An Investigation of Italian Food: Food in Italy

 Calabria is a sub-region of  south-western Italy that makes up the tip of the Italian "boot". This land has been ruled by the Greeks, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, the Normans, the Ottoman Empire, and more. Calabria is also somewhat geographically isolated from the rest of Italy. Being at the southern-most part of the country as well as being home to various mountains, dialects, and traditions, Calabria was able to form a unique cultural identity much different from the rest of Italy. All of this is shown through their cuisine, which will be our main focus.  Another thing to note is that Calabria has been through many instances of famine that occurred when land owners demanded too much production, which led to a depletion of minerals in the land. This leads us to believe that ancient Calabrians did not have the luxury of deserts (this is also the case in many other regions of Italy), so now that Calabrians do have deserts, they may be relatively new recipes, or adapte...

Sicily is a sub-region of Italy that is well known for its culturally flavorful past, especially with food. Sicily has been occupied by Roman, Vandal, Byzantine, Islamic, Catalan, and Spanish peoples, just to name a few. This of course, makes Sicilian food a very interesting subject, which is why it is an honor to view this spread of Sicilian recipes, and their history before your very eyes.  To begin, we will start with an appetizer, or antipasto, which many Sicilians of the past have not always had the pleasure of enjoying.  Stuffed Mushrooms: Funghi Ripieni   Recipe taken from Sicilian Cooking Plus.  Ingredients:  12 large mushrooms 2 oz butter (1/2 stick) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 leek, rinsed and finely chopped 4 dry porcini mushrooms, soaked in water (optional) 1/2 loaf Italian bread, insides scooped out and soaked in milk 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons toasted pinoli (pine nuts) Salt and pepper Roas...

The Aosta Valley is a small province in the northwestern part of Italy. It's origins go back to 27 BCE, when the Celtic inhabitants, the Salassi, were subdued by the Romans. The origins of the Valle d'Aosta are so rich, that the languages spoken are not only Italian, but also French, and some German dialects. This also has an impact on their cuisine, which we will be exploring today... through one very specific type of cheese! A brief introduction to the cheese: Fontina cheese is native to northern Italy, but its origins are specifically the Aosta Valley! Fontina is made from the milk of a Valdostana cow, which is also native to the Aosta Valley. Another interesting fact about this cheese is that it is un-pasteurized. Fontina cheese is traditionally aged in the cool caverns of the nearby mountains. And the taste of this cheese is best described as sweet and buttery, with a nutty undertone. It is relatively smooth and creamy, and is versatile enough to use in many Italian recipe...