gras ("foie gras d'oie"), but chefs have been able to cook goose foie gras employing similar techniques developed for duck, albeit with more care. Raw foie gras can be roasted, sauteed, pan-seared (poll) or (with care and attention), grilled. As foie gras has high fat content, contact with heat needs to be brief and therefore at high temperature, lest it burn or melt. Optimal structural integrity for searing requires the foie gras to be cut to a thickness between 15 and 25 mm, resulting in a rare, uncooked center. Some chefs prefer not to devein the foie gras, as the veins can help preserve the integrity of the fatty liver. It is increasingly common to sear the foie gras on one side only, leaving the other side uncooked. Practitioners of molecular gastronomy such as Heston Blumenthal of the Fat Duck restaurant first flash-freeze foie gras in liquid nitrogen, with the searing process resulting in a piece at room temperature. Hot foie gras requires minimal spices; typically black pepper, paprika (in Hungary) and salt. It has become fashionable in 3-star restaurants to use artisanal coarse salt to provide a visual and textural garnish.

Accompaniments

Sauternes is traditionally considered a classic match for foie gras in southwest France. The right wine to accompany foie gras is the subject of debate and traditional matches vary according to region. In southwest France, Sauternes or Juranon is traditionally chosen. However, in Bordeaux, Saint-milion is considered a better match, and in Angoulme, Pineau des Charentes is more commonly served with foie gras. Foie gras may be flavored with truffles, prunes, or liquors such as Armagnac and Cointreau among other things. Many presentations of foie gras match it to a sweet fruit, including quince, pears, apples, prunes, plums, cherries, raspberries, blackcurrants, huckleberries, figs or elderberries. These can be in the form of sauces, coulis, jam, stewed, caramelized or pureed.

Chefs have been experimenting with various other contrasting and strong, supporting savory flavors, ranging from red beets to onion chutneys to sweet corn and peas to various mushrooms including morels or cepes to bittersweet chocolate mols. Sauces include onion or leek-based sauces, red wine or fortified red wine reductions, truffle and mushroom sauces or wasabi drizzles. It is commonly served accompanied with crusty or toasted bread such as a brioche, or, more rustically, toasted baguette ends. Accompaniments may include caramelized onions, onion jam, cornichons and Sauternes jelly. Foie gras is served with toasted bread and salad leaves, cranberry jelly or Oriental chutney, venison steaks, focaccia bread, parsnip chips and celeriac remoulade, maple syrup, jellied beef, root vegetables, horseradish cream, and with Paupiette of Squab, morels and crawfish. Foie gras is also served with filet mignon, grilled duck, apricots, mashed potatoes, shrimp, spinach salad, raisins, and poached apples.

Consumption
Foie gras is a luxury dish. In France, it is mainly consumed on special occasions, such as Christmas or New Year's Eve rveillon dinners, though the recent increased availability of foie gras has made it a less exceptional dish. In some areas of France foie gras is eaten year-round. Duck foie gras is the slightly cheaper and, since a change of production methods in the 1950s, by far the most common kind, particularly in the US. The taste of duck foie gras is often referred to as musky with a subtle bitterness. Goose foie gras is noted for being less gamey and smoother, with a more delicate flavor.

Controversy
Gavage-based foie gras production is controversial, due to the force feeding procedure, and the possible health consequences of an enlarged liver. A number of countries and other jurisdictions have laws against force feeding or the sale of foie gras due to how it is traditionally produced. In modern gavage-based foie gras production, force feeding takes place 1218 days before slaughter. The duck or goose is typically fed a controlled amount of corn mash through a tube inserted in the animal's cuticle-lined esophagus. Foie gras production has been banned in nations such as some members of the European Union, Turkey, and Israel because of the force-feeding process. Foie gras producers maintain that force feeding ducks and geese is not uncomfortable for the animals nor is it hazardous to their health. The city of Chicago banned the production and selling of foie gras from 2006 until 2008.

Animal rights and welfare groups such as PETA, Viva!, and the Humane Society of the United States contend that foie gras production methods, and force feeding in particular, constitute cruel and inhumane treatment of animals. Specific complaints include livers swollen to many times their normal size, impaired liver function, expansion of the abdomen making it difficult for birds to breathe, death if the force feeding is continued, and scarring of the esophagus. PETA claims that the insertion and removal of the feeding tube scratch the throat and the esophagus, causing irritations and wounds and thus exposing the animal to risk of mortal infections. Empirical research regarding the health and welfare of the bird during the production of foie gras is limited in quantity and quality. A recent study demonstrated oral amyloid-A fibril transmissibility which raised food safety issues with consumption of foie gras over "concerns that products such as pt de foie gras may activate a reactive systemic amyloidosis in susceptible consumers". Foie gras as a amyloid-containing food product hastened the development of amyloidosis. Amyloidosis may be transmissible, akin to the infectious nature of prion-related illnesses. However, a correlation between foie gras consumption and these diseases has not been confirmed.

Chapter- 7

Italian Cuisine

Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines. Significant changes occurred with the discovery of the New World with the introduction of items such as potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and maize, now central to the cuisine but not introduced in quantity until the 18th century. Italian cuisine is noted for its regional diversity, abundance of difference in taste, and is known to be one of the most popular in the world, with influences abroad. Ingredients and dishes vary by region. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated with variations throughout the country. Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine, with many variations and Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) (regulated appellation) laws. Coffee, specifically espresso, has become important in Italian cuisine.

History
Italian cuisine has developed over the centuries. Although the country known as Italy did not unite until the 19th century, the cuisine can claim traceable roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Through the centuries, neighboring regions, conquerors, high-profile chefs, political upheaval and the discovery of the New World have influenced one of the premiere cuisines in the world.

Early modern era

Ingredients

The tomato, perhaps the most stereotypical ingredient found in Italian cuisine. This cultivar shown is of the San Marzano variety, a variety of plum tomatoes, said to be some of the best sauce tomatoes in the world.

Olive oil, an indispensable food ingredient in much of Italy

Pesto, a Ligurian sauce made out of basil, olive oil and nuts, and which is often eaten with pasta or pizza. Italian cuisine has a great variety of different ingredients which are commonly used, ranging from fruits, vegetables, sauces, meats etc. In the North of Italy, fish (such as cod, or baccala), potatoes, rice, maize, corn, sausages, pork and different types of cheeses are the most common ingredients (tomato is virtually absent in most Northern Italian cuisines). Ligurian ingredients are quite different, and include several types of fish and seafood dishes, basil (found in pesto sauce), nuts and olive oil are very common. In Emilia-Romagna, common ingredients include ham (Parma ham), sausage (Zampone), different sorts of salami, truffles, grana, parmigiano reggiano, and tomatoes (Bolognese sauce or ragu). Traditional central Italy cuisine uses ingredients such as tomatoes, all kinds of meat (except for horse meat), fish, and pecorino cheese. Finally, in Southern Italy, tomatoes, fresh or cooked into tomato sauce, peppers, olives and olive oil, garlic, artichokes, oranges, ricotta cheese, aubergines, courgettes, certain types of fish (anchovies, sardines and tuna), and capers are important components to the local cuisine. Italian cuisine is also well known (and well regarded) for its use of a diverse variety of pasta. Pasta include noodles in various lengths, widths and shapes, and varieties that are filled with other ingredients like ravioli and tortellini. The word pasta is also used to refer to dishes in which pasta products are a primary ingredient. It is usually served with sauce. There are hundreds of different shapes of pasta with at least locally recognized names.Examples include spaghetti (thin rods), macaroni (tubes or cylinders), fusilli (swirls), and lasagne (sheets). Two other noodles, gnocchi and sptzle, are sometimes considered pasta. They are both traditional in parts of Italy.

Pasta is categorized in two basic styles: dried and fresh. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored for up to two years under ideal conditions, while fresh pasta will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Pasta is generally cooked by boiling. Under Italian law, dry pasta (pasta secca) can only be made from durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina, and is more commonly used in Southern Italy compared to their Northern counterparts, who traditionally prefer the fresh egg variety. Durum flour and durum semolina have a yellow tinge in color. Italian pasta is traditionally cooked al dente (Italian: "firm to the bite", meaning not too soft). Outside Italy, dry pasta is frequently made from other types of flour (such as wheat flour), but this yields a softer product that cannot be cooked al dente. There are many types of wheat flour with varying gluten and protein depending on variety of grain used. Particular varieties of pasta may also use other grains and milling methods to make the flour, as specified by law. Some pasta varieties, such as pizzoccheri, are made from buckwheat flour. Fresh pasta may include eggs (pasta all'uovo 'egg pasta'). Whole wheat pasta has become increasingly popular because of its health benefits over pasta made from bleached flour.

Regional cuisines
Each area has its own specialties, primarily at regional level, but also at provincial level. The differences can come from a bordering country (such as France or Austria), whether a region is close to the sea or the mountains, and economics. Italian cuisine is also seasonal with priority placed on the use of fresh produce.

Original San Daniele ham

Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia conserved, in its cuisine, the historical links with Austria-Hungary. Carnia subregion, in the western part of Friuli, is known for its traditional San Daniele del Friuli ham, Montasio cheese, Frico cheese. Other typical dishes are pitina (meatballs made of smoked meats), game, and various types of gnocchi and polenta. The majority of the eastern regional dishes are heavily influenced by Austrian, Hungarian, Slovene and Croatian cuisines: typical dishes include Istrian Stew (soup of beans, sauerkraut, potatoes, bacon and spare ribs), Vienna sausages, goulash, evapii, apple strudel, gugelhupf. Pork can be spicy and is often prepared over an open hearth called a fogolar. Collio Goriziano, Friuli Isonzo, Colli Orientali del Friuli and Ramandolo are well-known DOC regional wines.

Veneto

Polenta served with rabbit meat, a traditional peasant food of Veneto

Tiramisu, dessert originally from Treviso

Venice and many surrounding parts of Veneto are known for risotto, a dish whose ingredients can highly vary upon different areas, as fish and seafood being added closer to the coast and pumpkin, asparagus, radicchio and frogs' legs appearing further away from the Adriatic. Made from finely ground maize meal, polenta is a traditional, rural food typical of Veneto and most of Northern Italy. It may find its way into stirred dishes and baked dishes and can be served with various cheese, stockfish or meat dishes: some Lombard polenta dishes includes buckwheat flour), gorgonzola, butter, porcini mushrooms, rapini, or other vegetables or meats, such as small song-birds in the case of the Venetian and Lombard dish polenta e osei. In some areas of Piedmont it can be also made of potatoes instead of cornmeal (polenta bianca). Beans, Peas and other legumes are seen in these areas with pasta e fagioli (beans and pasta) and risi e bisi (rice and peas). Veneto features heavy dishes using exotic spices and sauces. Ingredients such as stockfish or simple marinated anchovies are found here as well. Less fish and more meat is eaten away from the coast. Other typical products are sausages such as Soppressa Vicentina, garlic salami and Asiago cheese. High quality vegetables are prized, such as red radicchio from Treviso and white asparagus from Bassano del Grappa. Perhaps the most popular dish of Venice is fegato alla veneziana, thinly-sliced veal liver sauteed with onions.

