ITALY

1. ITALY It’s food, people and way of life

2. Italy is a long narrow country in Europe about 750 miles long from north to south. • It is shaped like a boot. • It includes two large Mediterranean islands – Sicily and Sardinia. • It is a peninsula, surrounded by the Adriatic, Mediterranean, Ionian and Liguria Seas

3. Much of Italy is covered by mountains. • The Dolomite mountains which extend across northern Italy are part of the Alps mountain range. • The Apennine mountains cut down the center of Italy,stretching from north to south, dividing the east and west coasts.

4. Italy also includes two large Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia

5. It has a population of 58 million people. • It’s culture/food have evolved over thousands of years and varies from region to region. • The land has great influence over what is grown, cooked and eaten in each region. • Imagine that the state of Michigan has 20 very diverse cultures, food, even languages!

6. Region Capital 1. Abruzzo (formerly Abruzzi) L'Aquila 2. Aosta Valley(Valle d'Aosta / Vallée d'Aoste) Aosta (Aoste) 3. Apulia (Puglia, sometimes Puglie) Bari 4. Basilicata Potenza 5. Calabria Catanzaro 6. Campania Naples (Napoli) 7. Emilia-Romagna Bologna 8. Friuli-Venezia Giulia Trieste 9. Lazio (Latium) Rome (Roma) 10. Liguria Genoa (Genova) 11. Lombardy (Lombardia) Milan (Milano) 12. Marche (Marches) Ancona 13. Molise Campobasso 14. Piedmont (Piemonte) Turin (Torino) 15. Sardinia (Sardegna) Cagliari 16. Sicily (Sicilia) Palermo 17. Trentino-South Tyrol(Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol) Trento (Trent) 18. Tuscany (Toscana) Florence (Firenze) 19. Umbria Perugia 20. Veneto Venice (Venezia)

7. The northern part of the country is known for manufacturing, business, trading, banking and commerce. • The southern regions are know for agriculture and farming. • Even with the mountains in the south, they manage to produce a lot of food. • Main crops are grapes, wheat and olives. • Italy is famous for it’s wine (made from grapes) and is the world’s second largest producer of olive oil. • Two types of wheat are grown: hard wheat for making pasta and soft wheat for making bread. • Other important crops include rice(Arborio used to make risotto), corn, and citrus fruits (lemons and oranges). • Goats, sheep, pigs and cattle are raised and used in butter, cheese, ham, and salami. Cattle are usually slaughtered when young(which makes VEAL) because there is not enough land to allow them to grow large like in the U.S.

8. Climate • Because of Italy’s long shape, there is a big difference in climate between north and south. • This affects farming and cooking in the different regions.

9. In the cooler north, cereal crops are grown in the rich farmland. • The north has more grazing land for cattle that produce milk, therefore the northerners use a lot of butter, cheese and milk in their cooking. • Creamy sauces, polenta, gelato (ice cream) are common here.

10. In the hot south there are many olive groves and vineyards. • They grow many vegetables, tomatoes and peppers which are included their regional food. • Red sauces, fish, peppers and olive oil rather than butter are used in the southern regions. Also great salads and vegetables.

11. Italian food is influenced from many ancient cultures! • Ancient Romans (2000+ years ago) were very good cooks. • Rich people ate very well and huge amounts of food including wild boar, songbirds, peacocks, flamingos, herons and dormice. • They divided their meals into 3 parts • “Antipasto” – “before the meal” (eaten before the meal to make you feel hungry. • Main part of the meal – meat, or fish and a vegetable or two. • Sweet foods - grapes and dates. • They also learned how to make salt from sea water – useful for seasoning and for preserving food. • Ordinary Romans ate quite a poor diet which included porridge, bread, olives, beans figs and cheese.

12. Food influences in Italy from 500 A.D. to 1400 A.D. (Middle Ages) Arabs from Northern Africa settled into southern Italy and brought with them the ability to make sweets from honey and nuts. Spices and Rice from Asia were brought in through Genoa and Venice which are northern trading centers. One such spice is Saffron which is still used to make risotto. Risotto made with saffron gives the rice a bright yellow color

13. Influences from the Americas 15th century European explorers reached the Americas and brought back foods from both North and South America . Tomatoes Cortez brought these seeds back to Spain from Mexico in 1500’s and the Italians later became the largest producer of the plant. At first it was thought to be poisonous, but actually the leaves are poisonous and the fruit is edible

14. Potatoes were brought from Peru. Italians used them as decorative plants, but found out that you could safely eat the tubers in the ground.

15. Corn was brought to Italy around 1650 Italians started making Polenta which is still a very popular dish and is served with butter and cheese.

16. Peppers Columbus is credited with bringing both sweet and hot peppers back to Italy. This spice and plant became an instant success in Italy in both the powders form and the edible plant form.

17. During the 1800’s and early 1900’s many Italians in the south left Italy because of poor economic conditions. Many came to the United States, Canada and Australia Wherever they went, they set up Italian grocery stores, fruit markets and restaurants.

18. Italian way of life – what is really important to them Families-Almost always eat 3 meals together during the day. Children and Parents go home for a long lunch 1-2 hours. Dinner is much later than ours and is usually lighter than lunch. Often times Grandparents live with or nearby and are part of meals Friends – After dinner, Italians go for walks with friends and meet in the center Piazza to talk and visit. Food – Of course it is important to have the best that you can afford, prepared well

19. Shopping – ·They eat bread with every meal, so they usually go to the bakery every morning. ·While some larger supermarkets have developed, many people shop at smaller meat, fruit and vegetable and cheese markets. ·Most towns have special market days once a week ·Italian cooks use high quality food prepared in simple, basic, traditional ways. Only 4% of Italians have a microwave!

