Food

Italians find mealtime very important in everyday life. Most Italians see mealtime as a time to spend with family. Some stores and schools close during lunch so that people and children can go home and spend time with family for lunch.

For the most part, meat does not play a regular part of many Italian diets with vegetables, grains and legumes taking center stage in most homes. Basically, Italian cuisine is a combination of vegetables, grains, fruits, fish, cheeses and a scattering of meats, fowl and game usually seasoned or cooked with olive oil (with the exception of the far north). The reliance upon what the country can produce has shaped a diet popular for centuries, particularly with the poorer Italian people, and is called la cucina povera. Now we are seeing a resurgence of this "poor people's food" and the Mediterranean diet is being touted as the model around which we should restructure our eating habits.

Italy has been well known for its pasta, pasta is an italian word for dough and is used in many different dishes with many different varieties. Italians are also known for their pizza, gelato (ice cream), frutta (fruit), and formaggio (cheese). Cappuccino is also important in an Italian's diet, Lots of milk in coffee is definitely a morning ritual for Italians. In an Italian meal, do not rush through your courses because like Italians you should learn to slowly savor your meal with wine and conversation. Italians like the pleasure of serving people and find it insulting when you eat fast, it is considered and insult to the chef and staff.

If you do decide to dine Italian style, don't rush through your courses: learn the art of slowly savoring your meal over a bottle or two of wine and good conversation. Italians take great pleasure in serving people the food they lovingly prepare, especially foreigners who are learning about their country. If you charge through a meal as if you have a plane to catch you are insulting the restaurant chef and staff and are considered gauche. Italians also each much later than Americans, the earliest for dinner is 7:00pm. Another very popular dish is lasagna.