Traditional Alto Adige/Sudtirol speck Squid and cuttlefish are common ingredients, as is squid ink, called nero di seppia. Regional desserts include tiramisu (made of biscuits dipped in coffee, layered with a

whipped mixture of egg yolks and mascarpone, and flavored with liquor and cocoa), baicoli (biscuits made with butter and vanilla) and nougat. The most celebrated Veneto wines include Bardolino, Prosecco, Soave and Valpolicella DOC wines.

Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol

Before the Council of Trent in the middle of the 16th century, the region was known for the simplicity of its peasant cuisine. When the prelates of the Catholic Church established there, they brought the art of fine cooking with them. Later, also influences from Venice and the Austrian Habsburg Empire came in. Trentino subregion produces various types of sausages, polenta, yogurt, cheese, potato cake, funnell cake and freshwater fish. In the Alto Adige/Sudtirol subregion, due to the German speaking majority population, strong Austrian and Slavic influences prevail. The most renowned local product is traditional speck juniper-flavored ham which, as Speck Alto Adige PGI, is regulated by the European Union under the protected geographical indication (PGI) status. Goulash, kndel, apple strudel, kaiserschmarrn, krapfen, rsti, sptzle and rye bread are regular dishes, along with potatoes, dumpling, homemade sauerkraut, and lard. The territory of Bolzano is also reputed for its Mller-Thurgau white wines.

Lombardy

Risotto alla milanese with saffron

Traditional Cotoletta alla milanese The regional cuisine of Lombardy is heavily based upon ingredients like maize, rice, beef, pork, butter, and lard. Rice dishes are very popular in this region, often found in soups as well as risotto. The best known version is risotto alla milanese, flavoured with saffron and typically served with many typical Milanese main courses, such as ossobuco alla milanese (cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and brot) and cotoletta alla milanese (a fried cutlet similar to Wiener schnitzel, but cooked "bone-in"). Other regional specialities include cassoeula (a typical winter dish prepared with cabbage and pork), Cremona's Mostarda (rich condiment made with candied fruit and a mustard flavoured syrup), Valtellina's Bresaola (air-dried salted beef) and Mantua's tortelli di zucca (ravioli with pumpkin filling) accompanied by melted butter and followed by turkey stuffed with chicken or other stewed meats. Regional cheeses include Robiola, Crescenza, Taleggio, Gorgonzola and Grana Padano (the plains of central and southern Lombardy allow intensive cattle-raising). Polenta is generally common across the region. Regional desserts include the famous panettone Christmas cake (sweet bread with candied orange, citron, and lemon zest, as well as raisins, which are added dry and not soaked).

Valle d'Aosta
Bread thickened soups are customary as well as cheese fondue, chestnuts, potatoes, rice. Polenta is a staple along with rye bread, smoked bacon and game from the mountains and forests. Butter and cream are important in stewed, roasted and braised dishes. Typical regional products include Fontina cheese, Valle d'Aoste Lard d'Arnad and Gnpi Artemisia-based liqueur.

Piedmont

Traditional Piedmontese agnolotti Nestled between the Alps and the Po valley, with a large number of different ecosystems, is the most refined and varied cuisine of the Italian peninsula. Point of union of traditional Italian and French cuisine, Piedmont is the Italian region with the largest number of cheeses Protected Geographical Status and wines Denominazione di origine controllata. It is also the region where both Slow Food association and the most prestigious school of Italian cooking, the University of Gastronomic Sciences, were founded.

Gianduiotto chocolate, with its distinctive shape, is a speciality of Turin Piedmont is a region where gathering nuts, fungi, cardoons and hunting and fishing takes place. Truffles, garlic, seasonal vegetables, cheese and rice are all used. Wines from the Nebbiolo grape such as Barolo and Barbaresco are produced as well as wines from the Barbera grape, fine sparkling wines, and the sweet, lightly sparkling, Moscato d'Asti. The region is also famous for its Vermouth and Ratafia production. Castelmagno is a prized cheese of the region. Piedmont is also famous for the quality of its Carr beef, hence the tradition of eating raw meat seasoned with garlic oil, lemon and salt, the famous Brasato al vino, wine stew made from marinated beefl, and boiled beef served with various sauces. The most typical of the Piedmont tradition are its traditional agnolotti (pasta folded over with a roast beef meat and vegetable stuffing), taglierini (thinner version of tagliatelle), bagna cauda (soup of garlic, anchovies, olive oil and butter) and bicerin (hot drink made of coffee, chocolate and whole milk). Finally Piedmont is one of the Italian capital of pastry and chocolate in particular, with products like Nutella, gianduiotto and marron glac that are famous worldwide.

Liguria

Pasta with pesto sauce Herbs and vegetables (as well as seafood) find their way into the cuisine. Savory pies are popular, mixing greens and artichokes along with cheeses, milk curds and eggs. Onions and olive oil are used. Because of a lack of land suitable for wheat, the Ligurians use chick-peas in farinata and polenta-like panissa. The former is served plain or topped with onions, artichokes, sausage, cheese or young anchovies. Hilly districts use chestnuts as a source of carbohydrates. Ligurian pastas include corzetti from the Polcevera valley, pansoti, a triangular shaped ravioli filled with vegetables, piccagge, pasta ribbons made with a small amount of egg and served with artichoke sauce or pesto sauce, trenette, made from whole wheat flour cut into long strips and served with pesto, boiled beans and potatoes, and trofie, a Ligurian gnocchi made from whole grain flour and boiled potatoes, made into a spiral shape and often tossed in pesto. Many Ligurians emigrated to Argentina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influencing the cuisine of this country (which otherwise dominated by meat and dairy produces which the narrow ligurian hinterland would have not allowed).

Emilia-Romagna

Parmesan cheese advertisement

Tagliatelle with bolognese sauce Emilia-Romagna is known for its egg and filled pasta made with soft wheat flour. Bologna is notable for pasta dishes like tortellini, lasagne, gramigna and tagliatelle which are found also in many other parts of the region in different declinations. Romagna subregion is known as well for pasta dishes like cappelletti, garganelli, strozzapreti, spoglia lorda and tortelli alla lastra. In Emilia subregion, except Piacenza which is heavily influenced by the cuisines of Lombardy, rice is eaten to a lesser extent. Polenta, a maize-based dish, is common both in Emilia and Romagna. The celebrated balsamic vinegar is made only in the Emilian cities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, following legally binding traditional procedures. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is produced in Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena and Bologna and is much used in cooking, whilst Grana Padano variety is produced in Piacenza. Although the Adriatic coast is a major fishing area (well-known for its eels and clams), the region is more famous for its meat products, especially pork-based, that include: Parma's culatello and Felino salami, Piacenza's pancetta, coppa and salami, Bologna's mortadella and salame rosa, Modena's zampone, cotechino and capello di prete and Ferrara's salama da sugo. Piacenza and Ferrara are also known for some dishes prepared with horse and donkey meat. Regional desserts include zuppa inglese (custard-based dessert made with sponge cake and Alchermes liqueur) and pampepato (Christmas cake made with pepper, chocolate, spices, and

almonds). An exhaustive list of the most important regional wines should include Sangiovese, Lambrusco, Cagnina di Romagna, Colli Piacentini, Trebbiano.

Tuscany

Ribollita, a classic Tuscan peasant dish Simplicity is central to the Tuscan cuisine. Legumes, bread, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms and fresh fruit are used. A good example would be ribollita, a notable Tuscan soup whose name literally means "reboiled". Like most Tuscan cuisine, the soup has peasant origins. It was originally made by reheating (i.e. reboiling) the leftover minestrone or vegetable soup from the previous day. There are many variations but the main ingredients always include leftover bread, cannellini beans and inexpensive vegetables such as carrot, cabbage, beans, silverbeet, cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), onion and olive oil. White truffles from San Miniato appear in October and November. Highquality beef, used for the traditional Florentine steak, come from the Chianina cattle breed of the Chiana Valley and the Maremmana from Maremma. Pork is also produced. The region is well-known also for its rich game, especially wild boars, hares, fallow deers, roe deers and pheasant that often are used to prepare pappardelle dishes. Regional desserts include panforte (prepared with honey, fruits and nuts), ricciarelli (biscuits made using an almond base with sugar, honey and egg white), and cavallucci (cookies made with almonds, candied fruits, coriander, flour, honey). Well-known regional wine's list

include Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Chianti, Morellino di Scansano, Parrina, Sassicaia, Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Umbria

Norcia black truffles Many Umbrian dish are prepared by boiling or roasting with local olive oil and herbs. Vegetable dishes are popular in the spring and summer, while fall and winter sees meat from hunting and black truffles from Norcia. Meat dishes include the traditional wild boar sausages, pheasants, gooses, pigeons, frogs, snails. Castelluccio is known for its lentils, Spoleto and Monteleone are known for spelt. Freshwater fish include lasca, trout, freshwater perch, grayling, eel, barbel, whitefish, and tench. Orvieto and Sagrantino di Montefalco are important regional wines.

Marche
On the coast of Marche, fish and seafood are produced. Inland, wild and domestic pigs are used for sausages and hams. These hams are not thinly sliced, but cut into bite-sized chunks. Suckling pig, chicken and fish are often stuffed before being roasted or placed on the spit.

Lazio

Spaghetti alla carbonara Pasta dishes based on the use of guanciale (unsmoked bacon prepared with pig's jowl or cheeks) are often found in Lazio, such as pasta alla carbonara, and the spicy pasta all'amatriciana. The regional cuisine widely use offal, resulting in dishes like the entrailbased rigatoni with pajata sauce and coda alla vaccinara. Iconic of Lazio are also cheese made from ewes'milk (Pecorino Romano), porchetta (savory, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast) and Frascati white wine. The influence of the ancient Jewish community can be noticed in the Roman cuisine's traditional carciofi alla giudia

Abruzzo and Molise

Pasta, meat and vegetables are central to the cuisine of Abruzzo and Molise. Chilies (peperoncini) are typical of Abruzzo, where they are called diavoletti ("little devils") for their spicy heat. Centerbe ("Hundred Herbs") is a strong (72% alcohol), spicy herbal liqueur drunk by the locals. Lamb is used with pasta. A dish from Pescara is arrosticini, little pieces of castrated lamb on a wooden stick and cooked on coals. The chitarra (literally "guitar") is a fine stringed tool that pasta dough is pressed through for cutting. The popularity of saffron, grown in the province of L'Aquila, has waned in recent years. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is an important local red wine. The most famous dish of Molise is cavatelli, a long shaped, handmade maccheroni-type pasta made of flour, semolina and water, often served with meat sauce, broccoli or mushrooms.

