La Cucina Italiana – Part 2

Buon giorno, una bella giornata.

Continuing from where I left off in my last post, on an introduction to Italian Cuisine, I had stopped after mentioning the elaborate food of the Renaissance period.

The poor, of course, continued to subsist on the simple foods they had always eaten, but the wealthier middle classes developed a taste for fine foods and created their own bourgeois dishes. The finer features of Italian cooking even reached the French, when Catherine de’ Medici went to Paris to marry the future Henri II, taking fifty of her own cooks with her. They introduced new ingredients and cooking techniques to France and in return learnt the art of French cuisine. In those regions of Italy which border France, you can still find reciprocal influences of French classical cooking, but generally speaking, Italians do not like elaborately sauced dishes, preferring to let the natural flavours of their raw ingredients speak for themselves.

The essence of Italian cooking today is simplicity. The Italian way of cooking fish is a good example of this. In coastal areas, freshly caught fish is most often simply chargrilled over hot coals, then served with nothing more than a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a wedge of lemon and freshly ground black pepper. Recipes like carpaccio di tonno, in which the fish is so delicious raw that cooking seems unnecessary, and branzino al forno, where the delicate flavour of fennel is used to compliment rather than obscure the fresh taste of the fish, are typically simple, as is grigliata di calamari, squid chargrilled with chillies to reflect its robust character.

Italians learn to appreciate good food when they are young children, and eating is one of the major pleasures of the day, no matter what the day of the week or time of the year. Witness an Italian family gathered around the Sunday lunch table in a local restaurant, and consider how the Italian menu of antipasto followed by pasta, rice of gnocchi, then fish, meat and vegetables served in sequence is devised so that each can be savoured separately – both the food and the occasion are to be enjoyed as long as possible. The first course, or antipasto, is a unique feature. In restaurants, this can be a vast array of different dishes, both hot and cold, from which diners can choose as few or as many as they wish. At home with the family, it is more likely to be a slice or two of salami or prosciutto crudo with fresh figs or melon if these are in season. But no matter how humble or grand the setting or the occasion, the antipasto is always visually tempting. Dishes like bruschetta casalinga and pepperoni arrostiti con pesto, which look so attractive, are typical in this way.

The variety and diversity of the Italian ingredients available in our supermarkets and delicatessens will surely inspire you to concoct any number of delicious meals, from a simple dish of pasta to a full-blown four-course dinner. A plate of antipasto followed by pasta or risotto flavoured with seasonal ingredients, then simply-cooked meat or fish and finally a local cheese and fruit make a veritable feast. You could prepare a different meal along these lines every day of the year and almost never repeat the same combination. If, and when, you visit Italy, avail yourself of the wonderful local ingredients to prepare a menu full of the flavours of the region. Every area has its own special delights that make cooking and eating a real pleasure.

But in the meantime, use the wonderful local ingredients we have here in South Africa, follow the guidelines above, and you are on your way to living the “sweet life”.

Buon Appetito

Cheers… and salute

Love Italy, love life.

La Cucina Italiana – Part 1

Buon giorno, una bella giornata.

As mentioned in an early post on why Italian lifestyle is good for us, I made the first point of how we can duplicate this dolce vita, but looking at the Italian food. I wrote: To the Italians, food is life and as such, they honour it using the freshest ingredients.  All the senses are evoked during purchasing, growing, preparing or eating food.  Every meal is to be enjoyed to the fullest.

There’s an old Italian proverb:

“A tavola non s'invecchi mai”.  It means you never grow old at the table.

So, to continue with this important topic, which as I am sure you will understand, will be a major part of this blog, I have written an introduction to the Italian cuisine, and this is Part 1.

Italian cookery reflects the fact that the country was unified only in 1861. Until then, each region produced its own characteristic cuisine, relying exclusively on ingredients that could be gathered, cultivated or reared locally. Nowadays, of course, regional produce can be easily transported all over the country – all over the world, but Italians still prefer to base their cooking on local ingredients, because they regard quality and freshness as more important than diversity and innovation. (Can we say the same of ourselves?)

So the most flavoursome sun-ripened tomatoes, aubergines and peppers are still found in the south of the country, the freshest seafood is on offer along the coast, the finest hams come from the area where the pigs are raised, and so on. “La cucina italiana” remains distinctly regional; northern Italian cooking, for example, incorporates ingredients that are simply never found in the recipes of Sicily and Naples to the south, and vice-versa. In the dairy-farming north, butter is used in place of the olive oil so prevalent in the south; bread and polenta are eaten instead of pasta. The only unifying feature is the insistence on high quality ingredients.

Good food has always been essential to the Italian way of life. (I will do further posts in the not too distant future on the various regional cuisines.)

“La cucina italiana” is one of the oldest cooking cultures in the world, dating back to the ancient Greeks and perhaps even earlier. The Romans adored food and often ate and drank to excess; it was they who really laid the foundations of Italian and European cuisine. The early Romans were peasant farmers who ate only the simple, rustic foods they could produce, like grain, cheeses and olives. For them, meat was an unheard-of-luxury; animals were bred to work in the fields, and to provide milk, wool etc. and were too precious to eat. Trading links with other parts of the world, however, encouraged Roman farmers to cultivate new vegetables and fruits and, of course, vines, while their trade in salt and exotic spices enabled them to preserve and pickle all kinds of meat, game and fish.

Food became a near-obsession and ever more elaborate dishes were devised to be served at the decadent and orgiastic banquets for which the Romans were famed. The decline and fall of the Roman Empire led inevitably to a deterioration in the quality of cooking and a return to simple, basic foods. For centuries, regional cuisine reverted to its original uncomplicated style. With the Renaissance, however, came great wealth and a new interest in elaborate food. Once again, rich families strove to outdo each other with lavish banquets where courses of rich, extravagant foods were served – truffles, song-birds, game, desserts dripping with honey and spices – all washed down with quantities of wine.

