Tag: restaurants

Is Water Just Water?

Mineral water is extremely popular in Italy. The major brands of mineral waters are from specific springs, which are sometimes also renowned spas, and therefore have a precise location of origin.

But is mineral water just water? No, it also contains a unique mix of minerals and ions. Every spring is different, and the concentration of minerals can vary substantially across them. Most waters have mild diuretic properties or help digestion, but the composition of some makes them suitable as an aid in treating specific medical conditions. Waters that have low amounts of minerals (“oligominerali,” in Italian) are generally suitable for everyone, but those are under a low-sodium diet still need to pay special attention to the label (which by law must list the full composition.)

Most Italian waters that aren’t naturally carbonated are sold in two varieties: still (liscia -smooth, plain- or naturale -natural-) and sparkling (gassata -gasified, carbonated- or frizzante -fizzy-) where carbonation is artificially added. Rarely, spring water may have mild natural carbonation, generally also associated with higher amounts of minerals.

Most Italians have their own favorite brands of mineral waters. And even if they don’t, they certainly have a strong preference on whether they like still water or sparkling water. Carbonated drinks, in general, are obtained by adding pressurized CO2, which partly combines with water to form Carbonic Acid (H2CO3). H2CO3 is a weak, unstable acid that spontaneously separates back into CO2 and water when at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The tingling sensation that comes from drinking sparkling water is caused by the formation of bubbles as well as because a small amount of H2CO3 is still dissolved and gives a slight burning sensation. That’s why carbonated mineral water has more flavor than still mineral water from the same spring.

Still mineral water aisle in an Italian supermarket
Still mineral water aisle in an Italian supermarket

All mineral water is subject to a mandatory bacterial analysis and certification from a reputable university. As for the bottle, PET is becoming more popular, but glass bottles are still used and preferred for carbonated water because the carbonation can slowly escape from porous PET. In either case, the empties are usually returned to the store where the water was bought, either to be recycled or -in the case of glass bottles- returned to the manufacturers to be reused (washed, sanitized, refilled, and re-labeled).

Even though Italian tap water is suitable for drinking and has good flavor in most areas, it’s more common for households to consume bottled mineral water. This is because of a few different reasons: 1) A good portion of Italians like carbonated over still and home carbonation systems are not very common; 2) There is definitely more appeal for a bottled water certified to come from a natural spring in the mountains than for tap water from decades-old city pipes that has stagnated in a distribution tank; 3) Mineral water is relatively inexpensive in Italy and, because of its popularity, is easy to find and convenient home delivery is often available.

Unlike in North America, restaurants don’t offer complimentary iced tap water. You can ask for it, but normally people order bottled mineral water, sparkling or not. However, by law, every bar and café open to the public has to offer a glass of tap water if requested, even to non-customers.

Imported bottled water is becoming more and more popular in North America, usually in its sparkling version. And since it’s imported water, which was even bottled in Italy, Italian mineral water can be quite expensive. The market is increasing not only because of the appeal of a novelty but also because carbonated mineral water is a zero-calorie option that tastes better than soda water and actually pairs up with food. There are even mineral water tasting classes which give the qualification of Idrosommelier.

To enjoy properly, mineral water should be served chilled and, optionally, with a lemon slice. Ice should be avoided since, as it melts, it would dilute the dissolved minerals as well as the carbonation. Sparkling water is also best from a bottle that has just been opened since the cap causes the pressure from released CO2 to build up, in turn preventing more CO2 from being produced, thus preserving the carbonation.

“Italian” Dressing?

Italian dressing. Obviously you can’t find such a thing in Italy, exactly like you’ll hardly find anything called “Chinese food” in China. But it isn’t just the name that doesn’t exist, Italians don’t even know the concept of a (premixed) dressing that you can buy in a store.

The main reason why Italians don’t buy any bottled dressing is that there is only one really popular salad dressing – a simple mix of oil and vinegar, plus salt. Now, oil and vinegar don’t actually mix… and that is probably another reason why there is no “Italian dressing” in a bottle: it would look gross!

So, how does mixing of oil and vinegar work? They are applied separately; it’s recommended that vinegar and salt go on first (salt dissolves in vinegar, and doesn’t in oil – some people even premix salt and vinegar in a tablespoon before adding it to the salad), then after a quick toss olive oil is added on, just enough to lightly coat the greens and enhance their flavor.