Campania

Traditional Neapolitan pizza Campania extensively produces tomatoes, peppers, spring onions, potatoes, artichokes, fennel, lemons and oranges which all take on the flavor of volcanic soil. The Gulf of Naples offers fish and seafood. Campania is one of the largest producers and consumers of pasta in Italy, especially spaghetti. In the regional cuisine, pasta is prepared in various styles that can feature tomato sauce, cheese, clams and shellfish. Spaghetti alla puttanesca is a popular dish made with olives, tomatoes, anchovies, capers, chili peppers and garlic. The region is well-known for also its mozzarella production (especially from the milk of water buffalo) that's used in a variety of dishes, including parmigiana (shallow fried eggplant slices layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked). Desserts include struffoli (deep fried balls of dough) ricotta-based pastiera and sfogliatelle, and rum-dipped bab. Originating in Neapolitan cuisine, pizza has become popular in many different parts of the world. Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese (usually mozzarella) and various toppings depending on the culture. Since the original pizza, several other types of pizzas have evolved. Since Naples was the capital of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, its cuisine took much from the culinary traditions of all the Campania region, reaching a balance between dishes

based on rural ingredients (pasta, vegetables, cheese) and seafood dishes (fish, crustaceans, mollusks). A vast variety of recipes is influenced by the local aristocratic cuisine, like timballi and the sart di riso, pasta or rice dishes with very elaborate preparation, while the dishes coming from the popular traditions contain poor but nutritionally healthy ingredients, like pasta with beans and other pasta dishes with vegetables. Famous regional wines are Greco di Tufo and Taurasi.

Apulia

Orecchiette with tomato sauce Apulia is a massive food producer: major production includes wheat, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, potatoes, spinach, eggplants, cauliflower, fennel, endive, chickpeas, lentils, beans and cheese (like the traditional caciocavallo cheese). Apulia is also the largest producer of olive oil in Italy. The sea offers abundant fish and seafood

that are extensively used in the regional cuisine, especially oysters, and mussels. Goat and lamb are occasionally used. The region is known for pasta made from durum wheat and traditional pasta dishes featuring orecchiette-type pasta, often served with tomato sauce, potatoes, mussels or broccoli. Regional desserts include zeppola, doughnuts usually topped with powdered sugar and filled with custard, jelly, cannoli-style pastry cream or a butter-and-honey mixture.

Basilicata
Pork is an integral part of Basilicata's cuisine, often made into sausages or roasted on a spit. Mutton and lamb are also popular. Pasta sauces are generally based on meats or vegetables. Spicy peperoncini are much used. The bitter digestif Amaro Lucano is made here.

Calabria
The cuisine of Calabria has been influenced by conquerors and visitors. The Arabs brought oranges, lemons, raisins, artichokes and egg plants. Cistercian monks introduced new agricultural practices to the region along with dairy products. French rule under the House of Anjou and Napoleon, along with Spanish influence, affected the language and culinary skills as seen in the naming of things such as cake, gat, from the French gateau. Seafood includes swordfish, shrimp, lobster, sea urchin and squid. Macaroni-type pasta is widely used in regional dishes, often served with goat, beef or pork sauce and salty ricotta. Main courses include Frttuli (prepared by boiling pork rind, meat and trimmings in pork fat), different varieties of spicy sausages (like Nduja and Capicola), goat and land snails. Melon and watermelon are traditionally served in a chilled fruit salad or wrapped in ham. Calabrian wines include Greco di Bianco, Bivongi, Cir, Dominici, Lamezia, Melissa, Pollino, Sant'Anna di Isola Capo Rizzuto, San Vito di Luzzi, Savuto, Scavigna, Verbicaro.

Sicily

Cassata, a cake containing different nuts, raisins, ricotta, different liquers and candied fruits

Cannoli, rich Sicilian pastries Sicily shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island over the last two millennia. Although its cuisine undoubtably has a predominantly Italian base, Sicilian food also has Spanish, Greek and Arab influences. Dionysus is said to have introduced wine to the region: a trace of historical influence from Ancient Greece. The ancient Romans introduced lavish dishes based on goose. The Byzantines favored sweet and sour flavors and the Arabs brought, sugar, citrus, sweet melons, rice, saffron, nutmeg, clove, black pepper, and cinnamon. The Normans and Hohenstaufens had a fondness for meat dishes. The Spanish introduced items from the New World including chocolate, maize, turkey and tomatoes. Much of the island's cuisine encourages the use of fresh vegetables such as eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, and fish such as tuna, sea bream, sea bass, cuttlefish, and swordfish. In Trapani, in the extreme western corner of the island, North African influences are clear in the use of various couscous based dishes, usually combined with fish. Traditional specialties from Sicily include arancini (a form of deep-fried rice croquettes), pasta alla Norma, caponata, pani ca meusa, and a host of desserts and sweets such as cannoli, granita, and cassata). Typical of Sicily is Marsala, a red, fortified wine similar to Port and largely exported.

Sardinia

Traditional carasau'' bread Rock lobster, scampi, squid, tuna, sardines and other seafood figure prominently. Suckling pig and wild boar are roasted on the spit or boiled in stews of beans and vegetables, thickened with bread. Herbs such as mint and myrtle are widely used in the regional cuisine. Sardinia have also many special types of bread, made dry, which keeps longer than high-moisture breads. Those are baked as well, including carasau bread civraxiu, coccoi pinatus, a highly decorative bread and pistoccu made with flour and water only, originally meant for herders, but often served at home with tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic and a strong cheese.

Meal structure
Traditionally, meals in Italy usually contain 3 or 4 courses. Meals are seen as a time to spend with family and friends instead of immediate sustenance; thus, daily meals can be longer than in other cultures. During holidays, family feasts can last for hours. Today, the traditional Italian menu is kept mainly for special events (such as weddings) while an everyday menu includes only the first and second course, the side dish and coffee. A notable aspect of Italian meals is that the primo or first course, is usually a more filling dish such as risotto or pasta. Modern Italian cuisine also includes single courses (all-in-one courses), providing carbohydrates and proteins at the same time (e.g. pasta and legumes).

A bottle of sparkling Prosecco, which one would have as an aperitivo

Meal stage

Composition apritif usually enjoyed as an appetizer before a large meal, may be

Aperitivo

Campari Cinzano Prosecco Aperol Spritz Vermouth

Antipasto

literally "before (the) meal", hot or cold appetizers "first course", usually consists of a hot dish like pasta, risotto, gnocchi, Primo polenta or soup. "second course", the main dish, usually fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are most commonly used, at least in the North, though Secondo beef has become more popular since World War II and wild game is found, particularly in Tuscany. Fish are generally caught locally. "side dish", may be a salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu Contorno features salad along with the main course. Formaggio "cheese and fruits", the first dessert. Local cheeses may be part of the e frutta Antipasto or Contorno as well. Dolce "sweet", such as cakes and cookies Caff Coffee "digestives", liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amaro, limoncello, sambuca, nocino, Digestivo sometimes referred to as ammazzacaff ("coffee killer") Note: On restaurant menus, these terms may be referred to as Primi, Secondi, Contorni, and Digestivi.

Food establishments

Trattoria Each type of establishment has a defined role and traditionally sticks to it. Description Working farms that offer accommodations and meals. Often the meals Agriturismo are served to guests only. Marked by a green and gold sign with a knife and fork. Locations which serve coffee, soft drinks, juice and alcohol. Hours are generally from 6am to 10pm. Foods may include brioche, panini, Bar/Caff tramezzini (sandwiches) and spuntini (snacks such as olives, potato crisps and small pieces of frittata). Birreria A bar that offers beer found in central and northern regions of Italy. Frasca/Locanda Friulian wine producers that open for the evening and may offer food Establishment

Gelateria

along with their wines. An Italian ice cream shop/bar, that sells gelato. A shop where you can get your gelato to go, or sit down and eat it in a cup or a cone. You can also order bigger ice desserts, or coffee and liquors. Focused on simple food of the region, often having only a verbal menu. Many are open only at night but some open for lunch. Sandwich shop open during the day. Locations specializing in Pizza. Wood fired-pizza ovens are a specialty of Italy. A regional establishment seen in limited number north of EmiliaRomagna. Often offers upscale cuisine and printed menus. Originating in Napoli, offering pasta dishes and other main courses. Literally "hot table", offers pre-made regional dishes. Most open at 11am and close late. A dining establishment often family run with inexpensive prices and an informal atmosphere.

Osteria Paninoteca Pizzeria Polentaria Ristorante Spaghetteria Tavola Calda Trattoria

Drinks
Coffee

Espresso

Moka per il caff Italian style coffee (caff), also known as espresso is made from a blend of coffee beans, often from Brazil. Espresso beans are roasted medium to medium dark in the north, and gets darker moving south. A common misconception is that espresso has more caffeine than other coffee but the opposite is true. The longer roasting period extracts more caffeine. The modern espresso machine, invented in 1937 by Achille Gaggia, uses a pump and pressure system with water heated up to 90-95C (194-203F) and forced with high pressure through a few grams of finely ground coffee in 2530 seconds, resulting in about 25 milliliters (two tablespoons) of liquid.

Home espresso makers are simpler but work under the same principle. La Napoletana is a four part stove-top unit with grounds loosely placed inside a filter, the kettle portion is filled with water and once boiling, the unit is inverted to drip through the grounds. The Moka per il caff is a three part stove-top unit that is placed on the stove-top with loosely packed grounds in a strainer, the water rises from steam pressure, and is forced through the grounds into the top portion. It is unlike a percolator in that the brewed coffee is not re-circulated. Expresso is usually served in a demitasse cup. Caff macchiato is topped with a bit of steamed milk or foam; ristretto is made with less water, and is stronger; cappuccino is mixed or topped with steamed, mostly frothy, milk. It is generally considered a morning beverage; caffelatte is equal parts espresso and steamed milk, similar to caf au lait, and is typically served in a large cup. Latte macchiato (spotted milk) is a glass of warm milk with a bit of coffee and Caff corretto is "corrected" with a few drops of an alcoholic beverage. The Bicerin is also an Italian coffee, from Turin. It is a mixture of cappucino and traditional hot chocolate, as it consisits of a mix of coffee and drinking chocolate, and with a small addition of milk. It is quite thick, and often whipped cream/foam with chocolate powder and sugar is added on top.

