Italian Cuisine And How It Came To Be
from Italian Traditional Food

The Beginning Of Italian Cuisine

If you have indulged in a fine pasta dish and thought to yourself, where did the Italian cuisine start being appreciated then you are not alone.

The fact is there are several people in and out of the cuisine loop that are very curious about how this culture took off in regards to food, and to what extent it will be appreciated years from now.

What is most interesting about the cuisine and the culture of the Italians however is that much of what we know about this wonderful little country is not actually indigenous to the little boot shaped land.

Much of what we enjoy about Italy has been introduced to the Italians themselves, they merely refined and perfected what was brought to them.

Pasta Here Pasta There

Many people associate Italian cuisine with pasta, but what many people do not know is that pasta is not really an Italian dish to begin with. The east was actually using pasta as a food staple for centuries before the Italians got wind of this delightful and versatile noodle.

It is said that Marco Polo was the one that brought not only the noodle from Asia, but also spices and vegetables from North Africa. While this is in much debate today, few can refute that much of what is known to be Italian in history could quite well not be. Much of the cuisine influence is a direct result of other nations and their cultures making a home in Italy.

While Italy does boast some of the oldest food sources in the world, much of what we enjoy most was introduced to them. This is why the Mediterranean side of Italy is so diverse and interesting with its mixed and varied cultures merged into one location.

Not always Welcome Additions

What many people may actually find amusing about Italian cuisine, is that their most beloved staple for their fine sauces was once actually shunned in this country. There was a time when the Tomato was not exactly well received in Italy, as a matter of fact this fruit was once considered poisonous. This fruit that belongs to the Nightshade plants family, was actually introduced to Italy by the North American culture. This is not the case today of course as the Italians are not shy about utilizing this fruit into their dishes whenever possible.

Foes Friends And Culinary Teachers

One of the most influential cultures to grace the Italian cuisine scene is the Greeks, and they did it with a history between the two that was not always at its finest moment. The Greeks are Italy's neighbors, and many times throughout history they were actually not friends but foes facing each other on the battlefields.

Time has changed this way of life, and with this change brought the great tide of culinary change in Italy as well. The Greeks were known for appreciating Calamari and other fine seafood fare, when they took this knowledge to the Italians Italy embraced it.

Today Italy is fluent in the use of seafood in their dining habits, and as a matter of fact has brought this to a whole new level that is considered award winning.

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