Now, what kind of oil and vinegar? A light olive oil (e.g. a delicate extra-virgin from Tuscany or Liguria, or a less flavorful non extra-virgin olive oil) is generally preferred on delicate greens (such as lettuce). Vegetable oils can also be used. For stronger greens (such as arugula) a fruity and aromatic extra-virgin is instead recommended. As for the vinegar, regular red wine or white wine vinegars are the most common, but balsamic vinegar is becoming more and more popular. Balsamic vinegar originates in the regions surrounding the cities of Modena and Reggio Emilia. It’s now also made elsewhere, but the one produced in Modena and Reggio Emilia is certified as Protected Designation of Origin, and guaranteed to be made using traditional methods. As an alternative to vinegar, lemon or other citrus can be used to add acidity.

Instead of bottled dressing, households always have oil, vinegar, salt and pepper on the table as, generally speaking, people prefer to dress their own salad themselves. The same goes for restaurants and cafeterias – oil and vinegar are brought to the table whenever a salad is ordered and the waiters never ask what kind of dressing the customer would like.

Typical leafy greens used in Italian salads are lettuce and its variants (Romain, lamb’s lettuce or ‘soncino’), endive, spinach, arugula (a.k.a. rocket), radicchio , chicory, cabbage. Other vegetables commonly used are sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers (with optional onions), fennel, any kinds of cooked and chilled beans, chilled boiled potatoes and green beans.

Italians love their salads, but they normally have them only as a side to the second course (which is normally meat or fish), or at most as an appetizer. Unlike in North America, salad is never served as a side to a pasta or rice dish. Lately, “big salads” (‘insalatone’) have become a popular lunch choice, they usually have some leafy greens with a combination or all of the following: corn, canned tuna, hard-boiled egg slices, ham, cheese dices (e.g. Fontina or Swiss). Big salads’ dressing is normally the usual oil and vinegar, or just oil.

There is absolutely no Caesar salad in Italy.

The Mystery of Bread

The smell of bread… Freshly baked bread has such an evocative fragrance. Italian bread, just like most artisan kinds of bread, is usually made of just yeast, flour, water, and salt.

The Chemistry

Yeast. The kind most commonly used is baker’s yeast, which is also used for brewing alcoholic beverages (in fact in Italian it’s called ‘lievito di birra’, beer leaven). Unlike sourdough (a symbiotic combination of a lactobacilli culture and yeasts that naturally develops when a mix of flour and water is left at room temperature for a certain amount of time, and where lactic acid is produced as a byproduct), baker’s yeast is a cultivated form of just yeast (Saccharomyces) and it’s preferred because not sour.

As part of the leavening process, the yeast eats the sugars contained in the flour and transforms them through an enzymatic process in dextrose and fructose, while producing carbon dioxide (CO2) and alcohol. The CO2 is responsible for the rising of the bread, but the fermentation itself and the caramelization of the sugars that occurs in the oven are responsible for the resulting flavor and smell. To lengthen the fermentation and increase the flavor, a starter (also called pre-ferment or ‘mother dough’) is often used. The classic Italian starter is called biga (a thick mixture of baker’s yeast, flour, and water that gets prepared ahead of time and then added to the fresh yeast). As an alternative, a portion of dough from a previous batch can be used.

Flour. Flour from several kinds of grains can be used (including rye, barley, corn), but Italian bread mostly uses high-gluten wheat flour. The gluten content is fundamental to give “structure” to the bread so that it holds its shape while rising and that prevents it from collapsing during the baking.

The salt is responsible not only for the taste but also for the color of the bread. Common table salt or sea salt is added near the beginning of the mixing process, but avoiding direct contact with the yeast. Tuscan bread is an exception where salt is completely absent.

Regular drinking water mediates between yeast and flour. The minerals naturally contained in Italian water also affect the bread’s flavor and texture.

The Cultural Significance

Now that we have the complex chemistry of bread out of the way, let’s talk about what bread means to the Italians.