20. THE ITALIAN DIET Better known at “The Mediterranean Diet” oConsists of plenty of starchy foods,- bread, pasta, potatoes and rice o Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables oOlive oil oFish and other low fat meats o Wine Scientists have discovered that people who eat a Mediterranean diet are less likely to suffer form heart disease, stomach problems and diabetes. Food Italy United States Flour 254 lbs. 185 lbs. Potatoes 310 lbs. 127 lbs. Meat 196 lbs. 112 lbs. Milk 165 lbs. 571 lbs. Sugar 4.4 lbs. 64 lbs Italians eat starchier food, such as flour and potatoes, get less fat from milk and eat far less sugar than Americans. They also walk more than Americans

21. PASTA ·Hundreds of shapes and names ·Marco Polo brought it to Italy from Asia? ·Made from hard wheat (durum), mixed with water and eggs Shapes are made by pressing into molds or by squeezing it out to make lengths ·Many different sauces are made depending on which region you live in and what is available fresh

22. MEAT AND FISH • ·A very popular Italian meat is known as prosciutto ham which is treated with salt (cured) and allowed to hang for at least 1 year. • oIt is very expensive • oCut into very thin slices and eaten only a little at a time! • ·Salami – • ·A spicy sausage that was invented in Italy • oMade from chopped meat, mixed with salt and spice and dried in the air or smoked. • Fish – • Italians eat large quantities of all types of fish, including tuna, hake, sardines, anchovies, lobster, shrimp, mussels, squid, octopus, eel, trout and many other types of fish. • oMuch of the fish is sold straight from the fishing boats so it is as fresh as possible.

23. Italian Cheese ·Ancient Romans made at least 13 different cheeses which are still made today! ·Parmesan cheese is most popular, takes 35 lbs. of skim milk to make 2 lbs. of cheese. oLeft to age for at least 2 years – is hard and salty `Mozzarella is soft, and stretches when heated oThe best is made from buffalo milk oFresh must be eaten soon after made ·Gorgonzola is a famous blue cheese oComes from the northern part of the country oStrong smell and tangy taste oCopper wires are inserted into the cheese to help the mold that produces the blue color grow.

24. OTHER IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS AND FOODS ·OLIVES - oImportant crop in central and southern Italy as they can grow all over hillsides. oHarvested in the fall oGreen olives are unripened oBlack are ripened oBitter when picked oSoaked in salt water to loose bitterness oWhole olives (pits and all) are crushed to make olive oil Oil form first pressing is called “extra virgin” which is strong tasting and most expensive Olives are then pressed again several times to produce cheaper, milder oi

25. Rice In northern Italy, rice is the main ingredient Arborio rice is very expensive When cooked this rice becomes creamy on the outside and crunchy inside Grown in the Po River Valley because it needs warmth and lots of water. The land is flooded and then drained so rice can be harvested.

26. Ice Cream and IcesAncient Romans discovered how to keep ice even in summer and made ices from frozen, sweetened water.Today Italy is famous for delicious ice creamsGelato is made from heavy cream and is mixed with pistachio nuts, chocolate and vanilla. It has less air than ice cream made in the U.S.Granita is water ice flavored with crushed fruitsFamous Italian desserts includeCassata is a mixture of ice cream and fruit Neapolitan – layers of different ice cream

27. DRINKS WINE – Farmers from both large and small vineyards take grapes to a central location where they are pressed and made into juice and later into wine. Money from the grapes is then shared accordingly Hundreds of wines are produced but the most famous are: Chianti – red wine Asti Spumante – a sweet, white, sparkling wine

28. Coffee - oIntroduced into Italy from Arabia oItalians drink coffee throughout the day oCappuccino is frothy, milky coffee topped with chocolate powder and drunk in the morning. oEspresso is very strong, black and served after a meal in very small cup

29. Festival food oMost Italians are Roman Catholic, so Christmas and Easter are very big holidays. oChristmas is the most important holiday oChristmas meal is made up of many courses oDepending on which region you live in, your meal will vary

30. Naples in the south Turin from the north Rich soup made with spinach Slice raw veggies with mayonnaise Pasta served with tomato sauce Ravioli Several fish dishes including cod and eel (festival of the 13 fishes) Roast beef with veggies Panettone (sponge cake with fruit and raisins) Goats milk cheese Nuts and fruit Fruit and Nuts Crème Caramel and Panettone Here is an example of Christmas meal from different regions

31. EASTER oMost Italians eat roasted lamb at Easter oIn the south, they eat a bread that is both sweet and savory as it has eggs and ham in it. oIn Liguria (northwest Italy) they make an Easter pie from 33 thin sheets of pastry filled with cheese, eggs and spinach. oEach sheet stands for a year in the life of Jesus Torrone is a traditional candy made of nougat and is enjoyed at all holidays

32. As you can see Italians have a long, and proud heritage. Much of what they eat is dependent on climate, tradition, availability and freshness Food is a very important component in a the Italian society which is also known for it’s Art (70% of the world’s art is in Italy) Religion Scientists Beautiful way of life!