Destin-Nation Italy: Looking Beyond Pizza and Pasta
TEXT SIZE:
A A AItalian food is no mystery: Pizza and pasta are staples of everyday eating in many parts of the globe. But real Italian food varies greatly different from the ol' Sunday gravy Grandma used to make.
One caveat when traveling to Italy is that meal times there are strict, and are often far later than they are in the U.S. Lunch does not generally begin until 1 p.m., and dinner is not until 8 or 9. Restaurants also close between mealtimes.
"The one thing that Americans have a difficult time with is that the restaurants don't open till after 8," says Nicola Marzovilla, owner of the Apulian restaurant I Trulli in downtown Manhattan who offered gourmet guidance for this tour.
Attitudes towards food rules are no less stringent: nobody drinks cappuccino after about 1 p.m., never put cheese on seafood dishes, and nobody's food is as good as mama's.
Getting to Italy should be a piece of cake. There are dozens of nonstop flights to a broad range of cities, all for under $1000.
Buon Appetito!
Parma
These options won’t be difficult to find as most bear the name of their origin: Parma is famous for Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and prosciutto di parma, a very thinly sliced dry-cured ham. The best place to find the city’s delicacies? The restaurant La Greppia, whose female chef, Paola Cavazzini, only hires women, is renowned for its perfected use of both ingredients. Try one of the restaurant’s most innovative dishes — pears poached in red wine topped with parmesan mousse.
Parma is located in northern Italy's Emiglia-Romagna region, which is famous for hosting Cibus, the international food industry's largest trade fair. The festival includes famous dishes from all over Italy and occurs in May.
Getting there: Airport Giuseppe Verdi, only 3 and a half miles from the center of town, is Parma's miniature airport, but you can only fly in from nearby cities such as London, Paris, and Rome. You can also fly into Bologna for around $700 (Delta has good options) and take the Milan-Bologna railway to the Parma station, which is at the northern edge of the city center.
1 of 7 Photos
Add a Comment
I can't wait to visit Rome! I'm planning a trip there soon and have been learning Italian with an Eton Institute phrasebook which is great (I'm planning on taking it with me on my iPhone to communicate with the locals haha). The food!!!
July 17 2011 at 1:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI'd like to see an article on some of the sagre specialties of smaller villages like the Cinghale (with pappardelle) in Capalbio between Florence and Rome!
June 19 2011 at 4:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI LOVE ITALY,,,,,,,,,Vino Mangia E' AMORE ARRIVEDERRCI
June 19 2011 at 4:03 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyto be ignorant is not a defect...ciaooooo from italy
June 19 2011 at 3:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyEverything that comes out of the sea is edible except for parts of the puffer fish, head of the sea snake, and the leapard fish. I usually keep the exotic stuff a secret . Some of it is unbelievably tasty...Alfred-
June 19 2011 at 3:47 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyMy 16 year old daughter is going on a class trip to Milan, Venice, Florence, the French Riviera and Paris. I want her to experience it to it's culinary fullest along with the educational aspects. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to go, any websites we could visit or any where to get brochures of these places so she can be well prepared before she gets there?
June 19 2011 at 3:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAh ChooChoo, I will advise you to go... it is wonderful to experience italy- both in the cities and the countryside. As far as veggies- there are marvelous outdoor markets with tons of fresh vegetables and even fresh seafood.. I found everything so much more delicious than our produce, as it is grown in healthier ground and less toxic than what we get in the states. I was also able to drive a tiny Fiat all over without difficulty- except in Florence where it took me nearly an hour to find my way out of the city- the GPS kept sending me down streets that were blocked with flower pots... otherwise it was fun to see the country in a more leisurely manner.
June 19 2011 at 3:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyItaly is not now or ever has been known for just great food, it has other things of interest also, the countryside, the close knit family units, the invention of plumbinb, roads etc, arts, clothing dsign etc.
June 19 2011 at 3:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replysome of the absolutely best food we had was on the Adriatic Coast- experiencing a variety of fresh seafood prepared in diverse ways. With four in our group we each ordered something different, then shared around so we were able to taste test a much larger variety.
June 19 2011 at 3:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySadly, most Americans only think of pasta and pizza when they think of Italian cuisine. It is far more sophisticated. If they only order pasta, they are missing most of the meal - and appear ignorant by Italian standards. Pasta is only the second course. Meals, especially in a restaurant, also last quite a while, and there are wines and liquors to accompany each course.
June 19 2011 at 3:20 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI think that's true of any country's cuisine. However, most Americans are most aware of Italian Proscuitto, cheese, anchovies, olives, olive oil, and sooooo many meat dishes as another course in the meal. Viva, Italia!
June 19 2011 at 4:04 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHot 5 Deals
Find the best offers to compare and save money.
Search for Deals
Categories
- Adventure Travel
- Air Travel
- Arts & Culture
- Beach
- Best Of
- Budget
- Celebrity
- Cruise
- Disney
- EcoTravel
- Family
- Food + Drink
- Historic Sites
- Holiday Travel
- Hotel
- Luxury
- News
- Nightlife
- Real Life Stories
- Road Trips
- Romantic
- Seasonal
- Spring Break
- Ski Vacations
- Spa & Wellness
- Tips & Tricks
- Weekend Getaways
- Weird
47 Comments