The fantastic world of Italian food

If there’s something Italians take pride in, that’d be their food. From North to South, food is more than what we put on our table: it’s a cultural marker, a way to keep tradition alive, a nod to family history.

Contrarily to other nations, food to us is not simply and solely nutrition: it is the way we show love and hospitality, the occasion to gather together and revel in the small pleasures of existence, those very pleasures that make life truly worthy and truly happy.

In spite of our artistic nature and penchant for timeless elegance and design, we Italians are simple people at heart, because you only need to give us a earthy piece of warm homemade bread, some fresh tomatoes and a dash of olive oil to put back a bit of a smile on our face, even after the most gruesome of days. If, then, you join us while having this frugal, simple yet delicious supper, you’ll make us happy.

Because food, in Italy, is quintessentially tied to our roots, to our tradition and, most importantly, to home. The scents of our grandmothers’ kitchen accompany our life and most tender memories long after we have grown out of our childhood shorts.

The way gelato trickles down the cone and sticks to our fingers on a hot summer day brings us all back to holidays by the sea, or evening walks with our mothers, like that… just to enjoy “un po’ di fresco.”

You can see the connection here, can’t you?

Whichever way you put it, food is a matter of the heart, in Italy. Food is the ultimate way we bring together, around the same table, the people we love and cherish. It’s an occasion to share, talk, live. It’s a pleasure to embrace, a sacred vestige of our family history and memories, but also a strong signifier of our own national identity.

Because, indeed, food is a matter of the heart, but it’s also a matter of history. There isn’t one single dish in this beautiful country of ours that hasn’t found its way on the table through the twists and turns of the Bel Paese’s history. From the Middle Eastern scents of Sicilian cuisine, to the Central European allure of some Veneto and Friuli delicacies, our food tells about the people who, throughout the centuries, shared our beautiful country with us, and of how we managed to incorporate their flavors into our own culinary tradition.

Last but not least, Italian food is made of simple things: simple ingredients, wholesome flavors, a true bounty of nature. Yes, contemporary Italian chefs love giving a modern twist  to our cuisine every now and then, and they are truly good at it. Yet, Italian cuisine remains a matter of simplicity and balance. We don’t have much patience for fancy names, here.