A guide to Italian Food

Italy is one of Europe’s premier tourist destinations.

Whether it be the Roman history, the Renaissance art or the world famous cuisine that appeals to you, Italy has a rich tapestry of an ancient past combined with many modern influences that make it an ideal holiday destination for the 21^st century.

The image of the ruins of the Coliseum in Rome is sold on hundreds of thousands of postcards each year but it is the fashionable Mecca that is Milan, the serene rolling hills of Tuscany and the secluded sandy beaches of northern Sardinia that are the aspects that really demand attention, and are all reachable with cheap flights from low-cost airlines like Monarch.

And who wouldn’t want to indulge themselves in a lifestyle of food and drink that has been exported throughout the world?

Spaghetti Bolognaise, Porchetta and Tiramisu are purely the tip of the iceberg for a country that gave the world Pizza, a favourite in so many countries. But food and drink in Italy is less a passing interest and more a romantic obsession, with many dishes varying greatly depending on the region. Testament to Italy’s rich ethnic history, cooking techniques differ immensely, and the same dishes can be vastly different from one region to the next.

Many of Italy’s finest cuisines can be linked to the country’s past with the Roman love of sweet dishes possible to be traced back to the eating habits of the Catholic cardinals, with chocolate dishes being produced using recipes created in the convents and monasteries.

Christopher Columbus, who brought chocolate back from the New World, introduced it to Italy and Europe as a whole. Famous Italian deserts that use chocolate as a key ingredient, such as Tiramisu, are a direct consequence of the discovery.

Italy also boasts some of the most prolific vineyards in the world, with one-fifth of the world’s wine coming from the country. Its flagship wine is the Sangiovese, which hails from Tuscany. However, wine is produced in modern wineries in almost every region of the country.

Tours of vineyards in Italy are readily available and any opportunity to sample the delights of Italian food and drink should not be missed. For any trip abroad, make sure you have decent travel insurance from a reputable provider like Go Travel, for peace of mind abroad.