Category: Food in Italy

Think you've already tasted every kind of chocolate? Follow me on this journey to discover all the different types of chocolate, from the most common to the most exotic.   Since its origins, chocolate has been associated with exceptional properties, first and foremost that of improving mood. We now know that this effect is due to the presence of two neuro-modulators, anandamide and theobromine, which are responsible for increasing endorphins in the brain. But who knows whether the ancient Aztecs had also noticed these effects: for them, it was the food pleasing to the gods. And we, like the ancient populations of Central America, continue to be bewitched by this product and to attach importance to it. In fact, chocolate varieties have become part of our lives, appreciated by young and old alike, spread in every possible form; they are in all confectioners' shops and not only: they have even arrived in some savoury recipes. An example? The chocolate aubergines, typical of mid-August in Campania.   Table of Contents Types of Chocolate Types of chocolates Curiosities about chocolate     Nowadays, there are certainly many chocolate types, and they are quite distinct in terms of price: but what do these differences depend on? Mainly on the quality of the raw materials used and the type of processing they have undergone, industrial or artisanal. If you too are interested in the characteristics of each type of chocolate, follow me and I will tell you everything about them, from how many there are to where they can be enjoyed around Italy. 👇   🧳 Travel and taste Italian chocolate!   Types of chocolate [ back to menu ]     Is it possible to determine how many types of chocolate exist in the world? To begin to answer this question, you must

Have you ever wondered? The varieties of flour are many! Discover all the different types of flour with me.   Flour is derived from grinding the dried fruits or seeds of certain plants. It can be derived from wheat, maize, rice, barley, oats, rye, chestnuts, chickpeas, almonds, coconut, locust beans and buckwheat, but also from some dried fruits and legumes. Generally, when we talk about flour without specifying its origin, we refer indirectly to wheat flour. This is in fact the flour that tends to be most commonly used for the most common and widely consumed culinary preparations. Flour is an essential ingredient in cooking because without it, many recipes could not be made. Just think of the bread, pasta, pizza, cakes or pastries that we love so much. Flour, however, is not only important in the world of flour and the like! It is, in fact, an important ingredient if, for example, we want to make escalopes, frying batters or ravioli. These are just a few of the myriad ways of using flour in cooking, as well as for baked goods. One particular use that is made of it is as a thickener. One food whose recipe calls for the use of flour as a thickener is that of béchamel. Like this preparation, there are many others that exploit the thickening capacity of flour. Many of these are sauces themselves. However, it is important to be able to distinguish between the different kinds of flour and identify the one that best suits our needs. Nutritional values, as well as processing and grain size, are completely different factors from flour to flour. What follows is that depending on the flour used, the product will be characterised by certain qualities rather than others.   🧳 Travel and taste flour in Italy!

If you are a cheese lover and do-it-yourselfer, discover with me how to make easy homemade cheese, combining the two!   Cheese is a dairy product widely loved by young and old. Generally, cheese is bought ready-to-eat, but not everyone knows that you can also make it at home! Before I tell you all the tricks and secrets involved in making cheese, let me briefly tell you about its history.   Table of Contents How to make cheese? How to make your own cheese? How do you make ricotta? Cheese making curiosities     A short history of cheese A number of findings have revealed that cheese has existed since ancient times. Its use has been ascertained as far back as the Mesopotamian civilisations. In fact, it is assumed that it was the Sumerians in the 3rd millennium BC who invented cheese making. This is what can be deduced from a number of documents showing what the processing stages were at that time. It was then the Greeks, the Romans, the Celts and the Ligurians in later times who made use of cheese, and with them, all their successors up to modern times. During this more than millennial history, however, a change in perspective occurred that we can date back to the Late Middle Ages. Between the end of the 13th century and the end of the 15th century, cheese radically changes its characteristics. Until that time, cheese was in fact a food product destined only for the poorer social classes. In those years, however, it finally reached the tables of noble families. It is from here that cheese takes on the importance and credit it deserves. Stay with me and discover how to make cheese at home! First, however, a brief focus on how cheesemakers make their cheeses. This