Alcoholic beverages

Wine

DOCG label on wine bottle

A bottle of limoncello

Tuscan Chianti in a traditional fiasco

A bottle of campari Italy produces the largest amount of wine in the world and is both the largest exporter and consumer of wine. Only about a quarter of this wine is put into bottles for individual sale. Two-thirds is bulk wine used for blending in France and Germany. The wine distilled into spirits in Italy exceeds the production of wine in the entirety of the New World. There are twenty separate wine regions. Those vineyards producing great wines are trying to do away with the old image of jug wines so often associated with Italian wine. To promote this, the Italian government passed the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) law in 1963 to regulate place of origin, quality, production method and type of grape. The designation Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) is a less restrictive designation to help a wine maker graduate to

the DOC level. In 1980, the government created the Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG), reserved for only the best wines.

Beer
Italy hosts a wide variety of different beers, which are usually pale lager. Beer is not as popular and widespread as wine (even though this is changing, and beer is becoming more and more popular), and the average beer consumption in Italy is less than in some other neighbouring European nations, such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Austria. The most notable Italian breweries are Peroni and Moretti, even though there are several other popular ones. Beer in Italy is often drunk in pizzerias, and Alto Adige/South Tyrol, (former part of Austria, country notable for its beer)is the area where beer is made and consumed the most.

Miscellanea
There are also several other popular alcoholic drinks in Italy. Limoncello, a traditional lemon liquer from Sicily and Southern Italy (Sorrento, Amalfi and the Gulf of Naples) in general, is one of the most common. Made out of lemon, it is extremely strong drink which is usually consumed in very small proportions, in small glasses or cups. Amaro Sicilianos are common Sicilian digestifs made out of herbs which are usually drunk after heavy meals. Grappa instead is the typical alcoholic drink of northern Italy, general associated with the culture of the Alps and of the Po Valley. The most famous grappas are distilled in Veneto, Piedmont and Trentino. The three most notable and recognizable Italian aperitifs are Martini, Vermouth and Campari. A sparkling drink which is becoming internationally popular as a less expensive substitute of French champagne is prosecco, from the Veneto region.

Holiday cuisine
Every region has its own holiday recipes. During La Festa di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph's Day) on March 19, Sicilians give thanks to St. Joseph for preventing a famine during the Middle Ages. The fava bean saved the population from starvation, and is a traditional part of St. Joseph's Day altars and traditions. Other customs celebrating this festival include wearing red clothing, eating Sicilian pastries known as zeppole and giving food to the poor. On Easter Sunday, lamb is served in throughout Italy. A typical Easter Sunday breakfast in Umbria and Tuscany includes salami, boiled eggs, wine, Easter Cakes and pizza. The common cake for Easter Day is the Colomba Pasquale (literally, Easter dove), which is often simply known as "Italian Easter cake" abroad. It s supposed to represent the dove, and is topped with almonds and pearl sugar. On Christmas Eve a symbolic fast is observed with the cena di magro ("light dinner"), a meatless meal. On Christmas day, Italians often serve tortellini as a first course. Typical cakes of the Christmas season are panettone and pandoro.

Meal composition
Breakfast

A typical Italian breakfast, consisting of cappuccino and brioche The first Italian meal is breakfast, or colazione. Traditional Italian breakfasts are continental-style, similar to those of France, Greece or Spain. The traditional breakfast in Italy is simply Caff e latte (hot coffee with milk) or coffee with bread or rolls, butter, and jamknown as prima colazione or just colazione. Fette biscottate (a cookie-like hard bread often eaten with butter and jam) and biscotti (cookies) are commonly eaten. Children drink hot chocolate, plain milk, or hot milk with very little coffee. If breakfast is eaten in a bar (coffee shop), it is composed of cappuccino e cornetto (frothed hot milk with coffee, and a pastry) or espresso and pastry. Other products such as breakfast cereals, fruit compote (Macedonia), muesli and yogurt are becoming increasingly common as part of the meal. It is very common for some Italians, mainly from the Central and Southern regions, to have a quick breakfast snack during the morning (typically a panino, or bread roll). In Sicily, occasionally with feast days or Sundays, people eat ice-cold granita with brioches, or pastries.

Lunch
Pranzo, or lunch is the heartiest and most important Italian meal. Lunch is taken in Italy, usually, anywhere between 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm (usually, people from Southern Italian regions start lunch slightly later, from 1.15 pm to even 2.15 pm). Traditional Italian

lunches are long meals, which usually have an appertiser or aperitivo (antipasto literally, before meals). This usually consists of cold meats (affettati) and hams, cheese, bruschette and small sandwiches, olives or sauce dips. Then, there is the primo, or first course which consists of usually-non meat hot food, such as pasta or spaghetti, soup, crepes, ravioli, risotto etc. Then there is the second course, or secondo in which meat or fish is usually served. Following that is dessert (dolce) and then fruit which is occasionally eaten with nuts or pistachios. Today, as there is less time, Italian meals are shorter, however, Italians tend to still enjoy lunches, and families still usually tend to have a big meal on Sundays. Schoolchildren are allowed to go home for a lunch-break to eat, or can chose to eat at the cafeteria/canteen. During lunchbreak hours (12.00 ~ 14.00), most shops close for a pausa.

Mid-afternoon snack
Most Italians, notably children, have what is called a mid-afternoon snack or in Italian merenda just after school, from about 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm. This can be anything, from fruit, yogurts, ice cream, nuts, brioches, cookies and biscuits, cake, raisins or mousses.

Dinner
The Italian dinner structure is very similar to that of lunch, but Italians tend to have lighter meals at dinner-time. This usually consists of perhaps a salad, soup, risotto or the left-overs of lunch-time. Dinner is called cena in Italian, and is usually consumed later than in Northern Europe and at more or less the same time as Spain and other Mediterranean countries, usually starting from 7.30 pm to 9.30pm.

Italian cuisine abroad

Europe

Great Britain
Pizza and pasta dishes such as spaghetti bolognese and lasagna with bolognese rag and Bchamel sauce are the most popular forms of Italian food which are popular in British, notably, English, cuisine.

Slovenia
Italian cuisine has had a strong influence on Slovenian cuisine cuisine. For centuries, north-eastern Italy and western Slovenia have formed part of the same cultural-historical and geographical space. Between 1918 and 1945, western Slovenia (the Slovenian Littoral and part of Inner Carniola) were part of Italy; in addition, an autochthonous Italian minority live in Slovenian Istria. For all these reasons, Italian dishes have penetrated the local Slovenian cuisine. Furthermore, there are numerous typical dishes that are shared between the Slovenian cuisines and the cuisine of the neighboring Italian

region of Friuli Venezia Giulia: these include the gubana nut roll of Friuli (known as guban'ca or potica in Slovenia) and the jota stew. Among the Slovenian dishes that come directly from Italian cuisine, the gnocchi and some types of pasta are especially popular, as well as dishes like the minestrone (known as minetra in Slovene) or the frittata (known as frtalja in Slovene).

USA and Canada

An Italian-American pizza with pepperoni (salami), mushrooms, olives and peppers Much of Italian-American cuisine is based on that found in Campania and Sicily, heavily Americanized to reflect ingredients and conditions found in the United States. Most pizza eaten around the world derives ultimately from the Neapolitan style, if somewhat thicker and usually with more toppings in terms of quantity. Typical Italian-based American or Canadian dishes include Chicago-style pizzas or Fettuccine alfredo.

South America

"Milanesa a la napolitana" with French fries, an Italian-inspired dish based on the original cotoletta dish from Milan, common in Spanish-speaking South America.

Brazil
Italian cuisine is popular in Brazil, due to great immigration there in the early-1900s. Pizza and similar foods are popular in the cities of So Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Argentina
Due to large Italian immigration to Argentina, Italian food and drink is heavily featured in Argentine cuisine. An example could be milanesas (The name comes from the original cotoletta alla milanese from Milan, Italy) or breaded meats. Pizza (locally pronounced pisa or pitsa), for example, has been wholly subsumed and in its Argentine form more closely resembles Italian calzones than it does its Italian ancestor. There are several other Italian-Argentine dishes, such as Sorrentinos and Argentine gnocchi.

Chapter- 8

How to Make Italian Fish Soup

An exotic kind of vegetable and fish soup will fulfill any meal delight

Ingredients

4 fl oz (125 ml) of olive oil 3 leeks (cleaned and sliced) 2 minced garlic cloves 1 onion (peeled and chopped) 2 chopped celery ribs 9 oz (250 grams) of sliced mushrooms 1 liter (1.75 pint) of fish stock 9 oz (250 grams) of tinned tomatoes 5 fl oz (150 ml) of dry white wine 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of cayenne pepper 1 pound (450 grams) of white, boneless fish (cut into small chunks). You can use seabass, monkfish, or cod. 2 pounds (900 grams) of a mixture of shrimp, crab, or mussels (scrubbed with the beards removed from them) chopped parsley salt and pepper

Steps
1.

Get a large pot and heat the olive oil in the pot. Add the celery, garlic, leeks, onions, and mushrooms. Cook the mixture together until the onions become soft and a clear color. 2.

Pour the liquid ingredients (white wine, stock, and tomatoes) into the pot. Simmer everything while stirring and season the food with salt and pepper.

3.

Carefully place the seafood ingredients into the pot. Continue stirring and simmering until everything is well cooked for about 15 to 20 minutes. 4.

Pour even amounts into bowls and sprinkle chopped parsley on the top as a garnish.

Tips

This recipe serves 6 people. You can also serve this with pasta.

Things You'll Need

ladle wooden spoon large pot

How to Make Italian Seasoned Chicken

This is a great budget-saving food idea that tastes great and is easy to make. Also, chicken is a good source of protein and is generally more affordable than other types of meat.

Steps
1. Purchase the following ingredients, all of which are at your local grocery store: o Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix in a pouch, usually in the spices aisle, but may also be in the salad dress aisle

Vegetable Oil Lemon Juice Boneless, skinless chicken breasts get at least four, good-sized pieces 2. Using a medium mixing bowl, mix together the following with a fork or spoon: o One packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix o 2 Tbsp. cup vegetable oil o 1/4 cup lemon juice o 1/4 cup water 3. Cube the chicken or cut into strips. The more surface area you expose to the marinade, the more flavorful your dish will be. 4. Place the cut chicken into the mixing bowl with the marinade and refrigerate for about half an hour, covered with plastic wrap. 5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. 6. Stir the chicken around a bit. 7. Place a large skillet or saucepan on the stove and heat over medium to medium-high. This can be non-stick or not since there is oil in the marinade. 8. Pour the marinade and chicken into the skillet and use a fork to evenly distribute the chicken around the pan. 9. Heat until the bottom of the chicken pieces is white (cooked) and the white is visible about halfway up the sides of the chicken. This takes approximately 5-7 minutes. 10. Flip over each piece of chicken with a fork and wait approximately 4-6 minutes for the other side to whiten and cook through.
o o o

Tips

To see if the chicken is fully cooked, find the biggest, thickest cube or strip and poke through the middle to separate. There should be no pink inside.

