Secrets of Eating in Italy
From ordering antipasti to not getting fat on pasta.
By Chris Wildgen, McMaster Alumna, travel writer, photographer and tour leader.
Saying Italians are passionate about food is an understatement. They care deeply about the quality of their food and follow guidelines that let them eat well. It can be a bit of a mystery why the Italians don’t seem to get fat eating so much pasta! What secrets do they possess that a visitor to Italy can follow?
Approach eating in Italy as if you have never eaten at an Italian restaurant outside of Italy. Follow their eating times as well as their guidelines. Lunch is at 1 p.m. and the evening meal is generally 8 p.m., although this can vary depending on season and location i.e. north or south.
Except for breakfast, which is usually quick with a coffee (espresso, café latte or cappuccino) and a pastry, meals should be enjoyed and are long and leisurely. You must request the check (il conto), as the waiter won’t want to rush you. The table is yours for however long you stay.
In Italy, eat at restaurants that are authentic, not tourist restaurants. Avoid multi-lingual menus and restaurants that are busy (or open) outside of normal Italian eating hours. Another subtle sign is if bread with a saucer of olive oil is brought to the table, which is not Italian. Bread is meant to be eaten with the meal, and for soaking up leftover sauce, not as an appetizer.
The most important rule is to “eat local”. It is a good sign if you see unfamiliar things on the menu. In fact, many names may vary depending on where you are — for example, mussels can be muscoli or cozze, and limoncello is called limoncino in Cinque Terre.
Even Italians don’t know all the specific local names and discuss the different menu options with the waiter, always asking what is fresh. Listen for Italian being spoken to choose a restaurant.
For each region, eat the dish or pasta that belongs to it e.g. carbonara in Rome, pesto in Liguria, fagioli in Florence. This way, you get what is truly authentic and expose yourself to the variety of foods of Italy.
Often, ordering an antipasto plate will give you a sample of local specialties. This can be shared or even be a whole meal for one. In Puglia, my favourite is the seafood antipasto, which can be seven to eight different items.
Pasta is served al dente, directly translated as “to the tooth,” meaning “firm to the bite.” Eating al dente is one secret as to why Italians don’t get fat eating pasta. Pasta al dente slows down the digestion of the pasta so that it is slowly absorbed and does not increase blood sugar levels. Historically, it was eaten at lunch to provide the energy to get workers through the day. If you are watching calories, eat the non-creamy pasta.
A serving size is a single portion, meant to be only one course of a meal. You consume less pasta, letting you try more menu items. And while it is listed as “primo” (first) course, ordering a second course, secondo, is optional.
Italians eat by rules governing what to eat with what, and in what order, supporting proper digestion. Follow the order of the menu. Food is meant to be eaten separately not altogether on one plate. When you order the secondo be sure to also order the contorni, your side dishes. Remember that in Italy, there are no “doggie bags” or taking home the leftovers.
The food is cooked the optimal way, without asking your preferences. If cheese isn’t offered, it is not meant to be eaten on that dish, so don’t ask for it! And never eat cheese on fish!!
If a fish is served whole with head and tail, simply ask the waiter to filet it for you.
A salad is the last course of the meal. Instead of having a choice of dressings, olive oil and vinegar are brought to the table for you to dress it as you wish.
Order wine that is local, or at least Italian, but most authentic places will only offer Italian wines.
After your meal, enjoy an espresso with or without a digestivo.
And why are you not supposed to drink a cappuccino after a meal? Though interpreted as “never drink cappuccino after 10 am,” the actual rule is to drink cappuccino only when hungry. It insults your host because it means that you are still hungry, otherwise you would have had an espresso.
Caring for their health and their enjoyment, Italians follow these guidelines about eating. Food should be fresh, local and seasonal. Most everyday dishes are simple but good, containing only a few ingredients, including pizza which should have one or maximum two toppings! Wine is meant to be consumed with food. If you have a large lunch, eat a light dinner. And, of course, never over-indulge in either food or wine.
When in Italy, enjoy by eating with and like the Italians!
After an international career in sports medicine and sales and marketing, McMaster graduate Chris Wildgen is following her dream of connecting with people and diving into local cultures around the world through travel. Now a digital nomad, Chris is a travel writer, photographer and tour leader. With a natural flare for languages, she can converse in German, French, Italian, Spanish and English. Visit her site www.travelbetterlivebetter.com.
