The second of our featured countries in “Around the World of Cuisine in six months” with Cayman Restaurants is Italy.
Internationally known as the food of love, what is there not to love about Italian cuisine? Home to pasta, pizza, risotto, and gelato to name a few… join us on a sensuous journey exploring some of the many flavours and ingredients of the world’s most romantic cuisine!
Exploring the flavours and ingredients of Italian Cuisine
With twenty regions, each with their own unique culture, ingredients and specialty dishes, Italy boasts a diverse and extensive cuisine, collectively famous for the simple yet mouthwatering combination of fresh, seasonal local ingredients that create a symphony of flavours for a dining sensation and experience that is second to none.
Italy is well-known for its use of olive oil in food preparation and for their extensive tomato-based recipes combined with garlic and aromatic herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, marjoram, and parsley.
The origin and authenticity of Italian food products is of utmost importance, so much so that specific products can only be labelled as such when produced in their region of origin. An example of this is the infamous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, which is only produced in certain provinces and, is in a league of its own when it comes to its decadent flavour. Although widely imitated, there is no real substitute for the real thing!
Freshly made Italian pasta is also unique to each province with a bounty of shapes and uses within specific recipes.
Despite the regional differences, the common and defining factor of Italian cuisine is its dedication to combining simply prepared fresh ingredients, resulting in the ultimate sensory enjoyment!
Italian street foods
While pizza is readily available in every corner of the world, simply put, there is no comparison when it comes to experiencing an authentic Italian pizza which is made with a wood-fired thin base combined with a select few fresh ingredients, creating a decadent gastronomic experience.
Another well-known popular street food is the panini sandwich, made using Italian breads such as focaccia or ciabatta with a choice of fillings combining cold cuts, cheese and roasted vegetables.
Italy’s popular street food dessert, Gelato, comes in an assortment of tempting flavours that promise a full taste sensation to be enjoyed at any time of day.
To find out more about Cayman’s fantastic selection of authentic Italian restaurants, look out for our upcoming feature articles throughout the month.
Buon appetito!
By Juliette Heath
Juliette Heath is a Caymanian foodie, weddings and events planner, and author of kids’ books.