"Life is a combination of magic and pasta."
-Federico Fellini
Italy is world renowned for it's cuisine. The stories of handmade pasta, savory cheeses, cured meats and delectable wines have reached every corner of the world. During our month of exploring this beautiful country, we tasted and indulged in all of the culinary delights northern Italy has to offer.
Italians have not only perfected the way they make food but how they eat it as well. We learned that there us a unique structure to the Italian of way of eating. While in the United States we usually have two or three course meals, when you sit down to eat in Italy you can expect at least a six course meal every time!
Aperitivo/Antipasto
The aperitivo and antipasto usually kick off the festivities. They usually consist of small dishes such as bruschetta or a selection of cured meats and cheeses. These meals will also sometimes contain a bubbly drink like a prosecco.
Primo
Primo is the first dish to contain hot food offered during the meal. These are usually pasta dishes, usually without meat. This section of the meal allows you to familiarize yourself with the variety of different pastas that Italians love such as lasagna, tagliatelle, ravioli etc...
Il Secondo
Il Secondo is the 'meat' section of the meal. This section will contain dishes featuring meat as the centerpiece. The cities and regions of Italy you visit will determine the kind of meat you see shine in Il secondo. For example, we ate whole fish in Venice, Ossobuco in Sienna, and horse steak in Modena.
Contorni
The Contorni portion of the meal is served alongside the Il Secondo as side dishes and usually contains vegetables.