Italy - Blog post #2

The culture of Italy is steeped in the arts, family, architecture, music and food. Home of the Roman Empire and a major center of the Renaissance, culture on the Italian peninsula has flourished for centuries. One of the most notorious parts of the Italian culture is their food. Life in Italy revolves around it, the food and wine. Food for Italians is something to be savored, revered, studied and examined, at a leisurely pace and with gusto, but not greed. For Italians there meals are somewhat different to ours: Italians start the day simply, perhaps with a cornetti (croissant) or slice of brioche, accompanied by a cappuccino, or just an espresso taken standing up at a local coffee bar -- cheaper than sitting at a cafe table. Pranzo (lunch) traditionally was the main meal of the day, and in the countryside it still is for many workers. In urban areas, lunch has become lighter, although it remains a three-course meal -- antipasto (appetizer), primo piatto (first plate), usually pasta, soup or rice, followed by secondo piatto, a meat or fish dish. Cena (dinner) follows the same pattern of lunch, usually three courses beginning with antipasto -- small servings of cured meat, olives, little bites to perk the palate. Next is pasta, rice or soup, followed by a meat or fish dish, accompanied by contorni (vegetable side dishes), ending with fruit and perhaps a glass of grappa. This is a typical day for italians, as you can tell, life is certainly focused around food, and is a major part of their culture. 

One major holiday, with lots of food is Carnevale (Mardi Gras-Carnival). Special sweets are baked, such as castagnole and frappe. In the Costiera Amalfitana and throughout much of the South there's a migliaccio di polenta made with corn meal, sausages, and grated cheese, cooked over the stove. Naples has the sumptuous Lasagne di Carnevale.