Bread is very dear to the Italians; it’s so dear that it is synonymous of ‘good’ (a common Italian saying calls a good-natured person “good like bread”, ‘buona come il pane’). Bread is considered essential to every meal (except of course for meals which are made of bread, like pizza), so much that it traditionally represents the center of the banquet and every other food that is served with it is generally referred as ‘companatico’ (something that goes with bread). And since bread is a given in every meal, it’s free in restaurants (or, better, it’s included with service), and refilled as needed without charge.

Italians eat bread without any butter. As a result, people generally take one bun or bread slice from the basket where it’s served, place it directly on the tablecloth by their plate and eat it with hands, one bite-sized chunk at a time (biting off directly is instead a big no-no).

All Italian bread would probably be considered as ‘fancy’ in North America, there is, in fact, nothing like the standard day-to-day sandwich bread. The closest thing is called “pan carré”, French for ‘square bread’, a long-preservation preparation meant to be toasted, somewhat popular in Northern Italy, but that doesn’t compare with traditional Italian bread.

Bread used to be bought fresh every day at a bakery. And since bakeries used to be closed on Sundays (pretty much like everything else in Italy), on Saturday people would buy double amounts and accept to eat stale bread the next day. Now of course bread can also be bought in superstores, and many people freeze it and every day they thaw the desired amounts (if properly bagged and frozen when very fresh, bread remains almost unaltered for a few weeks).

Is there such a thing as Italian bread?

Not really. Bread in Italy comes in a big variety of shapes and kinds, from small rolls to big loaves, which vary across the peninsula. The most known kinds of Italian bread include:

  • “michetta” o “rosetta” (Lombardy): round shaped bun, with flat base and star incision. Completely empty inside because of the long leavening.
  • “biova” (Piedmont): slightly heavier than michetta because only partially empty and slightly denser.
  • “carasau” (Sardinia): a flatbread, extremely thin and crunchy.
  • “francese”, “francesino”: French-style bread (loaf or bun).
  • “ciabatta” (not ciabbata!), classic denser bun, rectangular shaped, used for instance to make “panini” (singular “panino” !), grilled sandwiches where the bread is cut horizontally and filled with one type of cold cut or ham and optionally cheese and roasted vegetables.
  • “filone”, “sfilatino”: similar to a baguette.

Special bread featuring the addition of other ingredients (from simple milk or oil to olives, raisins, or grapes) is also quite common. It has to be noted that the law imposes the use of the “Special Bread” label for any kinds of bread containing more than 4.5% of fat.

Focaccia (not foccacia!) can be considered a type of special bread containing olive oil. The most basic focaccia is simply sprinkled with coarse salt, but there are many variations (even a sweet one covered with sugar). The most famous focaccia comes from Liguria, and particularly the city of Recco (topped with Crescenza cheese).

A slice of classic Panettone
A slice of classic Panettone

Panettone is also a type of special bread, definitely the most representative sweet bread, a typical Christmas cake that originated in the city of Milan, but is common all throughout Italy (though usually only around the Christmas time). Panettone contains eggs, butter, sugar, raisins, and candied citrus peel and its complex preparation requires different stages of leavening.

A typical preparation that uses a slice of toasted bread as its base is the famous bruschetta (brus-‘ket-ta, not bru-‘shet-ta!). The most classic bruschetta is topped with diced tomatoes, garlic, onion and olive oil and originates in Central and Southern Italy.

Two other regional specialties (both from Emilia Romagna) are Piadina (a flatbread which is traditionally eaten with fresh creamy cheese and cold cuts) and ‘gnocco fritto’, fried dumpling which is also eaten with cold cuts or cheese. Both kinds of bread can also be served as desserts (usually with chocolate spreads, gnocco fritto can also be served with honey).

Finally, several preparations are based on stale bread, either diced and softened in milk or grated. One preparation typical of the eastern Alps is Canederli (though originated in Germany and Austria), bread dumplings usually containing cheese and smoked cured meat, served in broth or with melted butter.

Gelato vs. Ice Cream

What is gelato?

Gelato is not Italian for ice cream. In Italy, the word ‘gelato’ (plural: ‘gelati ‘, literally meaning ‘frozen’ and with nothing to do with gelatin) refers to a product that resembles ice cream, but that is technically quite different, especially in its artisan version.