It is best to use a pan that is large enough to accommodate one, evenly-distributed layer of chicken pieces. This ensures quick and thorough cooking. This dish is best served with steamed rice or a hearty pasta like penne.

Warnings

Children should not operate a stove. This dish is easy for a child or teenager to make, but they should be supervised by a responsible adult. Chicken may contain harmful bacteria, such as salmonella. Make sure you use a plastic cutting board when cutting the chicken and clean all surfaces, including mixing containers, thoroughly. CAUTION: Chicken will be hot after cooking. Allow a couple of minutes for it to cool before consuming.

Things You'll Need

Good Season Italian Dressing mix Vegetable Oil Lemon Juice Water Mixing bowl Plastic wrap Sharp knife Plastic cutting board Large skillet or saucepan Fork

Chapter- 9

How to Cook Pasta

From a starving college student to a kitchen connoisseur: not only is pasta the most affordable meal option, but it's also the easiest to master and tasty in all of its forms. You can whip it up when you're craving a homemade meal, and even host a pasta dinner for a few friends. Follow these steps, cook it 2 or 3 times, and you, too, can call it your specialty.

Steps
1. Choose which pasta you want to cook. Try to pick one that well suits the sauce. It's best to take the pasta that is a brand of Italy and is made of 100% semolina. 2. Get a good sized pot depending on how much pasta you are cooking. Make sure it is big enough so the water doesn't spill when it's boiling. 3. Fill the pot up with water. 4. Turn the knob on the stove to high. 5. When the water starts bubbling up at the surface (the technical term for this is "boiling"), add up to a handful of salt anywhere. Most Americans do not add salt, whereas Italians add about a handful.

6.

Be careful! Dump the container of pasta into the pot but only when the water is boiling!! 7. Agitate it slightly with a long serving spoon 8.

Stirring Keep your eye on it as it continues to boil and stir it just enough to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom every 1-2 minutes. 9. When it's been boiling for about 10 minutes (check the package for suggested cooking time), take a piece of the pasta out and taste it. 10. If it's too hard to bite, tastes funny when you bite it, or if you see white in the center it needs to cook a little longer. 11. When it's chewy but firm in the center, it's ready. This is referred to as al dente in Italian. 12.

Strainer Empty the entire pot of pasta into a strainer. 13. Shake out the excess water and then pour back into the pot. 14. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss. 15.

Spices Cover with your favorite sauce and shake it (inside the hot pot). You can also add spices. 16.

Yum! Serve it!

Pasta Sauce
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Pour crushed tomato into a tall saucepan. Add salt, sugar, black pepper, Italian seasoning and Oregano. Heat the sauce and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Add pasta sauce to cooked pasta. Sprinkle regular cheese and/or Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta.

6. Add red crushed pepper on it if desired.

Tips

Use plenty of water. The most common cause of "sticky" pasta is cooking with too little water. Use at least 4 quarts of water for each pound of pasta(4 liters for each one-half kilogram). No oil or other additives are required. Add salt to the water. Salt enhances the pasta's flavor and allows the sauce flavors to "blend" better. Add some of the pasta water to your sauce. If you're making your own sauce, add a bit of the water used to cook the pasta if you need to adjust its thickness. The dissolved starches will thicken and enrich its texture. Note that the "right" amount varies according to recipe, batch size and preference. Italians adopt a "leave it alone" or "don't mess with it" policy when cooking pasta. Don't agitate or stir it too much. This goes for the sauce as well. Different pastas cook for varying times. Thin linguine, for example, cooks much faster than rigatoni. For a hotter boil, cover your pot. Just be sure to remove it once you put the pasta in. When your pasta is ready, the outer edges will begin to lighten in color. Some people prefer to rinse their pasta in the colander to wash away the starches. Do not do this! In addition to the sauce adhering better because of the starch, if you rinse it, you will be cooling the pasta before you add the sauce. Instead, drain the pasta, add it back into the pot you cooked it, turn on the heat and add the

sauce, stirring until well-mixed and hot. The pasta will be thoroughly coated by the sauce and the pasta will stay hot when you serve it. If you make spaghetti and they are not submerged at beginning, do not break them. Wait 30 seconds and gently use your fork to bend them and submerge them. I'm sure you've heard the old wives tale that if it sticks to the ceiling, it's done cooking. This isn't true. A barely cooked piece of pasta can still stick to your ceiling.(It actually depends on what kind of material your ceiling is made out of).

Warnings

If the bubbles look like they're about to spill out of the pot, lower the heat to medium-high. Never add anything to reduce this. This may be prevented by shaking. When emptying the pasta into the boiling water, do it slowly so the hot water doesn't splash out of the pot and burn you.

How to Cook Rabbit Italian Style

A version of the recipe with zucchini and mushrooms Although rabbit is not yet a staple in the North American diet, many Italian families eat rabbit quite often. The flavor and texture are comparable to chicken. Rabbit can be prepared in many ways, such as this classic Cacciatore. Try it for dinner tonight!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 rabbit, fresh, or frozen and thawed, cut into 8 pieces 5 garlic cloves, minced 2 1/2 cups tomatoes, chopped, with seeds and juices 1 1/3 cups dry white wine 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Steps
1. Heat oil in the large pot over high heat. Meanwhile, season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper on all sides. 2. Add the rabbit to the hot pot. Brown on all sides, this takes about 10 minutes. 3. Add garlic. Saute carefully for one minute. Do not burn the garlic. 4. Add the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil, and scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to lift any brown tasty bits that are stuck. 5. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer about 30 minutes, or until the rabbit is cooked through. 6. Transfer the rabbit pieces to the plate using tongs. Give the remaining sauce a good stir. 7. Add all of the fresh herbs to the sauce. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. 8. Add the rabbit back into the sauce. Simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes. 9. Remove from heat and serve.

Tips

Do not be afraid to try new things, you might be pleasantly surprised. Rabbit Cacciatore is great served with rice and greens, or with potatoes.

Warnings

Careful not to burn yourself

Things You'll Need

Large, heavy pot Plate Stirring spoon Tongs

Chapter- 10

How to Cook Lasagne

This is a traditional family recipe passed down to the next generation. Now it is here for everyone to enjoy.

Ingredients

1 pound(0.45 Kilograms) sweet Italian sausage (without casing), cooked and crumbled 1 pound(0.45 Kilograms) ricotta or cottage cheese 1 pound(0.45 Kilograms)shredded Mozarella cheese 1 large can sliced mushrooms Lasagna noodles Pam or other non-stick cooking spray 2 small or 1 large jar spaghetti sauce (Ragu's Super Mushroom is great, but use whatever is your favorite) Parmesan or Romano cheese

Steps
1. Boil enough noodles to make 4 layers in a 9x12 pan (I usually cook up about 2 boxes of 16. 2. Separate and set aside your noodles. 3. Mix together: sausage, ricotta (or cottage) cheese, Mozarella cheese and the mushrooms in a large bowl. 4. Divide this mixture into three parts. 5. Spray your pan with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray. 6. Layer your lasagne in this order: 1. 1/5 of the sauce on the bottom 2. Enough noodles to cover the bottom of the pan on top of that 3. 1/3 of the sausage and cheese mixture 4. Repeat layers 1-3 two more times (you should be out of the sausage and cheese mixture) 5. Another 1/5 jar of sauce 6. Yet another layer of noodles 7. The last of the sauce 8. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese 7. Cover with foil. 8. Cook for 40 min in a 350 degree oven. 9. Uncover and cook until the Parmesan just starts to brown, about another 5 minutes or so depending on your oven. 10. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

Noodle cooking tips: Adding about a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the water while cooking will prevent the noodles from sticking. o Cooking until the noodles are "al dente" will ensure a better lasagne o After the noodles are done cooking, pour them in a strainer and quickly run cold (not hot!) water over them. This will prevent the noodles from cooking any further. o Separate the noodles carefully as soon as possible and place them on a serving tray or large plate with paper towels this will prevent them from sticking. Since this is such a basic lasagne, you may wish to add a few more ingredients. 2 small cans of sliced olives are good, as are sliced fresh tomatoes (add these after you have removed the foil otherwise you'll end up with a soggy lasagne). If you can get it, ricotta cheese is so much better for this than the cottage cheese. Alternatively, you may wish to use Romano or a Parmesan/Romano blend instead of the Parmesan. Shredded versions work just as well as the grated. Even though Mozzarella cheese comes pre-shredded, shredding your own will better insure the quality.
o

Warnings

Do not include too many additions or you will mess up the cooking times. Be sure to cook the sausage thoroughly before adding it to the lasagne. Keep small children away from the stove!

Things You'll Need

Large bowl Aluminum foil 9x12 pan

How to Make Italian Herb Seasoning

Italian herb seasoning is tasty and suitable for seasoning a wide range of dishes from pastas to stews. This seasoning tastes best if you have dried the herbs yourself; that way it is guaranteed to taste the freshest and is so much nicer than buying it ready-made off the shelf.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Steps
1. Mix together in a small bowl. 2. Funnel the ingredients into a small bottle with a lid. 3. Seal and store for up to six months.

Tips

An easy way to transfer herbs to a small spice bottle is by making a funnel with a piece of photocopy/printer paper. Gently roll it into a funnel shape, place the thin end into the spice bottle and pour the herb mixture in at the top.

Things You'll Need

Small mixing bowl Small spice/herb bottle that is airtight Funnel

Chapter- 11

How to Make a Quick Italian Spaghetti

Enjoy this easy, 30-minute recipe for spaghetti.

Ingredients

1lb of Ground beef or Italian sweet or hot sausage cut up in 3/4" pieces Two large cans of crushed tomatoes. 4 cloves fresh garlic, diced. 1 medium onion, diced. 1 tbs dried parsley flakes 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (adjust to taste)

Olive Oil. 1 lb dried spaghetti Optional flaked Parmesan cheese Optional 1 diced bell pepper Optional 4 ounces diced mushrooms (or an 8 ounce can)

Steps
1. Put on a pot of water to boil with 8-12 cups of water. While it is heating, cook your sauce: 2. In a separate pot heat up 2 table spoons of Olive Oil on medium heat. 3. Saut your sausage or ground beef until browned (drain and return to pot), then add bell peppers and mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. 4. Add onions into the pot, continue sauting until edges are browned. Then add fresh diced garlic and cook another minute (overcooked garlic is bitter and loses its flavor). 5. Add the tomato sauce and spices, stir and let it simmer for 15 to 20 min. 6. Once the water in the first pot boils, add 1tbs. olive oil, spaghetti noodles and a 1 tsp of salt. 7. Stir gently and constantly until the water boils again to keep it from sticking together. 8. Let the spaghetti boil for 10-12 min (once spaghetti is done, rinse and drain). 9. Serve immediately, or stir in 1 tbs olive oil to keep the cooked spaghetti from sticking together.

