In the United States, with its rich Italian-American culture, it can be difficult to distinguish between Italian-style meals, Italian-style food products, and Italian-American traditions that you might see on television and movies, and real Italian gourmet foods that are used in real Italian meal traditions.
The origins of Italian gourmet flavors, foods, and traditions are rooted in simplicity and natural availability. Italian cooks have always used the plants that grew where they lived and the animal products from the animals that thrived where they lived. Food has been - and still is - made by hand from local ingredients that are in season. Nowadays in the land of pre-processed foods that are available year-round, that can be considered "gourmet". In fact, it is just the real Italian way.
If there is a person in your life that is a fan of Italy and pines for a taste of traditional Italian flavors in an Italian meal, there are ways to impress even if you have never set foot in Italy yourself.
The first consideration to please your fan of Italian cuisine is to determine what part of Italy they like best. Italy is made up of several regions, each with its own agriculture and traditions, that have only been unified as a country since the 1800s. Each region - such as Tuscany (the region that includes Florence and Siena), Lombardy (the region that includes Milan), Lazio (the region that includes Rome), or the Veneto (the region that includes Venice) - has its own food traditions based on the plants and animals that have been nurtured there in the past.
In the north, corn and rice are more plentiful than wheat. Therefore, they are more likely to use polenta or Arborio rice (risotto) than pasta in their meals. Beef is more plentiful in the regions in the center of Italy, such as Tuscany and Umbria. Garlic is used more in the foods from the regions of central and southern Italy (such as Rome and Naples) than in the north. Seafood is used primarily in the cuisines of seaside (and lakeside) towns, such as Venice, Como, Rimini, Cinque Terre, Sorrento, and Rome.
Learning which food types are typical of the city that your Italy fan loves, is a big step toward making a memorable Italian meal experience.
If your Italy fan is far away, or if she or he has more fun making their own Italian meals, an Italian gift basket is a very thoughtful gift. A basket that is carefully chosen to include authentic products made in Italy, or a gift of an aged balsamic vinegar or cheese imported from the region of their favorite Italian city would be cherished and well-used.
A little bit of research to find out the part of Italy that your loved one is missing is the ticket to re-creating the magic that they crave. Bravo and brava to all of you who wish to create the authentic Italian experience for the Italy fans in your life.
Jennifer Johnson is the creator of the Thinking Italy group of websites as well as the Italian Gourmet, Italian Meals, Italian Gift Baskets website. She is a lover of Italian food and culture, and loves to collect practical Italy travel advice to share with other Italophiles.
Italian Gourmet Italian Meals [http://www.ItalianGourmetItalianMealsItalianGiftBaskets.com/]
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