Gelato is based on a custard typically made with egg, sugar, and whole milk (though there is also a variation called ‘sorbetto’ that doesn’t contain dairies). The hot mix is then allowed to slowly cool off for the water to bind with the milk proteins and ultimately give smaller crystals when frozen. Real fruit, chocolate, nuts are then added as flavors. The freezing process happens in small batches in a mixer, and this incorporates air increasing the volume by 25-30%. Gelato should be stored at a temperature between -10 and -15 °C and consumed within a few days.

Ice cream is usually made with half cream and half milk, normally through a cold mix process. The production lines work in air to double the product’s volume. Ice cream is stored at a temperature around -20 and -25 °C and can last for a few months.

What makes gelato authentic?

What is served as ‘gelato’ is not likely to be authentic if:

  • Too sweet. Italian gelato gains its flavor from being denser, slightly warmer, and from containing natural, high-quality ingredients, not just sugar. The flavors are generally quite simple (see below) – in Italy, you will find no marshmallows, peanut butter, Oreos, Reese’s and -please!- nothing savory.
  • Served too cold. Authentic gelato is preserved at a less cold temperature to preserve its creaminess – if the store has too many flavors for what they can sell daily, this is a sign that the product is not freshly made and is deep-frozen to extend its fridge life.
  • Containing too much fat. Artisan gelato would be completely solid in a deep freezer. If the product is still partly soft, this is a sign of higher fat content (if you get a chance to see it melt, gelato melts quickly turning into a milky drink, ice cream instead slowly separates into a thick foam and a watery runoff).

What is gelato to the Italians?

So, now that we know how to differentiate ice cream (or bad gelato imitations) from authentic gelato, let’s talk about what gelato really is for the Italians.

Gelato is a dessert, a refreshment, a summer treat, and even a small meal. The main place to get gelato is in a ‘gelateria’ (gelato parlor). Gelaterie are very common all throughout Italy, but especially in those cities where it gets particularly hot during the summer. During winter, the ones that stay open often only have limited flavors, or even alternatives such as ‘gelato caldo’ (warm gelato, a relatively new invention which is more of a mousse) or just whipped cream (with cocoa or cinnamon powder). Gelaterie serve gelato to go either in individual portions (in cones or disposable cups), or larger quantities in insulated containers (priced by the liter and considerably cheaper than the equivalent amount bought in individual portions; in some cases empty cones are also available, complimentary or for a fee). More elaborate preparations are sometimes offered, usually intended for sit-down customers (compositions with wafers or biscuits, melted chocolate, whipped cream). Gelaterie, as well as most pastry shops, also may offer ‘semifreddi’ (gelato cakes), and, like many cafés, also use gelato as the base for ‘frullati’ (Italian-style milkshakes), or for ‘affogati’ (gelato drowned in coffee and/or liquors).

As far as flavors go, as we were saying gelato can be of two main types: milk-based (creams – or ‘creme’ in Italian), or water-based (sorbet – or ‘sorbetto’ in Italian), which originated in southern Italy, but is available all throughout the country. Traditional cream gelato flavors include: fior di latte (a neutral gelato base), cioccolato (chocolate), vaniglia (vanilla – which, by the way, has an intense flavor and doesn’t mean flavorless!), stracciatella (fior di latte and chocolate shavings), nocciola (hazelnut), torroncino (from ‘torrone‘), caffè (coffee), pistacchio (pistachio). Newer flavors include Tiramisù and panna cotta (from the corresponding desserts). Traditional sorbets flavors include: limone (lemon), fragola (strawberry), pesca (peach), mango, and other fruits. It has to be noted that even the biggest and most popular gelaterie don’t usually have more than 50-60 flavors, the smaller ones only have 10-20 (a good turnaround is needed since gelato can’t be stored for too long and is usually produced overnight, directly on the premises).

Restaurants also offer gelato as a dessert, either by itself or with fresh fruit. During formal dining, a sorbet is sometimes served as a palate cleanser in-between courses.

Industrially made gelato can also be bought in supermarkets, though this type, slightly higher in fat, is stored at lower temperatures (to extend its shelf life), and needs to be taken out of the freezer ahead of time before being served.

Pasta 101 – A Primer on the Most Iconic Italian Food

Pasta is probably the most recognized Italian dish. And for good reasons. Pasta plays a fundamental part in the diet of every Italian – even daily! This article describes all main pasta types.

