La Dolce Vita – life well-lived

The Italians have figured out a thing or two, one of them is living the good life. As the saying goes ‘You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough’, this might have been said with the Italians in mind. And this goes delightfully with their cuisine, the basic tenet of which is simplicity with passion. A handful of good quality ingredients that make the end result sing. Let me count the many ways how much I love it –

Family tradition

In movies you’ve always seen big Italian families cooking recipes, passed down from generations and eating together in large family dining tables. So it is, in the best Italian restaurants, where they use well-loved family recipes and we are lucky enough to be able to partake.

Diversity

The many regions of Italy offer their unique styles of cuisine. From hearty, rustic cooking in Toscana to seafood-centric fare in the south, it’s a delightful culinary journey from the north to the south, where her land is blessed with delightful porcini mushrooms, truffles, olives, lemons, tomatoes and the list goes on and on.

Simplicity and ease

Many great Italian dishes from Neapolitan pizza to spaghetti aglio olio use very few ingredients but are delicious. And they are so easy to recreate at home when you have good quality ingredients.

Love affair with cheese and cream

Strolling in the piazzas with a gelato is one of my favourite activities when in Italy. So is trying the different type of cheeses this amazing country produces from parmigano-reggiano, mozzarella di bufala, gorgonzola, mascarpone.

Dining done right

I just love the way the Italians dine. They are long and lively, a time to share and laugh around the family table and so much needed in these times of tablets and phones. You can talk about your day over aperitivo and antipasti, ruminate over world politics during the primo and secondo, and over dolce and coffee – plan for your weekend.

Great wine country

As with every meal, a carafe of the house wine is ubiquitous in Italy. The Italians take their wine very seriously and every dish has its perfect partner. From full- bodied reds with meat fare to stronger whites with seafood dishes, the pairings take each dish to its peak.

The gift of coffee

It’s not technically food but no posts will be complete without a nod to the contribution the Italians have made in the coffee pot. Think cappuccino, caffe macchiato, espresso. No meal is complete in Italy without this aromatic brew. And on this note I end this post with the most revered drink.

The Grand Finale!

No matter how many courses you’ve had, you can always make a room for some Italian desserts.

If you are a discerning sweet tooth, you simply must indulge in some of these Italian desserts with your after-meal espresso to truly conquer the Italian cuisine.

Buon appetito!