| You walk into an Italian Restaurant - the whole | | | | smell is wafting through the house as your guests |
| experience is just wonderful - the smells, the | | | | arrive. This will really let your guests know they've |
| atmosphere and hopefully when your order is | | | | come to the right place! |
| delivered - the food. The background noise is all a part | | | | You could start with antipasto which literally means |
| of the experience - it's often at a higher frequency | | | | "before the meal". This is also the traditional first course |
| than most restaurants but it's all part of the fun. | | | | of a formal Italian meal. |
| Why not take this same experience back to your own | | | | Rather than hors devours offered on trays that guests |
| home and create a more intimate and less busy Italian | | | | enjoy before they are seated at the dinner table, |
| dinner party? A dinner where people can enjoy a | | | | antipasto is served at the table and signifies the |
| more leisurely dining experience within the comfort of | | | | beginning of your Italian meal together. An antipasto |
| your own home. A night where you can share your | | | | plate is usually placed at the center of the table. The |
| favorite Italian recipes with people who are important | | | | antipasto dish doesn't even getting numbered as one |
| to you - or maybe even try out some new recipes? | | | | of the courses.. it's just a given. |
| Italian food never seems to lose its popularity. There's | | | | Diners are given small plates on which to place their |
| often a feeling of comfort and contentment attached | | | | choices. Traditional choices can include cured meats |
| to Italian food and the flavors are simply sensational. | | | | (prosciuito, mortadella, smoked ham and salami), |
| So, just how do you host a great Italian dinner party | | | | marinated vegetables, olives, peperoni (marinated small |
| then? | | | | peppers - not the meat called peperoni) along with an |
| 1. Planning - In your planning, consider who you will invite | | | | assortment of cheeses (like provolone, bocconicini and |
| and check the foods that they don't like or can't | | | | mozzarella). |
| tolerate and set the date and time well in advance. | | | | The first course primo piatto (also referred to as |
| 2. Invitations - Will you just invite your friends by | | | | simply primo) or minestra may consist of soup |
| sending them an email or can you do something a bit | | | | (minestroni perhaps?), pasta, gnocci, risotto or polenta - |
| more creative with your invitation? You could attach a | | | | this should only be a small portion like a cup or so. This |
| note to something very Italian. I saw a suggestion of | | | | is a dish rich in carbohydrates. |
| sending the invitation attached to a small packet of | | | | The second or main course is called secondo piatto or |
| biscotti or you could incorporate the colors of the Italian | | | | piatto di mezzo which usually consists or fish or meat. |
| flag as the background (three vertical columns - green | | | | Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are the most |
| on the left, white in the middle and red on the left) on | | | | commonly used meat, at least in the North. |
| your invite. | | | | The side dish is called contorno and may consist of a |
| 3. Atmosphere - Do you want red and white | | | | salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu |
| checkered table cloths with chianti bottles as candle | | | | features salad along with the main course. |
| holders with wax dripping down the sides - just to give | | | | The first dessert which consists of cheese and fruit is |
| it that really authentic look? Or a plain white, red or | | | | called Formaggio and frutta - the cheese and fruit is |
| green table cloth? | | | | usually served together. |
| Try to get hold of some background Italian music like | | | | Then it's onto Dolce - dessert such as cakes or |
| some opera for example. Some of Italy's best singers | | | | cookies. |
| generally have included Enrico Caruso, Luciano | | | | You should also serve coffee/espresso known as |
| Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Mina and Claudio Villa. | | | | Caffè. |
| 4. Food - since Italians are renowned for taking great | | | | Finally, Digestivo or "digestives" which are liquors |
| pleasure in their food, wine and the company of their | | | | liqueurs like grappa, amaro or limoncello - sometimes |
| friends dinners can often go on for hours. Italians see | | | | referred to as "coffee killer" or ammazzacaffe. |
| meals as a time to spend with family and friends | | | | All these dishes sound great and I imagine when |
| instead of to gain immediate sustenance. | | | | people see the number of courses it may seem a bit |
| The number of courses served can range from three | | | | daunting but you only need serve as many courses as |
| to six courses (called portate) or sometimes more | | | | you choose. I have discovered a great website hosting |
| courses! | | | | 3000 free recipes from around the world. Under Italian, |
| You'll no doubt have some lovely smells permeating | | | | I noticed they offered 217 recipes so I'm sure you can |
| into the house before your guests arrive - you could | | | | find all you need there. |
| also slowly bake some garlic bread in the oven so the | | | | |