Italians like pasta because they know it’s a filling meal that is easy to digest, a great option for the lunch break. The scientific reason behind this is in the high percentage of carbohydrates that pasta contains, a source of ready-to-use energy. Most Italians don’t believe in low-carb diets, since pasta and bread are so entrenched in their culture, although they do know that the excess of carbohydrates will show on the scale.

Now that we have the Atkins debate out of the way (probably the most controversial debate that we will ever have on this blog), let’s talk about the different ways to classify pasta (limiting to its more basic forms, and leaving some of its variations, such as gnocchi or ravioli, for another post).

Short or Long

Pasta can be short (‘corta’) or long (‘lunga’). Examples of short kinds of pasta are: maccheroni , rigatoni, penne, rotini, farfalle. Examples of long kinds of pasta are: spaghetti , tagliatelle , linguine .
Even though subtle, the shape, size, and thickness of pasta affect its texture on the palate, and the way it takes the sauce (hence the flavor). Because of this, tradition tends to dictate whether to choose short or long based on the preparation, in some cases even calls for a specific cut (e.g. in the case of penne all’arrabbiata  – not arabiatta!).

The shortest kinds of pasta are usually eaten in broth (‘pasta in brodo’), as opposed to in dry preparations (‘pasta asciutta’). ‘Mac and cheese’ is an exception where a very short pasta is used in a dry dish – this, however, is not a traditional Italian recipe.

Long pasta typically poses some “mechanical difficulties” to those that are not used to eating it. The proper way to eat long pasta doesn’t involve cutting it with a knife! Instead, it consists in rolling the strings around the fork (by rotating it in the hand), optionally using a spoon as support (although this is not common in Italy). Long pasta is known to splash the person eating it, especially if tomato or oily sauces are used. That’s the main reason why in Italy it is not unusual to see people in restaurants wearing napkins around their necks.

Fresh or Dried

Pasta can be fresh (‘fresca’) or dried (‘secca’). Fresh pasta (either industrially made or hand made) is preserved by keeping it in the fridge in air-tight wrapping (and only lasts a few days). Dried pasta is industrially treated to remove its moisture and can be stored for quite a long time even if the box has been opened.

Because of its different texture and flavor, fresh pasta is considered more highly than the dried one, and on certain dishes, it’s almost mandatory. However, quality dried pasta has different properties that work well for certain dishes, and in every day’s cooking, it’s far more popular than the fresh one. Every Italian has their own favorite brand of dried pasta, and they are very loyal to it (the most popular ones are Voiello, Barilla, De Cecco).
Both dried and fresh pasta may or may not contain eggs. Egg pasta has a different flavor and texture that works well for some delicate preparations. Common cuts of egg pasta are tagliatelle, pappardelle, garganelli.

Boiled or Baked

Pasta can either be boiled in abundant salty water, or baked in the oven. When boiled pasta is ready, it is quickly drained and served with a sauce (for best results, boiled pasta should be added to the sauce while still in the pan and allowed to rest in it for a minute). The boiling time is extremely important as you want the pasta to be “al dente” (for commercial pasta, most Italians simply follow the cooking time on the box). The expression “al dente” literally means “to the tooth”, indicating that the cooked pasta should be firm enough to require it to be chewed. The chewing process makes al dente pasta easier to digest than overcooked pasta. Pasta can also be boiled in broth and served in the same broth.

Baked pasta, on the other hand, is filled or layered with other ingredients, covered in sauce, and baked in the oven. If dried pasta is used, it gets sometimes lightly pre-boiled before going in the oven. Examples are: cannelloni  (not caneloni!), or the world-famous lasagna  (plural: lasagne ).

Durum or Regular Wheat

Italian dried pasta is made exclusively with durum wheat semolina. Fresh pasta can be made of regular wheat semolina or even all-purpose flour. Durum semolina is high in gluten, and the pasta made from it holds the cooking much better, i.e. doesn’t overcook as easily as regular wheat pasta. Even the best durum pasta, however, don’t reheat well at all – no Italian would eat leftover pasta the next day. Baked pasta instead can be reheated (sometimes, Italians even bake their lasagnas intentionally the night before and warm them up the next day for a more uniform and intense flavor).

