Italian Cuisine

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The Italian Kitchen
Teresa Regalado
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History Early Italian Culinary Culture

• Cross cultural influence came from the great
  kingdoms of the Etruscans, Greeks, and Saracens
  from the Arab empire.

Major contribution of the Etruscans to Italian
cuisine was a porridge   pulmentum
Arabs predecessor to the modern lasagna lagana,
The Greeks popularized the kind of fish chowder 
brodetto
3
Saracen influence?

• The Saracen influence on Italian cuisine was
  brought from raids in the eighth century and
  again during the Crusades beginning in the
  eleventh century, when Crusaders brought back new
  products from the lands

18th Century Contributions

• Puff pastry millefoglie (used in sweet and
  savory dishes)
• Rice
• Buckwheat
• Tarragon
• Fruits such as lemon, pomegranate , oranges,
• Number of spices
• New techniques in food preservation

Italian ice-cream, also known as Gelato, made
from  milk, cream, various sugars, and flavoring
such as fresh fruit and nut purees
grappa, a high-alcohol-content spirit distilled
from grapes, though it has its origins in Saracen
4
Flowering of Independent Italian Culture

• Finally, after Italian unification in the middle
  of the nineteenth century, individual
  compartments of the Italian peninsula made
  distinct, individual contributions to culture
• Influential cookbooks such as Pellegrino
  Artusis La Scienza in cucina e larte di mangier
  bene (The Science of Cooking and the Art of
  Eating Well) which collected typical Italian
  household dishes. 

5
Mediterranean Diet?

• Obesity very rare rate 8.5  compared to
  American 30.6.
• Studies show Mediterranean diet has many
  benefits lowered risk of heart disease and
  cancer, to living a longer life.

• Italian enjoy a diet that is rich in
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans
• Poultry
• Olive oil
• Tomatoes
• Whole grains
• Dairy
• Red-whine
• they eat very little red meat

6
Meals of the Day?

• Breakfast Relatively small breakfast consisting
  of small breakfast of coffee with milk (rather
  than cream or half and half) along with cereal or
  a cornetto,( croissant).

• Lunch typically consists of a "first
  plate" and "second plate,"
  
  such as a sandwich and
  salad, or a small plate of pasta followed
  by a small piece of fish or chicken and
  vegetables.

• Snack Midday snack usually consists of yogurt
  or fruit, not cake, cookies, or candy

• Dinner Larger meal, but is not served too late
  (to allow time for proper digestion). It's
  usually pasta with a tomato or vegetable sauce a
  small portion of fish or meat vegetables and
  fruit for dessert. Mineral water is the preferred
  beverage, along with a glass of red wine. All
  portions tend to be small when compared to our
  own supersized quantities.

7
Table Manners?

• Wait to sit down at the table until the hostess
  has been seated.
• Follow the hostess' lead to determine when to
  eat. Either the hostess will instruct the guests
  to begin or she will just begin to eat herself.
• knife should be held in the right hand and the
  fork in the left at all times
• NO ELBOWS ON TABLE!
• Keep your hands above the table during a meal
• Use your fork and knife to eat all foods,
  including fruit and cheese
• Place your fork and knife together diagonally
  across your plate to indicate that you are
  finished and your plate can be removed
• Wait until the hostess leaves the table at the
  end of a meal to leave the table yourself

8
Methods of Preparation

• Sautéing a combination of carrots, celery and
  onions is the ideal start for many popular
  Italian dishes,
• Pot roasting and braising make up the primary way
  that Italian meats are prepared
• Microwaves are not popular because the food
  doesn't taste as good as when it is cooked with
  small gas or electric hobs. 
• Crudo technique by which a combination of
  finely minced raw vegtables are mixed
• Simmering vegetables from raw to cooked in a
  generous amount of olive oil and oregano
• Al dente  term used in cooking pasta and
  vegetables indicates that the pasta or veggies
  are soft and ready

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Top 10 Famous Dishes Quiz
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Bibliography

• CAHILL, M. (2011, October 22). Top 10 Italian
  dishes - dailypress.com. Hampton Roads news,
  information, weather, hurricane coverage, sports,
  entertainment, restaurants, real estate, jobs,
  business, classifieds - dailypress.com. Retrieved
  January 18, 2013, from http//www.dailypress.com/n
  ews/dp-toptenlist.o22,0,3664086.story
• Italian Food History and Culture. (n.d.).Random
  History and Word Origins for the Curious Mind.
  Retrieved January 18, 2013, from
  http//www.randomhistory.com/italianfoodh
  
• Italian Diet Secrets. (2012, November 12). WebMD
  - Better information. Better health.. Retrieved
  January 18, 2013, from http//www.webmd.com/diet/f
  eatures/italian-diet-secrets
• How to Follow Italian Table Manners eHow.com.
  (n.d.). eHow How to Videos, Articles More -
  Discover the expert in you. eHow.com. Retrieved
  January 18, 2013, from http//www.ehow.com/how_222
  8059_follow-italian-table-manners.html