Italians take eating and drinking very seriously if it is to speak the reality. Italians have been mastering the art of the table for centuries, thanks to the ancient Romans who invented wine and threw magnificent banquets. If you've ever visited Italy, you've probably noticed that there are many unsaid rules regarding meal hours, restaurant etiquette, and the best time to have a coffee. Italians appear to have it all figured out, whether it's creating pasta, fermenting wine, or simply enjoying life. For Italians, eating and drinking are not merely diversions; they are interwoven in every aspect of their lives. The Italian day is laced with precise regulations about how, when, why, and with whom you share meals and consume good wine, from the first espresso to the final digestive. It's a way of life, and it's possibly the finest.
Coffee First
Breakfast isn't something that the Italians take very seriously. Breakfast usually entails visiting a coffee shop, strolling up to the counter, buying an espresso, and munching a croissant. However, be careful how you order in Italian. A caffè is a coffee, but in Italy, it's an espresso shot. If you want a Starbucks-equivalent latte, be aware that you'll get a scorching cup of heated milk if you buy one at a coffee shop. You'll get the frothy, caffeinated beverage you're seeking if you order a caffè latte.
Eat Fresh
An Italian's best friend is the farmer's market, because they realise that fresh products are the best ingredients. Sure, stores abound in Italy, but if you want the freshest tomatoes, sharpest cheeses, and silkiest olive oil, you must go to the source, which is the country's daily and weekly outdoor markets.
Seasonal Products
Most crops are seasonal, with the exception of potatoes and lemons which are always in season. There are good times for some foods and bad times for others. If you're looking for the greatest tomatoes, go no further. From May to October, you'll find the freshest and most flavorful produce. When is the olive harvest? It's the end of Autumn. The Italians are aware of this, and they cultivate their crops and purchase their products accordingly.
Olive oil is the only oil
Cooking oils, such as canola, walnut, vegetable, and so on, are hard to come by in Italy. Cooking using olive oil is standard, and it can also be used in place of butter. Instead of butter, try cooking cookies using olive oil next time; they're fantastic.
Pasta is not Lunch
First and foremost, there's lunch. A typical Italian lunch includes a primo, which is typically a pasta dish; a secondo, which is typically a protein; and a contorno, which is typically a vegetable or salad dish. There's an antipasto, which includes cured meats, olives, artichokes, and more, followed by a pasta (primo), a protein (secondo), a side dish (contorno), and a dessert for dinner (dolce). Are you hungry yet?
Wine and Pasta
The drinking culture in Italy is as regimented as the eating culture, and the two are completely interwoven. Italians consider drinking in terms of how it might complement the cuisine that it is served with. Because the wine is designed to enhance the cuisine, you won't find Italians pre-drinking their wine before a pasta dish is brought to the table. You could say they are made for each other.
Drink and Eat
The Italian day revolves entirely around food and alcohol. After lunch, the merenda, or snack time, begins at 4 p.m., with lines of ice cream aficionados forming around the pastry shop. There's aperitivo, a pre-dinner tradition that includes elegant cocktails like Aperol spritzes and Negronis, as well as salty appetizers to fuel the stomach. There are also the digestive, which are post-dinner cocktails like amaro or grappa that aid digestion and put you in the mood to sleep.
Food and Family
The weekly family lunch is one of the best traditions that many Italian families cherish. Large family groupings typically gather on Sundays to put all of the Italian food and wine traditions under one roof, making a massive, shared feast while spending quality time with one another. Eat healthily. Drink plenty of water. Take pleasure in life.