When it comes to Italian food, you have to understand that it was not only the Italians who decided the taste or appearance of the food. There are many other influences that have shaped the Italian food we know today, and if you look closely enough, you can see the handwork and traces of some of the other countries in the cultures of Italy. Because the Greeks are close, easy-going neighbors, they’ve had a hand in Italian food culture, and while they haven’t always gotten along throughout history, Italians and Greeks have shared and improved many recipes. The same can also be of help to the Persians as the Arabs moved into the regions within Italy and also left their mark.
Seafood is a new development
While Italians have a plethora of shorelines, Italian food culture didn’t really include seafood as a first choice in the early days. It was the Greeks who proved to the Italians that shellfish abound and that truly wonderful dishes can be prepared with shellfish and finfish. There is a huge Italian fishing industry these days and this is most evident in the number of people you will find at the local fish markets on Saturday mornings. The Greeks introduced the Italians to fish recipes with white sauces and fine pastas, and the country of Italy embraced and practically adopted this food as its own dish. Today, you can find many excellent Italian restaurants that use seafood as their food of choice, and sales on seafood dishes are through the roof.
The grain that changed a culture
If I were to look at what has changed the culture of Italy the most in terms of Italian food, it would have to be the introduction of rice by the Arabs. When the Arabs moved to Italy, they brought with them a grain now known as rice. This was brought to Italy via Spain and Greece and actually worked quite well in Italy when it was established. The land in Italy was well equipped for growing rice, since it required low, level land close to the main sources of water. Over the years, the Italians used rice to forge some of the most famous recipes available today. And if you dine in an Italian restaurant, you’ll notice that many dishes are served with rice as the main course or with rice as a side.
The vast scope of the kitchen is undeniable
When it comes down to it, there’s no denying the wide scope of good Italian food. Italian restaurants can be found in almost every major city in the world today, and this says a lot about the quality and appreciation of food that Italians enjoy on a daily basis. It will be hard to find a dish on the Italian menu that doesn’t surprise you and make you curious to try it.
Isabella writes and provides Italian and general food-related articles for the Good British Food website at italianstreetkitchen