Are you curious to discover all the secrets behind the world of chocolate? Come with me to discover every aspect of chocolate processing!   Chocolate, loved by young and old, is one of the most desired and consumed food in the world. In Italy, 3.8 to 4 kg per person per year is consumed. Does that sound like a lot? In Switzerland, it has been calculated that as much as 8.8 kg per head is consumed annually! In 2020, chocolate consumption in Italy is estimated to have increased by 35% compared to 2019. We are talking about a not inconsiderable increase and one that is destined to grow!     Table of Contents History of chocolate How is chocolate consumed today? How chocolate is made today How to make chocolate at home Extra DIY recipes Interesting facts Storage & Benefits Chocolate Events     Have you ever wondered what makes chocolate so desired and loved? Scientific studies show that it contains more than 500 chemical substances. Among them, phenylethylaminthe is the one that causes the feeling of well-being and enjoyment that makes us love chocolate so much. This is a molecule that, similar to adrenaline and dopamine, acts on the pleasure centres of our brain. As a result, a long series of hormones, including serotonin and dopamine, are released within our bodies. It is from these two hormones that we derive the feeling of well-being and satisfaction after tasting a nice piece of chocolate! Could you imagine?   🧳 Travel to Italy & Taste Chocolate!   History of Chocolate [ back to menu ]   Chocolate originates from the plants of the cacao tree. The scientific name is “Theobroma cacao”. From the Greek, “food of the gods”. The cacao plant takes a good five long years before it becomes productive.

Tradition and history of the most famous Italian dishes in the world!    "Macaroni, you provoked me and I'll destroy you!" This is how Alberto Sordi, in one of the most famous scenes of “An American in Rome”, begins resigned to the fact that the flavours of home always prevail! This says a lot about Italian-ness, which is not a question of origin because logically, tomatoes, corn, coffee, peppers, potatoes and many other imported foods would be cut off from this label. The “typical Italian food” acquires connotations that go beyond what is peculiar, characteristic, referring precisely to a “type”. Is there a model that represents us in the world? I would say it is more of a modus operandi: it is that constant ability to enhance traditional methods while remaining stubborn in innovation. Every region, city, town or village in Italy claims its own traditional cuisine, that is, its own way of cooking a dish. Going into even more detail, if you asked an Italian what his or her favourite cuisine is, he or she would mostly say that it is that of his or her own home, or better still, his or her mother's or grandmother's kitchen! This is because food in Italy is a matter of feelings, of sharing with family and friends, a bit like in the scenes of “Eat, Pray, Love” where Julia Roberts rediscovers table time. Perhaps it is thanks to this spirit of sharing that some dishes belonging to our tradition are now everyone's food, such as Pizza, the world's best-loved comfort food and the first most eaten food, and along with it the ragu on Sundays, Panettone at Christmas, Tiramisu. Popular foods of Italy that are widely shared throughout the world but which identify us because they are strongly linked to festivities

Let's discover the similarities and differences between Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano!   Italy's best-loved and world-famous cheeses. Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are two of the most widely used cheeses in Italian recipes besides Mozzarella. It is no coincidence that both are almost always in the fridge at home, thanks to their versatility and the different taste that makes them unique and suitable for every palate. Very often they are naively confused, especially by foreign consumers unaccustomed to the daily use of these cheeses, which in themselves have characteristics in common. In addition to being among the most widely sold Italian cheeses in the world (Grana cheese holds the podium position), they are among the most imitated. It is not difficult to come across an American product that indicates the wording "Parmesan cheese" in a totally inappropriate way. Coldiretti association confirms that, in addition to Fontina and Mozzarella di Bufala, Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are among the most counterfeited cheeses in the world. Researchers at the Catholic University of Piacenza have developed a system for recognising fake products on the basis of metabolomic analysis, which can distinguish the original product from the counterfeit one. Beyond counterfeiting, the Italian cheese industry is a vast field of production that leaves room for small and large companies. Matured cheeses are a must and many brands are betting on them, such as Biraghi, which produces a mature cheese with similar flavours to the two PDOs.     To raise awareness of its excellence, Parmigiano Reggiano was made the star of a medium-length film directed by Paolo Genovese, starring actor Stefano Fresi and multi-starred chef Massimo Bottura. From the film, 6 extracts were used as commercials broadcast on national TV. On the other hand, the Grana Padano commercials evoke "the good in us",