Tips

Freshly grated parmesan cheese is the perfect complement to spaghetti. Consider including a garden or Caesar salad and warm garlic bread slices. If you substitute ground turkey or chicken meat, stirring in 1tsp Worcestershire sauce into the meat before frying it improves the flavor.

How to Make Pizza

Pizza originated in Italy, but has now traveled all over the world to become a popular type of food. It can go with almost anything! Creating your own pizza could taste better than the ones you buy in the shop. This how-to will give you 3 different ways of creating

your pizza. Some methods are faster than the others!

Ingredients

Premade or homemade dough 1 egg Tomato paste Grated cheese (usually mozzarella, romano, parmesan, or some combination) Olive oil(Optional) Toppings can be almost anything you like including o Sliced pepperoni o Chopped onions o Green peppers o Sausage o Bacon or bacon bits o Chicken o Olives o Mushrooms o Ground beef o Ham yeast sifted flour warm water

Steps
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Spread tomato paste on your pizza dough. Add a sprinkling of cheese. Add any other toppings that you might enjoy With a brush add some egg all around your pizza dough. Place your pizza on an oven tray sprayed with olive-oil, so that the pizza doesn't stick. 6. Put your pizza in the oven, and turn it down to about 160C or 320F degrees. Take it out after about 15 - 25 minutes, depending on your oven. Use your own judgment to tell when the pizza is ready. The cheese should be a golden brown, but it should not be burnt.

Oven Method (fast)

1. Preheat your oven to about 180c or 350F. (C=Celsius F=Fahrenheit.) 2. Sprinkle the yeast into a medium bowl containing 1 1/4 cup warm water and stir until yeast dissolves. 3. Add 2 cups sifted flour and stir until blended. 4. Add another 1 1/2 to 2 cups flour and blend until too stiff to stir with a spoon. 5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 10 to 15 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. 6. Place the dough in another bowl greased with a small amount of oil. Turn the dough once so that the top is oiled. 7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place for about 45 minutes--until the dough rises to about double its original size.

8. Dump the dough back onto the floured surface and punch it down, getting rid of any bubbles. Divide the dough in half and let it rest a few minutes. 9. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle, depending on your personal preference for how thick pizza crust should be. (It will puff slightly when baked.) 10. Transfer the dough to an oiled pizza pan or baking sheet, or, if you have a baking stone, to a cornmeal-sprinkled wooden pizza peel for transfer directly to the stone. 11. Add sauce, cheese and toppings as desired. If you like, brush exposed edges of the crust with olive oil. 12. Bake each pizza for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned and cheese is melted.

Grill Method (Faster)

1. Spread the sauce all over the tortilla but you might want to leave a little crust around the edge. 2. Put on your toppings and arrange. 3. Grate the cheese over the pizza. 4. Simply put it under the grill. Be careful not to get burned and your pizza could sizzle and pop because of the common bubbles in the pizza crust. 5. Take it out after three minutes, it should be done!

Wood-fired oven method (Even faster)

1. Get your pizza base, it can be any sort, although it can't be more than 2 cms thick. 2. Place your tomato base and toppings on. 3. Make sure your Wood-fired oven is very hot for the best pizza ever and to help the pizza cook faster. 4. Put your pizza into the oven, preferably on a tray so the base does not burn. 5. Turn your pizza every 30 seconds for two minutes, and at the 1:30 mark take it off the tray. Now your pizza should be done. 6. Take your pizza out and enjoy!

Tips

Before you put your pizza in the oven, spray it with a bit of olive oil, for a crisper end-result. it also prevents it from sticking to the pan. Keep in mind that this is only a very basic recipe for a pizza. When you are more experienced at making pizzas, change the recipe a little bit. For instance, instead of ham, use salami, or something like that. Use Marscapone cheese in the tomato sauce. For more nice crisp top, broil the top of your pizza. Remember, eyeball it! Keep for about two minutes. This process will make a nice gold top. Instead of tomato sauce, you can put spaghetti sauce.

Warnings

When your pizza is in the oven, keep an eye on it at all times. Make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients used in making your pizza. Be careful not to burn yourself. And enjoy

Chapter- 12

How to Make Green Spaghetti

When you first see the name, Green Spaghetti, don't be put off. You will be in for a grand surprise when you actually try it!

Ingredients

2-3 Poblano Peppers 1 cup of Sour Cream Olive Oil Angel Hair Pasta Salt Mozzarella Cheese - Optional 1/2 cup milk

Steps
1.

Roast 2-3 poblano peppers as shown in the picture. Keep the poblano peppers over a fire until the skins turn completely black. Place the peppers in a paper bag and allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes. 2.

Peel the peppers - Take the poblano peppers out of the paper bag and peel the burnt layer of skin off of the peppers. You may wish to do this over a garbage can or sink so you can immediately dispose of the peelings. Slice the peppers open and take all the seeds and veins out, and dispose of them. 3.

Puree the Mixture - Place the poblano peppers into a blender. Pour one cup of half-and-half into the blender. Puree the mixture of peppers and half-and-half. Puree the mixture until there are no large chunks of pepper. 4.

Boil the Noodles - Fill a large pot with 6 cups of water and put on high heat. Add 3 teaspoons of salt and a splash of olive oil to the water. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. For each person eating, add five ounces of angel hair noodles to the boiling pot. Turn the heat down to medium-high and allow to boil for 5 minutes. 5.

Strain the Noodles - Rinse noodles briefly with very hot water to remove starch, if so desired. Strain the noodles, removing excess water, and return them to the pot. 6.

Pour and Mix - Pour the mixture of pureed poblano peppers and half-andhalf into the pot of noodles. Stir the mixture thoroughly so the mixture is evenly spread. Allow cooling, if necessary, and enjoy!

Tips

You can also roast your peppers in your oven using the broil setting. Place your peppers on a sheet pan ("cookie sheet") on the top rack; rotate frequently so they char evenly, then remove from oven and proceed as above. If your Green Spaghetti is too bland you may wish to try adding more salt or adding some mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, to taste, or you can add Alfredo Sauce for a great taste.

If the spaghetti isn't green enough for you, try adding some green food coloring or pureed herbs such as basil or cilantro to the sauce. Cilantro may add too much of a latin flavor for spaghetti. Another good altenate herb would be parsely because of its neutral flavor profile. Also flat leaf parsley has a much brighter green attribute when processed vs curley parsley. For a more authentic taste, add 1 cup of crumbled queso fresco (fresh cheese) in step six. If your noodles are sticking together and clumping before you're able to add the mixture, try tossing the noodles with a small amount of olive oil or butter/margarine. Plus be sure to stir as they boil this creates convection and minimizes sticking. Do not simmer pasta. If you know you will not be able to use the noodles right away, rinse them quickly in cool water. This should keep them from sticking.

Warnings

When cooking with any pepper hotter than a bell pepper, wear latex or poly food service gloves. Try to get the poblano peppers dark enough so that the skin comes off easily after cooling, but don't cook them too long or they will not be as good. Be careful when handling peppers. Don't touch your eyes or any part of your face after handling peppers without washing your hands thoroughly first. If you do get irritation from the peppers. Use care not to burn yourself while turning

How to Cook Spaghetti alla Carbonara

In Italy, spaghetti alla carbonara is considered one of the easiest, least expensive pasta dishes. A typical Italian kitchen has all of these ingredients on hand. In the States, you may have trouble finding the pancetta, but it's well worth the trouble.

Ingredients

High quality organic spaghetti, a pound for every three or four people Organic, free-range chicken eggs, one per person Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese Mediterranean sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Cubed pancetta

Steps
1. Start a pot of boiling water and cook the pasta. 2. Combine the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add only enough cheese to make it somewhat thick. If it looks like cake batter, you have added too much cheese. 3. Add some olive oil to a small saucepan and cook the pancetta thoroughly. Keep warm until pasta is done. 4. Add the pasta and pancetta to the bowl and begin stirring gently. The grease from the bacon and the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs enough to prevent disease.

Alternate Recipe for Spaghetti alla Carbonara Ingredients

1/2 lb box Spaghetti 3-4 slices Bacon, chopped into 1/2" pieces (thick sliced bacon works best) 2 eggs - beaten 1/2-3/4 cup Fresh grated Parmesan cheese Black Pepper - course ground (at least a tablespoon or two)

Steps
Spaghetti Carbonara
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Slice bacon into 1/2" pieces and put in fry pan (don't turn on stove heat yet). Bring water to boil in the heavy pot for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, put the pasta in and set a timer for 10 minutes. Turn on heat under the fry pan to medium-high to begin cooking the bacon. Cook the bacon - adjusting the heat as necessary to render fat out of the bacon, but avoid cooking the bacon to the crispy stage - you really want it soft and just slightly browned. Timing is critical - you should be able to have the bacon cooked in the 10 minutes it takes to cook the pasta - you may need to lower the heat to keep the bacon hot. Quickly dump the pasta in the strainer and shake quickly to remove excess water do not rinse - return to the hot pot you used to boil the pasta. Pour the contents of the fry pan (bacon and fat) over the pasta in the pot and begin to stir - coating the pasta with the bacon fat. Add the beaten eggs and continue to stir - the eggs will cook from the heat of the bacon fat and hot pasta (and still hot pot).

6. 7. 8. 9.

10. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and continue to stir - the cheese will melt from the heat of the bacon/pot. 11. Begin to sprinkle in the course ground pepper - stirring - until the pasta mixture is speckled with pepper - typically over a tablespoon of course ground pepper more or less to taste. 12. Serve immediately - the combination of Parmesan cheese and pepper make this a wonderful dish - it can be served as a side or main dish (depending on serving size)

Tips

Cubed pancetta is literally raw, un-smoked bacon. It can be found in specialty grocery stores or in Italian food marts. The true Italian taste will come out only when the freshest possible ingredients are used. This meal makes a wonderful college student or workout meal as it is cheap, quick, easy, full of protein and filling. A heavy pot is needed to boil the pasta because the heat of the pot AND heat of the pasta is crucial to cooking the eggs and melting the cheese. Always use fresh grated Parmesan cheese - the canned stuff won't work. If you can, use freshly course ground black pepper, otherwise use a course ground jarred pepper. Use a strong spoon as the pasta mixture does get somewhat sticky as you're mixing in the eggs, cheese, and black pepper. A heavy wood spoon is better so that it won't scratch the pasta pot.

