Italy the Land of Love

It’s the labor of love – all the effort put into making delicious meals – and the people of Italy that make it such a wonderful country.

Gathered at the dinner table with Grappa

Oh, yeah, I can’t forget the awesome architecture such as this castle in Napoli. 

No matter what region of Italy I was in there were outdoor marketplaces with fresh organic foods. The uncompromised fresh foods in the hands of talented chefs and cooks took my culinary experiences to new levels.

At the time I went to Italy I knew I couldn’t eat onion without getting sick. So I did what I always do here at home. I asked if there were onions in the dishes. I constantly received a confused almost insulted look and a definite answer of “no” said in a tone that implied that I was crazy.

I realized the majority of the foods I was eating were made from freshly picked and prepared foods thus the flavors popped. The simplicity of the recipes allowed the flavors of the fresh ingredients to shine. 

Giullio picks fresh ingredients

The food is delicious throughout Italy. I noticed there tended to be more seafood dishes at restaurants in Southern Italy and more pasta dishes in Northern Italy. Italy is still the home of many of my favorite edibles:

Gelato at the Trevi Fountain

Espresso at the Milan train station

Pizza Margherita at a small restaurant - 30 minutes bus ride East of Rome

Risotto made by Giullio

Tiramisu made by Mari (she’s in the family photo)

Tortellini in Northern Italy

If you haven’t visited yet, I encourage you to experience the culinary delights Italy has to offer. I’m looking forward to my next trip because I’m sure there is so much more for me to discover.