Category: Italian food history

Eating in Italy, Italian food history

I scream, you scream, but gelato is a different thing

Gelato as we know it today has been around for about 500 years. Literally the past participle of the verb gelare [to chill, to freeze], gelato means chilled or frozen as an adjective, but has no exact English translation as a noun. Most dictionaries will translate the noun gelato as ice cream, but that’s like translating pizza as flatbread – close but no cigar. Recipe-wise, … Continue reading I scream, you scream, but gelato is a different thing

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Eating in Italy, Italian food history

Burrata in the making

La burrata is a type of formaggio fresco [fresh cheese] originally created in Andria, Puglia. Lately it seems like burrata has become the “it” cheese among trendy American restaurants – Italian and even non-Italian eateries feature burrata on their menus, as an appetizer, pizza or pasta topping. Essentially a pouch of stretched curd that encloses a filling of mozzarella shreds and panna [cream], la burrata is best eaten with … Continue reading Burrata in the making

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Eating in Italy, Italian food history

La farinata at Sa Pésta

Once a powerful maritime republic, Genova [Genoa in English] today is a port of call for cruise ships; a hub for ferries to Sardegna, Sicilia, and other Mediterranean islands; and usually a quick stopover for travelers on their way to Cinque Terre. But don’t let its unassuming nature fool you: from pesto to focaccia, farinata to fresh frutti di mare [seafood], Genova is a must-eat for Italian foodophiles. The City of Genova maintains a … Continue reading La farinata at Sa Pésta

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Italian food history

Ancient wine

Grapes have been around a lot longer than humans, or at least the human species as we know it today. The earliest fossil traces of grape plants date back somewhere around 60 million years, and have been found in several areas of Eurasia. The fossil record for domesticated grapes is a little younger: what appear to be traces of grape cultivation dating back 6000-8000 years have been unearthed in present-day Georgia and Jordan, … Continue reading Ancient wine

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