As mentioned, every boiled pasta is served with some kind of sauce, and the sauce has to be in a sufficient quantity to coat the pasta, and just a little more. It’s a common Italian habit to eat the sauce remaining in the plate with some bread. This operation is called ‘fare la scarpetta’, which literally means: doing the little shoe – shaping a chunk of bread like a small shoe and wipe the plate clean!

Regardless of the type of sauce used, grated Parmigiano (or in some cases aged Pecorino) is added (just before serving) pretty much to every pasta dish. A common exception is for sauces containing fish.

It is interesting to note that probably 50% of pasta sauces are traditionally vegetarian – this contributes to making Italy a vegetarian-friendly country.

Every Italian region has its own exclusive pasta sauce recipes, and it would be impossible to mention them all here. However, there are a few families of sauces that are popular all around Italy. Here is a list of them where every sauce is paired with its most typical cut of pasta.

  • Based on just olive oil, e.g.:
    • spaghetti ‘aglio, olio e peperoncino’ (with garlic and chili pepper)
    • linguine with shell fish or other seafood (usually with some garlic and white wine)
  • Based on tomato, e.g.:
    • tomato basil rotini
    • penne all’arrabbiata (spicy, with garlic and parsley)
    • creamy tomato farfalle (with heavy cream)
  • Pesto (basil, oil, pine nuts, Parmigiano), e.g.:
  • Just butter, e.g.:
    • pappardelle (also, ravioli) butter and sage
  • Based on meat, e.g.:
    • spaghetti al ragù (Bolognese)
    • tagliatelle ‘al cinghiale’ (with wild boar)
  • Based on cream, e.g.:
    • pappardelle with mushrooms
    • fettuccine with salmon
    • farfalle with ham and peas
  • Based on eggs, e.g.:
  • Based on cheese, e.g.:

Finally, I can’t help but mention the most common mistakes found in North America. You are likely not going to have an authentic Italian pasta dish if:

  • You are getting served preparations that in Italy don’t exist. For instance:
    • Alfredo sauce. In Italy, there are several cheese and butter sauces, but nothing called Alfredo.
    • Spaghetti with meatballs. There is some evidence of such a dish in some areas of southern Italy, but this dish is virtually extinct in Italy.
  • Your pasta is terribly overcooked – Italian pasta has to be “al dente”.
  • There is too much sauce – pasta is a dry dish, not a stew!
  • There is too much pasta – 80-100 grams (around 3 ounces) is the average amount.
  • Pasta is served with a side of salad or garlic toast – it just doesn’t happen in Italy (however, bread would be on the table).

Also, if you are making pasta at home, using pre-made sauces from a jar is a big no-no. You can buy some OK pre-made Italian sauces, but they don’t compare with the freshly made ones and don’t have a big market in Italy.

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Preface

I was born in Italy and I have been living in Vancouver, Canada for the last 10 years. I love Vancouver and I love eating out in Vancouver, but I can’t help but notice the many distortions of Italian dishes on restaurants menus.

For some reason that I don’t understand, in Vancouver Italian food is almost as common to find as it is to find sushi. And it isn’t just because of the many (more or less authentic) Italian restaurants, west coast restaurants, and even chains often like to feature Italian dishes as part of their regular menus.

If on one hand, I’m flattered for all this attention, on the other hand, I’m seriously worried that the authentic Italian cuisine might get undermined by all these unsuccessful imitations; that people will either decide that they don’t like Italian food or -worse- that they like the imitation better than the real thing, and would turn the latter away. Frightening!

Even just on spelling and pronunciation, I understand that some Italian words will get Americanized (e.g. ‘Parmesan’ cheese), but I don’t understand why people can’t do an Italian spell check or even just a Google search before printing out their menus (it’s ‘focaccia’, not ‘foccacia’!) Maybe I’m hyper-sensitive to the issue because Italians don’t make many spelling mistakes (the Italian language is written pretty much exactly like it’s pronounced), but this makes Italian spelling mistakes stand out even more.

In this blog, I’m very pretentiously trying to fix the problem. I will say the proper ways to write the names of Italian dishes. And, from what I know, I will also try to say how the dish should look and taste… for sure I will say how the dish most definitely *shouldn’t* look or taste 🙂