Learning ABout Italian Culture, Food Through Italian Food Blogs

Italian food blogs are the perfect source of inspiration for those who want to learn how to cook Italian food and know more about Italian cuisine. These blogs cover a wide range of topics concerning Italian food recipes, restaurants, food markets, food trends, up and coming chefs and several other food-related topics. It is also actually a great source of information on all things concerning Italian culture food. For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn to French and Italian cuisines but the latter wins by just a small margin simply because the cooking methods involved are quite simple and relatable. Not that I’m a lazy cook but I’m pretty simple with my everyday food choices and if there’s one thing that Italian cuisine is known for, it is its simplicity.

So being a fan of Italian dishes, it is no wonder I gravitate towards Italian food blogs. I find it very helpful, informative and entertaining. It is also fun to be able to take a peek into the lives of some of the bloggers and be able to connect with fellow Italian food enthusiasts from all over the world. These blogs allow me to vicariously experience Italian culture food without flying all the way to Italy. And that’s not a bad deal for people like me who really can’t afford to travel to Italy right now. Of course, I keep telling myself that someday, I will have the heart and means to cough up x amount of money for a lovely Italian vacation but the last time I checked, I still have a long, long way to go before I can make it happen.  At least, I already have an idea on what to generally expect if and when the time comes for me to visit the country.

Helpful Tips

Thanks to the trusty Italian food blogs I read, I have come to know a few things about Italian culture food I’m sure many will find helpful:

1. I have come to learn that Italians are sticklers for fresh, simple and healthy dishes.
2. A lot of them still balk at the idea of eating out of season foods.
3. Lunches are the highlights of their days. They really take the time to gather around the dining table to catch up with one another and savor their foods. Their lunches last for hours.
4. Italians find it acceptable to drink take out coffee. To them, coffees should always be drunk while properly seated in a cafe.
5. Eating at any Italian establishment will show you just how much they leisurely enjoy their meals. Patrons are never made to feel like they need to hurry up and finish their meals even if there are other patrons waiting to be seated in the dining establishment. It is just not part of their culture to just simply eat, pay, and leave.
6. It is unheard of for the locals to drink anything other than water and wine when taking their lunches and dinners.
7. Cappuccino is only taken during breakfast and afternoon breaks.
8. Touching fresh produce when shopping for food is not allowed. They are particular about food hygiene so you either let the shopkeeper do the work for you by pointing out the produce you want to buy or make use of the disposable plastic gloves on hand in groceries in gathering the produce.
9. Their pasta dishes are mostly misrepresented in other parts of the globe because Italians don’t really go for creamy and cheesy sauces.
10. Depending on the region they are, Italians only use olive oil or butter for cooking.
11. Pizzas come in one size - 10 inches. Each serving is good for one person only. While we are on the subject of pizzas, contrary to popular belief, not all dining establishments serve pizzas. There are certain places such as pizzerias that serve pizza.
12. Bars in Italy are open as early as noon.

I came to know all of these pieces of information by avidly reading Italian food blogs. It is really not surprising why blogs of all kinds are extremely popular these days. Apart from the useful and pieces of information we can get from blogs, it also feeds our voyeuristic nature. It allows us to see snippets of a blogger’s life. And because of this unique combination of chronicling mundane stuff, voicing opinions and giving out information in an informal way, many fashion/food/music/art superstars are born because of blogging. Endorsements, Joint Ventures, and collaborations of all kinds from various industries are just some of the amazing perks you can get from blogging. Money is also another draw. But really, blogging should come from the heart. Being an active netizen, I have come across way too many blogs that lack magic and feel and look pretentious. The blogs I keep coming back to are the ones that know how to keep things nice and easy. I read blogs during my downtime so I mostly want to read about posts that entertain and inform. I want substance but I don’t want any of the heavy angst-y stuff unless I’m in the mood for it. Reading blogs have become some sort of therapy for me, a form of escape.

Talking About Italian Culture, Food

Just a few days ago, I was relaxing in a coffee shop with some friends and I couldn’t help but share my thoughts on how the world wide web has spun its web (no pun intended!) to bring people around the world closer to and more familiar with each other.  A perfect example of this would be the blogs I read. From my favorite Italian food blogs, I have discovered many things about Italian food I wouldn’t have known if I weren’t living in Italy. My favorite fashion blogs do the same for me. They keep me up to date with the latest trends and happenings in the fashion industry. When I read blogs, I feel as if I’m in the thick of things when in reality, I’m miles away from the action. These musings lead me to wonder how we were able to get by with our lives pre-blogging era. I know it rings true for a lot of people who can never let a day pass without going online.

These days, whenever I want to try a new Italian dish, I consult the many Italian food blogs on the web. I have to say I was not surprised at all with the presence of thousands of blogs dedicated to Italian food and culture. That is how popular Italian cuisine is. Case in point: Every country has come to adopt certain Italian foods like pizzas and pastas as their own. So whenever I have a hankering for Italian dishes done the authentic way, I know exactly where to go to get recipes and tips. I just make sure to stock my pantry with a few staples in Italian cooking like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, butter, cooking wine and a few packs of top of the line ready-made pastas (for when I don’t have time to spare to make fresh pasta) so I can whip up Italian food in a jiffy.

For the love of good food

Apart from the amazing dishes Italians are known for, I also admire how they seem to grasp the importance of properly savoring meals and how they choose to spend quality time with their families and friends by way of sumptuous lunches and dinners. I can just imagine how fun it must be to spend a meal with an Italian family. I like it how they observe and practice Italian culture food while still keeping things fun. Meals are accompanied by animated conversations and are known to last for hours on end. Sundays are big for Italians and they almost always spend it with their immediate families, relatives, and friends. These famous Sunday lunches are known to last for hours and may very well be extended until dinner time. In my head, I imagine that a typical Sunday lunch involves women gathering in the kitchen to cook, gossip, and fuss about the food while the men are seated in the dining table having wine and cigars talking about guy stuff and the children running to and fro while occasionally sneaking into the kitchen to take small bites of food.  An image like that certainly has the power to warm the heart and whet the appetite.

The good thing is I don’t have to travel all the way to Italy to recreate that image. I can be an Italian for a day and host a Sunday lunch gathering with friends and family. I have got an arsenal of food recipes at my disposal so I can easily prepare an Italian feast. And with my loved ones gathered around on the table, I just know that the conversation will flow naturally and it may also very well extend until dinner time. I should get around to doing this soon. That way, we can all get a little slice of Italian culture food.