11x food and drink rules Italians swear by

We know that Italians are critical and strict when it comes to Italian cuisine. They tear their hair out in anger when they see these ‘pasta dishes’ and prefer to make spaghetti alla carbonara the traditional way. Simple but pure—that’s what matters in Cucina Italiana. Do as the Italians do? With these 10 golden rules, you can do just that!

Italians and their eating habits: two things that are inseparably connected—you could write a book about them. Food is very important to Italians, and above all, so is the quality of the products they eat. Good food is also much more than simply filling your stomach quickly; above all, it’s a moment to share with one another.

Bite, swallow, gone: no!

Piano, piano, taking the time to enjoy an elaborate meal, preferably together with family and/or friends: Italians approach things very differently from the Dutch. I love how Italians take plenty of time for their meals. From the first sip of freshly brewed espresso to the last sip of Limoncello, who they eat and drink with, what they eat and drink, where they do so—and above all, how—are all vitally important to Italians.

Fresh products from the market

The market is your best friend. Of course, the food you buy at the supermarket is also good, but at the market you’ll find fresher products with more flavor. Vegetables, cheese, fruit, meat or olive oil: Italians prefer to do their shopping at the local market.

Seasonal vegetables

And those fresh vegetables are especially seasonal vegetables. More delicious and cheaper than vegetables flown in from elsewhere. By the way, did you know that lemons and carrots are always in season in Italy?

Coffee, the proper way (or not)

Having sandwiches for breakfast? Non è possibile! You won’t find the kind of breakfast we’re used to in Italy. On your way to work, you stop at a little bar along the way for a cappuccino or espresso e brioche. Espresso or cappuccino—both are fine. Except after eleven, of course: you only drink a cappucc’ (pronounced: kapoetsj) in the morning. A true Italian switches to espresso. And a café au lait after a meal is completely out of the question.

Olive oil for tutti

Olive oil is used for absolutely everything. Even when baking cookies, this liquid gold is used. And olive oil in a cake is also a very good idea!

Order of courses

You start with an antipasto, a cold appetizer intended to whet your appetite. Then comes the warm starter, which is pasta; for us, a main course, but in Italy it is one of the Primi—first courses. Italians are the biggest pasta eaters in the world. An average of about 28 kilos per person per year! Besides the well-known spaghetti and maccheroni, there are around 300 other varieties.

I Secondi is the main course. This can consist of meat or fish. In the Netherlands, when you order a main course, vegetables and potatoes are usually served automatically as side dishes. In Italy, you’ll have to order these contorni separately. Never order risotto or pasta as a side dish; it’s really not done.

Wine is part of the meal

Wine belongs with food. Italians therefore prefer to wait until the food is on the table before drinking a matching wine. And it can be anything, but it’s almost always from their own country—or more specifically, from their own region. Italy is a wine country par excellence, and every region has its own indigenous grape varieties.

Aperitivo and digestivo

After lunch, Italians, like the Spanish, snack on something sweet, also known as merenda. The late afternoon begins with an aperitivo such as an Aperol Spritz or Negroni, accompanied by some salty snacks. In bars or on terraces, a complimentary ‘snack’ is often offered with your drink. This can range from a bowl of salty crisps and olives to a piece of pizza or small tramezzini. A digestivo is an after-dinner drink, often grappa or amaro, and is good for digestion. Ever heard of Ammazzacaffè? This literally means ‘coffee killer’. This drink, often a herbal liqueur or strong grappa, is frequently consumed at the end of the meal as a digestif.

Bread for dipping and mopping

Bread isn’t something you eat beforehand with herb butter, as it is for us. In Italy, you use bread to dip and mop up the leftover juices and sauces from the dishes.

House wine, deliciously local

House wine may have a somewhat cheap image here, but that’s not the case in Italy. The house wine on a restaurant’s menu is often from a local winemaker and therefore cheaper, but certainly no less delicious.

La Sacra Famiglia

Food and family are inextricably linked. Italians especially like to get together for a family dinner on Sundays. Sunday is therefore the perfect day to go to La Mamma or to a restaurant to enjoy all the courses together with family and friends. Eat well, drink well and live your life joyfully; a motto worth living by!

Things to stop doing immediately, too

Now that you know these Italian rules, you’re only one small step away from eating and drinking like a true Italian. But from now on, never do these things again:

– Don’t add olive oil to the pot before the pasta has been cooked
– Don’t put ketchup on pasta: a culinary mortal sin!
– Chicken in pasta isn’t Italian: no one in Italy serves it that way.
– Don’t think that spaghetti Bolognese comes from Bologna: it is never served there, and besides, you’re supposed to eat it with tagliatelle.
– Caesar Salad isn’t Italian: its creator, Caesar Cardini, was Italian, but the dish isn’t.
– Don’t use red-and-white checkered tablecloths: you only see these in tourist resorts, and they’re not Italian at all.

Read also:

• This is the best supermarket pasta brand, according to Italians
• Craving pizza? In Rome, you can pull one straight out of the wall
• Let’s go: in Italy, there’s a fountain flowing with free red wine