| Italian traditional food is known for its wonderful recipes | | | | Among other cultures, the food may be medium, and |
| and wines, but often an important side of it is hidden or | | | | people talk about other things and have a good |
| even unseen. | | | | evening. |
| This side is what eating means for Italians. It's not just | | | | In Italy, may be the most enjoyable people, but if the |
| eating, it means much more. | | | | food is not good, they will feel like the evening was a |
| If you happen in a major Italian city you may find some | | | | little bit wasted for that. They will talk about it, |
| shops with continued opening time. But the most close | | | | comment it, showing that the food isn't merely part of |
| from 1 to 4.30pm. Italians do stop for lunch. | | | | the evening, but quite the main attraction. |
| Life has changed in Italy too, not allowing everyone to | | | | Another side of tradition concerning Italian food regards |
| go home for lunch and maybe take even a rest. But | | | | eating at certain times, following a established order in |
| most public offices close at 2.00pm and the ones that | | | | eating (never eat a meat dish before the pasta one, |
| work from 9 to 5 have lunch time, where people go to | | | | for example), and some other small but present rules. |
| restaurants and have a real meal. | | | | Concerning time, Italians have lunch from 1.00pm to |
| I went to meet a friend who works in a bank office in | | | | 2.00pm. Most restaurants close at 2.30 pm. It's |
| Rome and we had lunch together. She suggested a | | | | frustrating for a tourist visiting Rome, for example, to |
| small familiar restaurant (trattoria) where I ate | | | | find the restaurant closed at 3pm. |
| wonderful potato gnocchi and unforgettable artichokes | | | | Now some restaurants are offering different |
| with potatoes). A real lunch, that is maybe served in | | | | scheduled times, but these are the tourist restaurants, |
| luxury Italian restaurants abroad, eaten during a lunch | | | | not the good ones. These keep pasta cooked and |
| break from job. | | | | re-warm it. It's better not to trust them if you desire a |
| This idea lead to another interesting fact about | | | | good Italian homemade dish. |
| restaurants in Italy and Italian restaurants abroad. | | | | A traditional Italian meal begins with the antipasto |
| Usually, the Italian restaurants abroad are good and | | | | (which means before the meal). Usually it's "from |
| sometimes luxury restaurants. Very well decorated | | | | land"(di terra) or "from sea" (di mare). Those from land |
| and often a very pleasant environment, many times | | | | are usually Italian cold cuts, olives, cheese and so on. |
| tied to society fashions. | | | | Those from sea are seafood salad and similar. |
| In Italy, the luxury and the "environment" are secondary. | | | | After the antipasto comes the first dish, that can be |
| Often an Italian friend takes you to a very good | | | | pasta, soup or rice (risotto). After then there's the |
| restaurant, and it looks too poorly decorated. Don't | | | | second, when you can choose between meat and |
| worry, he cares about you, because...you eat | | | | fish. It's necessary to add a side, because in Italy they |
| wonderful food, and that's the important thing for your | | | | are not included. If you ask for a steak, it will come by |
| friend. | | | | itself, with no French fries or salad. |
| He does not think about taking you to a fashionable | | | | After that, you can eat fruit and a dessert. Then a |
| place where food is not good. He would fail towards | | | | good coffee and a liquor called "ammazza caffe" (kill |
| you, and for an Italian, it hurts. | | | | the coffee). It can vary between many choices, being |
| There are so many restaurants in Italy that are square | | | | the more used nowadays the lemon liquor (limoncello) |
| spoiled rooms that are really not inviting...but their food | | | | and grappa. |
| is wonderful. They just don't consider the decoration, | | | | At this point, your Italian friend looks satisfied. He will |
| but what you're going to eat. | | | | probably rest his shoulders on the back of the chair |
| In Italy go out to have dinner is also a social program, | | | | and take a long breath. After a perfect meal, these |
| as all around the world. But what you eat has a | | | | few minutes just enjoying it all are surely needed. |
| stronger role in the whole evening. | | | | |