Food Cultures of Italy

There's far more to Italian food than pasta and pizza. Discover the history and culture of Italy through its rich culinary traditions.

Part of the Global Kitchen series, this book takes readers on a food tour of Italy, covering everything from daily staples to holiday specialties. In addition to discovering Italy's long culinary history, readers will learn about recent trends, foreign influences, and contemporary food and dietary concerns. Chapters are organized thematically, making it easy to focus in on particular courses or types of dishes. These include influential ingredients, appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and street food, among others. The main text is supplemented by sidebars that offer interesting bite-sized facts, a chronology of important dates in Italian culinary history, and a glossary of key food- and dining-related terms.

Italian cuisine boasts a rich history, evolving from ancient Roman fare and influenced by ingredients from other European cultures and the New World. While outsiders may think of Italian food as a monolith, there is actually great regional diversity. Characterized by its simplicity, Italian food emphasizes fresh, high-quality, seasonal ingredients, often with just a few key components in each dish. The Mediterranean diet forms the base, featuring pasta, fish, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and wine, with olive oil as a constant staple. Foodways in Italy extend beyond mere sustenance, deeply intertwined with family, tradition, and social experiences.