For instance: sardines. Have you ever tried sardines? These are little fish packed whole in little tins. When I had encountered sardines in the past, they had not appealed to me because I do not, in general, like fish. But my time in Italy pushed me out of my comfort zone to try new things the way they are supposed to be prepared. And I came to find that I actually liked sardines when I gave them a chance!
Italian food is meant to be prepared using simple, fresh ingredients. The quality of the food is directly linked to the quality of the starting ingredients. For pizza, therefore, all you need is a simple crust, tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Gelato requires cream and real chocolate! My favorite dish, cacio allo sfincione is just melted cheese with warm tomato sauce and breadcrumbs. Leaving out extra ingredients makes the freshness of the base products stand out.
I had dinner with a chef in Sicily who taught me the basics of Sicilian cuisine. Our dinner lasted four whole hours as we talked about what each dish contained and how it was prepared. Food in Italy is meant to be shared with friends and family over a long period of time. Our chef would serve one course, take the time to eat it, and then begin preparing the next course! There was no rush to have the whole meal prepared at once, since the enjoyment comes from sharing the experience together. I really like this relaxed way of preparing food, since it is much easier to appreciate the meal this way.
