Author: Sidn Desarollo

It is impressive how the typical foods of a small corner of the planet have gradually extended throughout the world. Virtually anywhere you go you will find typical Italian dishes such as pizza, pasta and lasagna. Even though this is a recurring fact, Italian food is so bountiful thanks to its long history. Today I want to share a lot more of it with you.

From north to south. From east to west. From heavily populated cities to sparsely inhabited villages. Endless pages are needed to write the history of Italy. So substantial, century after century, that you’ll rarely find anything frivolous in it. From architecture to painting, passing through astronomy and of course gastronomy. That’s what I’ll focus on today. But first let’s add a bit of context.

FROM THE ROMAN EMPIRE TO THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

Washed by the waters of the Mediterranean, present-day Italy has been influenced over the millennia not only by the culinary traditions of the Roman Empire, but also by classic Greece and from merchants from northern Africa, plus touches from the Middle East, all adding up in its recipes. Those were the foundations of the Italian cuisine known to us today.

I stress the foundations. When the Spaniards arrived in the Americas in 1492, on their way back they brought ingredients such as potatoes and tomatoes. Today they are so well-established in the Mediterranean diet that we almost feel as if they originated in our territory. Well, they aren’t truly ours at the source, but they sure have adapted well, and that’s something to be proud of.

CITIES: THE PLACES WHERE ITALIAN DISHES ARE MOSTLY BORN

John Dickie, a historian specializing in Italy, in his book Delizia! The epic history of Italians and their food, says that the large cities of Italy have nurtured this tradition. “Italian food is city food. For a thousand years, Italy’s cities have been magnets for everything that makes for great eating: ingredients, talent, money, and power. Telling the story of Italian food means telling the story of city dwellers: from the boisterous medieval flea markets of Milan to the Renaissance salons of Ferrara, from the street stalls of 19th century Naples to the bustling trattorias of postwar Rome,” writes the author.

In the tribute to socialization and family that one finds in Italian cuisine, the Renaissance represents the mature stage of Italian gastronomy. Never breaking with the past. Starting in the Renaissance is when the importance of this cuisine is confirmed. Cooks gained recognition, recipe books were compiled, and they spent time refining their own dishes.

TRAVELLING ACROSS ITALY DISH BY DISH

Italian cuisine has its master lines, a common denominator. Italy, which was reunited in the later 19th century, saw how each region added different nuances and ingredients to the land that since the fall of the Roman Empire had become a series of isolated territories. This has added to the variety of such a rich cuisine.

In the central part of the Italian peninsula, right where Tuscany is located, is where we find most of the dishes that people throughout the world associate with Italy. Extra virgin olive oil takes center stage, alongside cold cuts and a large variety of meats. And of course the elaborate pasta dishes, from Tuscan ‘pici’ to the ‘spaghetti alla chitarra’ of the Abruzzi.

Travelling south you will find the Italian dish par excellence: pizza. It is so popular nowadays, but there was a time when it was the food of the needy. This zone is probably the one that contributes the recipes that have travelled farthest on our planet: simple, straightforward flavor is of the essence. It’s always a winner. Pasta is drier in this region, and then there are vegetables, seafood, cheeses… all these ingredients form a recipe for success.

North of Tuscany there are different traditions. Here we find carpaccio, risotto, different soups, balsamic vinegar from Modena… And of course we’ll always find the reliability of extra virgin olive oil and tomatoes.

I cannot finish without mentioning the cuisine of Sardinia. It is the least known outside Italy and it is in turn the most peculiar in Italy, due to the influence of the ancient Crown of Aragon, though of course we must never neglect the Italian roots that are also present.

It was a pleasure to accompany you on this short tour of Italian cuisine. I feel that in every dish you will find not only beauty but also plenty of history and deeper meaning. I feel the need to respect and admire those who in the past, in circumstances far removed from those of the present, created these wonders for our palate. For all those who have loved and still love Italian cuisine: Buon appetito!

Extra virgin olive oil is the main pillar of the Mediterranean diet and we should take care of it the way it deserves. Such a valuable product is worth our attention both when conserving it and when using it for cooking. Today I’ll share a few tips to make your oil last longer in optimal condition and to allow you to make the most of all its flavor.

You probably use extra virgin olive oil on a daily basis, just like me. Over the years I have learned to take care of little details that are often neglected in day-to-day use. Reading and listening to advice–anything is welcome when it comes to taking care of our liquid gold so as not to make any mistakes when using, consuming and conserving it.

The first mistake is crystal clear: cooking with anything other than extra virgin olive oil. The notion that extra virgin oil, being of higher quality, should only be consumed uncooked is widespread. But EVOO is perfect for cooking for a number of reasons. For instance, it boosts the flavor of foods and makes them conserve their properties much better–and that in itself is a health benefit.

HOW TO COOK WITH OLIVE OIL

When cooking with olive oil there are a number of very common mistakes that we often make. One of them is pouring some oil on a cold frying pan when we are going to prepare something grilled. Here we’ll see that the oil starts smoking, meaning that it’s burning, and you surely won’t get the benefits you could from it.

What’s the solution? Very simple: pour the oil on when the frying pan is already hot or pour it on the food we are about to put in the pan.

Another mistake is frying with very little oil. Contrary to what many think, food must be fully submerged in the hot oil to cook the fat part correctly. And some food might stick to the frying pan if you err on the stingy side.

NEVER GET RID OF OIL BY POURING IT DOWN THE DRAIN

My dear friend, because of my moral commitment to nature and what it gives us as human beings, take my word for what I am about to tell you. Never pour the oil you are no longer going to use down the drain. Sift it into a jar and take it to a local waste facility to avoid polluting and so that it can be recycled into soap, detergent or even bio fuel.

KEEP OLIVE OIL AWAY FROM HEAT SOURCES

Temperature is crucial for conserving oil. Until I was aware of this fact, I used to leave the bottle near the stove when I was cooking because I would be using it again right away. The oil will get warmer even though it’s in the bottle, and that’s not good for its conservation. My advice is clear: keep your bottle of oil away from the heat while you’re cooking.

You should also consider the temperature when you are not cooking. Ideally, oil should be stored in a cool, dry place at a temperature of around 17° C (63° F). Also protect it from light, another factor that will accelerate its deterioration.

This is why I recommend storing the oil in a dark glass bottle, that way you will minimize the effect of light. Please note that Carapelli’s bottles are perfect to guarantee the conservation of the oil’s color, flavor and aroma.

THE BOTTLE SIZE DOES MATTER

The next mistake I have often made is that of not buying the right sized bottle (or can) according to how fast I am going to use the oil. I’ll explain this. Before buying you should think of how long the product is going to be in use.

If you are not going to consume a large amount of oil over a short period, then you should buy smaller bottles. Why is this? As you use up the oil in the bottle, air takes up the space previously filled by our liquid gold. Oxygen speeds up the oil’s deterioration. The larger the space taken up by oxygen, the greater the deterioration of the oil. This is why glass is better than plastic, because it lets less oxygen get in.

I’ve laid before you a series of common mistakes that we all make every now and then, and I’m no exception. The important thing is becoming aware of these facts, so that we can learn from the advice and put it into practice. EVOO is a living food and that’s why we need to learn to conserve it. Carapelli seeks the maximum quality from the olive tree to our table. My advice seeks to prevent losing that quality. In any event, if you make any of these mistakes the oil is still perfectly usable. But if you avoid these mistakes, your enjoyment of extra virgin olive oil will be much greater!