Warnings

This dish does use raw eggs and can cause food poisoning if not prepared correctly. This dish is quite heavy and filling. As with any dish that contains eggs - there is a risk of food poisoning if the eggs aren't completely cooked. If you have a heavy pot to boil the pasta, this shouldn't be a problem. Also, be sure the bacon is fully heated/cooked - but not crispy.

Things You'll Need

Utensils: Heavy pot to boil pasta Fry pan to cook bacon Strainer (for pasta) Heavy spoon

Chapter- 13

How to Make Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese Ricotta is Italian for "recooked" because it is made by "cooking" whey. It makes delicious lasagna, ravioli stuffing, gnocchi, cannoli, cheese-stuffed shells and blintzes, or a type of cheese cake. Here's how you can make your own.

Steps
1.

Save the whey from making cheese in a non-reactive pot. (Here you see curds for a basic cheese at the bottom of the pot, as the whey is being poured off.) Filter as many of the curd particles out as you can since they would otherwise form tough "beads" in the final ricotta. Cover and let sit 12 to 24 hours at room temperature to develop sufficient acidity. 2.

Heat the acidified whey with stirring, taking care to avoid sticking or burning. Use either a double boiler, or a pot with a very thick bottom which will disperse the heat well. This image shows that the temperature has risen to about 82 C(179.6,F) and a white foam is appearing on the surface. 3.

Continue heating with stirring until its temperature is near boiling (95 C)(203 F). Note that foam will build up somewhat. Be careful. If it boils, it can boil over. 4. Remove from heat. Cover and allow the "cooked" whey to cool undisturbed until comfortable to the touch. The curds should look like clouds suspended in the whey, while the whey appears clear and yellowish green. 5.

Do not stir up the curd: Set up a receiving pot with a large strainer and a fine clean cloth on top. If the curd is floating, you may dip out the curd into the cloth. Alternatively, if the curd all sinks, pour as much of the whey through the cloth as you can without disturbing the curds. It will filter through much faster if you do this carefully without stirring up the curds. 6. Gently scoop out the curds. Because the curds are very fine and delicate, they can stop up the cloth easily. This will cause very slow draining if they are broken up. Much of the whey will drain out as you dip the curd.

7. Drain the whey through the cloth (be patient, it can take 2-3 hours). 8.

Pick up the corners of the cloth, suspend it like a bag over the drainage pot (or sink), and allow the last of the whey to drain out. It will take several hours, and can be done in the refrigerator over night. 9.

Remove the ricotta from the cloth, pack into a container, cover and store in the refrigerator. Use it soon after making. Alternatively, ricotta will freeze very well.

Tips

This process relies on allowing the inoculated bacteria in whey to further ferment the liquid as it sits at room temperature for an additional 12-24 hours. During that time, the remaining sugars are converted to lactic acid, which lowers the pH of the whey. The solubility of the protein in acidified whey is reduced. Heating the acidified whey denatures the protein causing it to precipitate out as a fine curd.

Things You'll Need

Non-reactive pot, either stainless steel or enameled. If you use a thin enameled pot, you should either heat the whey in it over boiling water, or stir nearly continuously. Wooden spoon or long handled spatula (with square end to help to keep curd off the bottom) Thermometer (0-110 C) to monitor temperature of whey while heating Receiving pot the same volume or greater as cooking pot (a clean plastic bucket will do) A fine meshed strainer to dip out floating curd. Large strainer to suspend over receiving pot Fine cloth (e.g. a clean sterile handkerchief or a non-terry cloth dish towel)

Chapter- 14

How to Make Gnocchi

Gnocchi (noh-kee) is a deliciously filling small potato dumpling dish. Gnocchi is very easy to prepare by mixing flour, egg, and potato. It is traditionally served as a pasta dish. Variations include semolina, ricotta, pumpkin, sun dried tomato and spinach. Gnocchi is enjoyed around the world and with good reason--it is a versatile dish, inexpensive to prepare, easy to make, and delicious. This recipe serves 2-3 people. Double it up for a dinner party.

Ingredients

1 kg or 2 1/4 lb potatoes (King Edwards are recommended - try to find potatoes that are neither too floury, nor too waxy) 1 egg (optional)

300 g or 10 2/3 oz (2 cups) flour (OO flour - very fine flour; or plain flour, you may need more depending on the potatoes used) rock salt pepper olive oil

Steps
1.

Boil the potatoes. Place unpeeled potatoes into a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Place on a high heat, add 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of rock salt, then leave to boil. Check the "Warning" section below, however. 2. Drain potatoes. When the potatoes are tender, after about 20 minutes of boiling, turn the heat off and tip them into a colander to drain. 3.

Peel the potatoes. To protect your hands, use a tea towel to hold the potatoes as you peel away the skins with a knife. 4.

Mash the potatoes. Pass the still hot potatoes through a passatutto (or potato ricer)(Or grate them). This method is recommended as air gets trapped in the potatoes making for a lighter gnocchi. If you don't have one you can, of course, use a masher but the end result won't be as good. 5.

Add the egg and flour. Add 2 generous pinches of salt and a pinch of pepper. Crack the egg and stir in quickly before the temperature of the potato cooks it. (The egg is optional, though.) Add 2 handfuls of the flour. Mix until it's all absorbed. 6.

Form a dough. Turn the potato onto a wooden surface and tip the rest of the flour on top. Use your hands to mix it together. After a minute or two it will form into a dough. Knead lightly. When it reaches a pliable consistency, it's ready. 7. Form the gnocchi.

Sprinkle the surface with flour. Slice a fist sized piece from the dough ball and roll out into lengths that are about 3 centimetres thick.

Working quickly while the dough is still warm, use a flexible knife to cut off 2 centimetre pieces. Slice off another fist sized piece and repeat until you have used all of the dough.

Place the gnocchi onto a tray, leaving a space between each piece to prevent them from sticking together. 8. Boil water. Fill a large pan with water and add 3 teaspoons of rock salt. Place over a high heat, put on the lid, and bring to the boil. 9.

Tap the gnocchi from the tray into the boiling water. This method will stop the boiling water from splashing your hands. Give them a little stir and leave to cook. 10. Wait for them to reach the surface. When the gnocchi have all bobbed to the surface, they're ready to serve. Scoop them out with a sieve, shake off the water and transfer them to a tray. Drizzle a little oil over them and give the tray a shake.

11.

Stir the gnocchi into a warm sauce of your choice. As a final touch, you can grate a little Pecorino cheese over the top. This dish works exceptionally well with a ros wine.

Tips

Recipe courtesy of renowned Italian chef, Giancarlo Caldesi. The cooked gnocchi can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen for 6-7 minutes in boiling water. Rather than just cutting the gnocchi, you can push them individually off the tines of the back of a fork using your thumb, imprinting them with little ridges. This holds sauce better and promotes even cooking in the center. You can also re-roll the cut up gnocchi. This will make it prettier. Baking the potatoes also works. You will end up with dryer potatoes which allows you to use less flour which, in turn, makes your gnocchi less doughy. It is slightly harder to strike the right flour/potato balance but can result in very light, fluffy gnocchi. Instead of using potato, you can use pumpkin. It makes both the taste and the colour different, so it's more interesting. Instant mashed potatoes can be substituted for the potatoes, though the gnocchi will likely turn out "heavier."

Warnings

When boiling the potatoes, don't put cold potatoes into already-boiling water; this will cause the skin to split, and make the potatoes soggy. This requires plenty of time and patience, but you'll eventually make great Gnocchi.

Things You'll Need

1 large saucepan 1 passatutto (a food mill - if you don't have one, a regular potato masher will do)Or a food grater 1 flexible knife 1 wooden spoon 1 colander 1 tea towel 1 large tray or plate 1 sieve 1 teaspoon

Chapter- 15

How to Make Pierogies

Originating from Central Europe, a pierog is a quarter-moon shaped dumpling made of unleavened dough. Making your own pierogi is definitely worthwhile; while it's possible in some places to purchase pierogi from the freezer section of a local grocery, this isn't an option available in many places, and the ability to tweak the filling to suit your own tastes is definitely one of the benefits of making your own. Traditionally, pierogi contain one of any variety of fillings, including: sauerkraut, cheese, mashed potatoes, cabbage, onion, meat, hard-boiled eggs (Mennonite-specific), and even fruit filling. The recipe provided in here suggests a cheese and potato filling, combined with portabello mushrooms.

This recipe will make approximately 1-2 dozen pierogi, which will serve about four to ten people. (You may have to double the dough mixture to use all of the filling.)

Ingredients
Dough

700 ml (3 cups) regular flour 1 whole egg 1 egg yolk (save the egg white in the potatoes and cheese filling later) 1 teaspoon salt 175 ml ( cup) warm water (heated up, not directly from the tap)

Mushroom filling

2-3 portobello mushrooms or 10 smaller field mushrooms Dried chili One clove of garlic 40 ml (1/6 cup) tamari sauce 1/8 cup of water (adjust to desired thickness) Cream (adjust to desired thickness) Fresh rosemary leaves

Cheese and potato filling

4 - 5 boiled potatoes 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil 50 ml (0.2 cup) milk 1 egg white Approximately 120 ml ( cup) farmers cheese Salt and pepper Cilantro (fresh coriander) (optional)

Topping suggestions (optional)

Melted butter Finely chopped and fried bacon Finely chopped onions, fried very slowly in butter until brown Sour cream

Steps
Dough preparation
1. Make the dough. Mix the flour and the salt together with the eggs.

2. Heat up some water and mix small parts at a time into the flour mixture. Mixing can be done by hand or in a food processor. 3.

On a flat surface, knead the dough until its firm and soft. 4. Cover with a damp tea towel and let it rest on the counter top while you are making the fillings.

Mushroom filling
1. Make the mushroom filling. Heat up some olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic and the chili. 2. When the garlic starts to soften, add the chopped mushrooms. Saut until the mushrooms get softer. 3. Add the water, cream, and tamari sauce. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Spread some leaves of rosemary over the mushroom mixture and cook it for three minutes.

Cheese and potato filling

1. Make the cheese and potato filling. Mash the potatoes with the egg white, some melted butter and milk. Add the farmers' cheese as noted, or to your own taste. 2. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Lastly, add chopped cilantro (optional).

Filling the Pierogi

1.

Uncover the dough and, if necessary, knead it some more. Divide into 4 pieces.

Use a large amount of flour while rolling. Roll to a thickness of approximately 1/16 (1mm).

