Authentic Italian Restaurants - How To Tell

More Information About How to Distinguish Authentic Italian Restaurants

Just like any distinct culture that is gaining ground in new soil, there will always be deviations from what is traditional to suit the dominant and prevailing culture. Nothing foreign introduced in America will stay foreign for long. Eventually, they will be Americanized”and that does not only say of immigrants but of cuisines as well.

The Italian cuisine in America has undergone a lot of changes because of popular culture. Because of the want to make Americans embrace the Mediterranean diet, a few but major alterations were unintentionally made to make Italian dishes friendlier to the American palette. A very fine example of this is the pizza. Italian pizzas are supposed to have really thin crusts and the toppings are quite different from what we are used to seeing at our favorite pizza joints. But what we see is really popular now are pizzas that have very thick crusts that are overloaded with toppings, a far cry from the Italian pizzas that were topped only with basil, mozzarella and tomato. So, it's very possible that you may be eating in a restaurant that says it's Italian but really isn't. With the large number of Italian restaurants opening, you may want to make sure first if you are really eating an authentic Italian meal.

A good way to know if you're really in an authentic Italian restaurant is to compare it with the local Italian restaurants you find in Italy. First, let's look at how Italians like their pastries and sweets. Sure, you've heard of tiramisu and you're probably thinking that the Italian cuisine has a sweet tooth. Nope. They are not huge fans of sugar, and they keep it on a minimum when making their desserts. A good sign that you're in an authentic Italian restaurant is if your cookies taste of a hint of citrus. Italians are big on adding some lemon or orange peel or zest on their desserts, just a little to tickle your taste buds and make you ask, What is that? One thing to be on a look out for is too much sugar. If your dessert is just too sweet, probably you're eating an Americanized version of the cake. Italian desserts are good for those who are aiming to lose a little in the midsection because they do not call for heavy cream or margarine, so they are extremely light on you. Another good sign is if you taste a little cinnamon or vanilla on your dessert. Italians love to use these spices. They also occasionally use some liquors or wine like Marsala, Cognac or red and white wines. They especially like to pair liquors or wine with fresh fruits.

Americans have this love for garlic powder which they do not share with the Italians. But that does not mean that garlic is forever banished from any kitchen in Italy, rather it is all about how much is too much and just getting it right. When preparing fish and seafood, Italians only use a maximum of 2 cloves of garlic so as not to mask the delicate flavors. Any dish that has mushrooms as ingredient also calls for garlic. But there are dishes like carbonara, lasagne and even Spaghetti Bolognese that do not require garlic. So, if your pasta tastes like it has too much garlic powder it might actually vanquish a vampire, you're not in an authentic Italian restaurant.

Remember that just because a dish has some basil and tomato sauce does not mean that it is Italian. I assure you, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how different the real Italian cuisine is from the Americanized one.

David Moretti

Suggested Products