To be continued in the next posting.

Buon Appetito

Cheers… and salute

Love Italy, love life.

Who is wealthy?

Buon giorno, una bella giornata – Good morning, a beautiful day.

“Who is wealthy? One who is happy with what they have.”

Here in South Africa and many Westernized first-world countries, people often think that wealth and happiness go hand in hand. Yes wealth will surely give you a feeling of accomplishment and the means to provide well for your family, but if you read the headlines, some of the wealthiest people in the world, have the most problems. Money is not evil, and the people that usually say it is are the one’s that don’t have enough of it. How we treat, respect, and what we do with our money is what is key. In your home, do you look at your possessions as a measure of success – or do you look at your surrounding friends, family, and children with pride and see your true accomplishments?

In Italy, the most important thing is family and friends. Enjoying life and embracing it, instead of just watching if zip by in front of your eyes. In Italy for instance, lunch is a 1 to 2 hour affair with traditionally a two to three course meal, most businesses halt for two hours during the day. Stores shut down, banks close, and the streets are empty. At around 2 o’clock people start to emerge from their houses and populate the streets again until around 7:30pm when it is time for dinner. After dinner, the streets come to life again as Italians stroll around the piazza to work off their meal or head off for their evening engagements.

Yes, this does not seem realistic for us here in South Africa, we will always have the quick power lunch or even be working right through lunch. But we need to slow down a bit. We need to adapt a bit of the mindset from the Italians, for our total wellness of health and happiness.

South Africa’s Number 1 health problem is the overlooked epidemic of stress, and with the hectic lives most of us have here and struggles with the economy, there is not a whole lot we can do about it. But we need to work on small things to reduce our stress. The medical fields are discovering more that stress alone and worrying causes many serious health challenges. Wealth is much more than just money. But for most of us here in South Africa, the money part of wealth will continue to be of upmost importance… and the number one cause of stress.

Studies have shown people in Italy have greater longevity, are less stressed, and show lower levels of heart disease, obesity, and mental disturbance.

So what is the Italian lifestyle in Italy?

· Well, for starters, money is far from everything.

· It’s embracing what you have, being happy with it, and proud of it.

· Counting your blessings.

· Taking the time to enjoy good food, good wine, and good company.

· Eating fresh healthy foods from a Mediterranean diet.

· Living life with passion, serenity and enjoyment.

· And, considering your true wealth to be what you already have and are able to share with family and friends.

So do as the Italians do. Make a conscious effort to slow down a bit, and savour every moment in life.  Spend less time wanting and more time giving. Enjoy time spent among those you love over a nice Chianti, cannoli, espresso, or biscotti and Vin Santo. Put a bit of an ease on your hectic life of living in South Africa, and start living la dolce vita now. 

Life is not perfect in South Africa – life is not perfect in Italy, but incorporating some of the Italian lifestyle into your life, may just give you a wealth of health and happiness… and that my friends is fine, sweet living – la dolce vita.

Cheers… and salute

Love Italy, love life.

Tuscan treat offers laid-back lifestyle

It is quite amazing how the Tuscan lifestyle (dolce vita) affects people from around the world. The link below will take you to the English pages of a Chinese newspaper and their article on Tuscany – so even people in Asia, area reading and dreaming of the “sweet life”.

Tuscan treat offers laid-back lifestyle

Why is the Italian lifestyle so good for you?

Why is the Italian lifestyle so good for you and how can you duplicate it?

How are some suggestions that I would like you to consider, and if they ring a bell with you, you are on your way to living the "sweet life".

1. Fresh, healthy food 

To the Italians, food is life and as such, they honour it using the freshest ingredients.  All the senses are evoked during purchasing, growing, preparing or eating food.  Every meal is to be enjoyed to the fullest.  There’s an old Italian proverb:  “A tavola non s'invecchi mai”.  It means you never grow old at the table.

2. Passion for life

Whether it’s cooking, painting or working, the Italian approach is to be present and attentive throughout the entire process.  Here again, using all of the senses in order to squeeze out every bit of pleasure.  And nothing is ever rushed.  As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day! 

3. Life-long curiosity

Italians’ innate curiosity keeps life fresh.  They continue to seek answers and learn new things.  This trait is evident in all the discoveries and inventions from Italians such as Columbus, Marconi, Da Vinci and Zamboni to name a few.

4. Family ties and traditions

The social connection of family, friends and traditions gives meaning to life in a celebratory way.  It gives Italians a reason to stop work and pay attention to people, play and have fun.  Sharing their life with others equates to love.

5. Resilience and strength

Italy’s history of natural disasters, war, invasion, political corruption and Vatican influence serves as a poignant reminder to live life to the fullest and to move on after setbacks.  It’s all considered part of the cycle of life.

6. Simplicity

Italians place more value on the simple things in life (family, community, enjoying a Tuscan sunset) rather than the material things most westerners covet.  There are plenty of happy farmers in Italy who want no more than to share a meal with others in their community.

You can re-create a bit of the Italian lifestyle right here in South Africa by adopting some of the characteristics from list above.  Make a conscious effort to slow down whether that’s eating or driving.  Savour every moment in life and notice it with all your senses.  Spend less time wanting and more time giving.  Reach out to your community and get to know people.  And of course, start this week by cooking at least one healthy meal from scratch every week for your family and/or friends.  And then take the time to enjoy it with a nice bottle of Chianti!

Cheers… and salute

Love Italy, love life.