Cut 3 (7.5cm) circles from the rolled dough. Coat well in flour.

2.

Add the filling to each circle. Divide the fillings equally centered in each circle. Don't try to overfill if you do, simply remove some of the filling (use the first

successfully filled pierog to guide filling the rest). About a scant teaspoon is suitable for each pierog.

Work through filling them methodically; if it's easier, sit down. Have a suitable surface to place the filled pieorgi on, such as the clean tea towel shown in this image.

3.

Shaping the pierog

Cover the filling and pinch the edges firmly together to seal. (Keep flouring your hands.) Pinch really well and firmly, even if you have to do it several times; you don't want the filling to spill out when cooking!

o If wished, use a fork to press down the edges neatly. 4. Repeat until you have about 1 to 2 dozen pierogi. Pat some more flour on every pierog to prevent them from sticking together. If necessary, add some more warm water to the dough, as adding flour makes each pierog drier. 5.

Heat the salted water. Once the water is boiling, drop some of the pierogi in the water. Don't overcrowd the pierogi - allow moving room. When they float to the surface, let them boil for approximately 1-2 minutes more. Fish them out with a strainer or slotted spoon. Place them on trays lined with wax paper; do not let them touch or they'll stick together. o If not eating immediately, place the pierogi in the fridge if you're eating them shortly; or freeze with wax layers between them, then remove frozen pierogi from wax and place into sealed freezer bags.
o

6.

Serve with a topping of your choice. Either add the topping direct, or provide a range of toppings for diners to select from. Some suggestions include: melted butter, fried bacon pieces, fried onions (chopped finely) or sour cream. Some people prefer no topping at all, as they're delicious enough on their own!
o

Serve with a salad.

This is how they appear when browned If preferred, heat butter in a frying pan and lightly brown the pierogi before serving.

Tips

Cilantro is not a traditional ingredient for a pierogi filling. Most recipes seem to use fine chopped onions or chives, but there aren't any strong rules on how to make fillings. Use what you have at home, as well as your personal preferences; as with any cuisine, home chefs are entitled to broad cooking license! Using a pasta roller to roll out the dough can save you a lot of time. Don't roll it too thinly however, or the filling may split the dough when you try to seal the pierogi. If you're out of eggs, or just want to try something different, the pasta can be made with just flour and sour cream. For language interest: Pierogi (pyeh-ROH-gee, "g" as in "geese") is the plural form of the name of the dish, the singular is "pierg" (pyeh-ROOK). It is the Polish name. They are known as "vareniki" in Ukrainian and "pyelmeni" in Russian. Note that saying "pierogies" is a typical English slip; if speaking Polish, the word pierogi is already plural. Yet, while it's like saying, "let's make some cakeses", given it's an English acceptance of a foreign word, it's not something to get into a twist about! For holidays and special events create some unique shapes: Snowmen for a winter holiday party for example.

Things You'll Need

Workspace surface for kneading and rolling dough Mixing bowl and mixing implements Large pan for boiling Strainer or slotted spoon Clean tea towels Serving platter and condiment bowls Wax paper on trays Freezer bags (optional)

Chapter- 16

Meal Structure in Italy

Italy has its own meal structure, which in essence is the typical European one, consisting of breakfast, lunch and dinner (there is also a mid-afternoon snack called merenda). Italians also divide a main celebration meal into several different courses.

Daytime meal structure

Breakfast (Colazione)

A typical cup of cappucino at breakfast

Breakfast is the first meal in Italy, and traditional Italian colazione is continental in style, unlike the full British and Irish breakfast. The traditional breakfast in Italy is simply Caff e latte (hot coffee with milk) or coffee with bread or rolls, butter, and jamknown as prima colazione or just colazione. Fette biscottate (a cookie-like hard bread often eaten with butter and jam) and biscotti (cookies) are commonly eaten. Children drink hot chocolate, plain milk, or hot milk with very little coffee. If breakfast is eaten in a bar (coffee shop), it is composed of cappuccino e cornetti (its French and European equivalents are brioches, or croissant-like pastries) (frothed hot milk with coffee, and a pastry) or espresso and pastry. Other products such as breakfast cereals, fruit salad (Macedonia), muesli and yogurt are becoming increasingly common as part of the meal. It is very common for some Italians, mainly from the Central and Southern regions, to have a quick breakfast snack during the morning (typically a panino, or bread roll). Even though this is the traditional Italian breakfast, it also varies by region. People may eat porridge in Northern Italy, and some of the colder regions such as the Aosta Valley or Trentino Alto-Adige. As a matter of fact, in some regions such as Tuscany and Umbria, in the past, some children and adults alike used to drink red wine (notably Chianti) and dip their biscuits inside. Today, and with the abundance of British tourists coming to Italy, the full breakfast is becoming more popular and can be found in several hotels. There are also ancient establishments, such as the Babington's tea room in Rome, which still cater to tourists and locals the Full British breakfast, including sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms etc. (however, American breakfast dishes are also served their too, such as pancakes with maple syrup). In Italy, people usually start and have breakfast between 07.00 and 10.00.

Lunch (Pranzo)

Lasagna, a type of meal which one might have for lunch or pranzo in Italy

An Insalata Caprese, a cold dish which might be consumed at a lunch in Italy during the hot summer. Lunch is regarded as being the most important and is the heaviest Italian meal. Most shops close down in the pausa pranzo (lunch break) between 13.00 and 16.00; until recent times, most people, even workers, came home to have a meal with their family, often inviting friends and relatives to come along. Abroad, Italians are often stereotyped of having long meals, however this is not always the case, and as the country has become more modernized, there is often less time for long meals. Despite this, most Italian families still get together for a big family meal on Sundays, special occasions and Saints' and Holy days. In most schools, children are given a lunch break where they can choose to go home and have lunch, or stay at the school canteen/cafeteria or eat a packed lunch. The introduction of fast-foods, takeaways and freezed/tinned foods has meant that Italians tend to eat less home-made food, yet fresh food is still quite common, and in many places people buy bread, milk and ingredients daily. Many adults still make their own food (i.e. tomato sauce from their own tomatoes), and takeaways are still not very frequent, notably in the more rural areas or Southern regions. Italians at lunch-time usually, even in normal days, have a layout: a first course, a second course and usually dessert/fruit. With the introduction of fast-food restaurant chains, many workers or commuters tend to eat less at home and quickly have a meal at some restaurant like McDonald's or Burger

King. Italy has got several foreign fast-food chains, and they are frequently found in big cities (Milan, Rome, Turin and Naples) or along motorways. However, to conserve the tradition of Italian food, Italy has got several Italian fast-foods such as Autogrill, which makes panini, little pizzas or more traditional Italian meals. Pizzerias are still very popular with people and many have lunch in them. In recent years, drm, which Italians refer to as kebab, has become widely popular with younger people.

Mid-afternoon snack (Merenda)

A Sicilian-style brioche or cornetto, which one would have for merenda

An Italian soup, or minestrone, which would be a commonly consumed dish at dinnertime, or cena. In Italy, many children and adults alike have a mid-afternoon snack called merenda at around 15.00 to 16.30/17.00. It is usually had after school or in the middle of the afternoon, and can be anything. Traditionally, merendas where usually similar to breakfasts, and might have been a hot milky drink with bread and honey/jam or cornetti/brioches, but today other foods are eaten, such as yogurt, ice cream, granita, fruit salad, nuts, pistachios, biscuits and cookies, cake, sweets, etc. Especially in centre Italy very commons merenda for the children are pane e olio (roasted bread with garlic, salt and oil) and pane e pomodoro (roasted bread rubbed with fresh tomatoes).

Dinner (Cena)
Dinner is usually and traditionally a light meal in Italy. When Italians dine out, they usually do so for dinner, or cena, rather than lunch, and pizzerias and restaurants are popular choices. For cena, people usually have lighter food, such as soup, broth, salad, cold meats, pasta, ravioli or the leftovers of lunchtime.

Traditional structure of Italian meal

A structure of a traditional Italian meal in its full form.

Aperitivo

A glass of sparkling Prosecco as an appetiser The aperitivo opens a meal, and it is virtually the same to an appetiser or drinks given at the beginning of a meal. Most people gather around standing up and have alcoholic/nonalcoholic drinks such as wine, prosecco, champagne or sparkling drinks. Sometimes ight small chunks of food are consumed, such as olives, crisps, nuts, cheese, sauce dips, little quiches etc.

A traditional Italian-style antipasto

Antipasto
The antipasto is the slightly heavier starter course. It is usually cold (not in all cases) and lighter than the first course. Cold meats and hams (salami, mortadella, Parma ham etc.), cheeses (mozzarella, scamorza), sandwich-like foods (panini, bruschette), cold salmon or shrimps with sauces are usually eaten, but also more elaborated cold or hot dishes.

Primo

Typical spaghetti with tomato sauce for a primo

A Lombard brasato di maiale (pork stew) as a secondo The primo is the first course. It is hot food and heavier than the antipasto, but lighter than the second course. It usually consists of non-meat or fish like foods. Examples of things which would be eaten at a primo could be risotto, pasta and spaghetti, soup and broth, gnocchi, polenta, crepes, casseroles, lasagnas.

Secondo
The secondo is the heartiest and main course of an Italian meal, sometimes called the piatto principale or the main course/meal. It is made up usually of meats and fishes, including turkey, sausage, pork, steak, stew, beef, zampone, cod (baccala), salmon, lobster, lamb, chicken, or a roast.

Contorno
With the secondo is served the contorno, which are the side plates. This usually consists in raw or cooked, hot or cold, vegetables.

Dolce

Panna cotta, an Italian dessert eaten at the dolce

A Martini vermouth cocktail, which one would have as a digestivo After the secondo there is the dolce, or dessert. It is popular, and meals eaten here depend by region and occasion. Common ones include tiramisu, panettone, pandoro, zuppa inglese or panna cotta. Ice-cream can be eaten too.

Frutta con frutta secca/formaggio

After the dolce, there is fruit or frutta, which is eaten often with nuts or cheese to accompany it. There is no established set of fruits, though local traditions may dictate otherwise.

Digestivo
The digestivo, also called ammazzacaff if served after the coffee, is the drink to conclude the meal. Drinks such as Grappa,Amaro, Limoncello or other fruit/herbal drinks are drunk. Digestivo indicates that the drinks served at this time are meant to ease digestion after a long meal.

Caff

A little espresso-sized cup of dark coffee which would be consumed for the caffe in an Italian meal. Coffee is often drunk at the end of a meal, even after the digestivo. Italians, unlike many countries, do not have milky coffees or drinks after meals (such as Cappucino or Caffe macchiato), but strong coffee-drinks such as espresso, which is often drunk very quickly in small cups at very high temperatures.