Obviously, Italian cuisine has been around for literally centuries, and that’s why today’s delicious Italian dishes are so popular and so hard to turn down! It’s hard to pin down just one or two origins of Italian cuisine, but there are some dishes, like polenta, that we know have been around for centuries, and really aren’t too different from what they were back then.
The Etruscans and the Romans
The Etruscans lived in what we now know as Tuscany, and they were the first real people to develop what is now the history of Italian cuisine, mixed with some Roman and Greek influences. In fact, we know that Roman soldiers often ate polenta, just as we eat it today, while on military campaigns, so some dishes on the Italian table date back more than 2,000 years.
Explore Fed the Country
Italy was a country of explorers, and many of them brought home food and culinary ideas to help fuel their own home cooking. For example, Marco Polo is said to have brought pasta to the region from his travels through Asia, but that has been disputed. He did, however, bring discoveries like spices and the like, and Christopher Columbus, who sailed to Spain but was actually Italian, brought back many items from the New World, like peppers, corn, tomatoes, and potatoes that have been made at home in kitchens. Italian.
Weather, Weather, Weather
Think of Italy, and you probably think of the country’s varied climates and regions, all of which have had a major influence on the history of Italian cuisine. The northern area borders Austria, France, and Switzerland, and shows influences from those countries. Northerners tend to eat more potatoes, cream sauces, and polenta, and truffle oil is produced in the Torino region, so it’s often a part of their cuisine.
The core area includes Tuscany, and the cuisine is rich in seafood, tomato-based sauces, soups, and olives and olive oil, along with wine, of course.
The southern region is sunny and warm, typical of the Mediterranean climate, and boasts olive groves, citrus trees, and many other plants associated with the history of Italian cuisine. Seafood is popular and Napoli is the home of true Italian pizza. Pasta, meat sauces and lots of cheese are also popular in the area.
A mix of regions
It’s easy to see that the regions of Italy produce some varied cuisines, but over the decades, they’ve all blended together into what we call “Italian cuisine.” Many of the ingredients, such as olive oil, pasta, and wine, are common no matter the region, and many of the general cooking techniques, such as sautéing many dishes, baking bread, creating hearty soups, and making pasta by hand with wheat flour are common to all regions. Italian cuisine is diverse and unique, and that is one of the reasons it has become so popular all over the world.
Historically, Italian cuisine is really a mix of cultures, regions, and cuisines, including new ingredients from foreign lands, but today it means good food, good wine, and good friends coming together to enjoy hearty and delicious dishes that run the gamut. , from fish and shellfish. to risotto and much beyond.