Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Italian Cooking

I am not particularly picky when it comes to food. I just like to eat good. Tasting different foods from different countries is a pleasure for me. I like Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Spanish and many other cuisines. However, my favorite is Italian cooking. I don't speak Italian language but I sure like Italian food. There are even specialist cooking vacations available, where you can go some place nice and be taught how to cook by a cooking expert. I'd love to do an Italian cooking one and come home able to make the perfect spaghetti sauce. Every Italian family is supposed to have a secret recipe for the sauce and pass it on to the next generation or take it to their grave. I know that the frantic lifestyle of people, especially in cities, is having an effect on the cooking traditions of different countries. It turned out that the younger generation of French women, who have careers, don't have the same interest in cooking. I hope that this doesn't affect Italian cooking too badly, and they don't succumb to microwaved ready meals like the rest of us.

Italian restaurants are one of the best. They have very friendly waiters and quality service including domestic atmosphere. I like to experiment with Italian cooking myself, with varying degrees of success. I imagine that the everyday food of the Italians and the restaurant dishes we are all familiar with are somewhat different. I'd like to go to Florence one day. It's an old city in Tuscany. It would be awesome to be invited into the home of an ordinary people. I bet the meals would be incredible. I think Peasant cooking is the term. Please do not take that as an insult, it just means ordinary people cooking with fresh ingredients. It would be sin to use fancy sauces from a supermarket. Freshly baked bread with a slice of Gorgonzola cheese on the top and a good Italian wine can be the finest meal.

I have a small herb garden. It's not even a garden actually. It's just a small spot reserved for herbs that I use in my cooking. I like to grow the herbs that are used regularly in Italian cooking as in other international cooking too. Rosemary, oregano. marjoram and basil are used on daily basis. I like to make my own special dressings for various salads, like potato salad or chicken salad for example. I also love Italian bread. I try to buy it as much as possible. Many people assume that Italian food is only pizza and pasta. We can not deny these are popular but there is so much more to Italian cooking. Regional differences just add to the excitement. Maybe you didn't know this but Italians eat pasta as a starter and not as a main course. When you're making pasta or rice, don't overcook them. Rather go for al dente, there's nothing worse than soggy and overcooked pasta.

But I think a non-pasta appetizers are quite nice. The ingredients are salami or prosciutto and also seafood like mussels and prawns. Mix in with some melons and figs and it will be delicious. Italian cooking contains many soup recipes. Italian soups and stews are often thick and very nutritious. Just like chicken soup. I love Roman beef stew, it's made of bacon and beef that are cooked in red wine. You should try it if you'll have a chance! If you have any leftovers including pasta, you can use them again anytime.

As you see there is many interesting Italian cooking no just pasta and pizza! So try and make something special for your family, something they don't eat every day. Take your time and put some love in your cooking. Then sit down, relax and eat in peace and quiet. Try to make some homemade Italian cooking and I can tell you, you won't be sorry!

No comments:

Post a Comment