For example, the island of Sicily is in the south, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. As a result, the food revolves around fresh seafood and fruits and vegetables that grow in a warm climate. Olive oil serves as the base of most dishes, which is similar to the role it plays in other Mediterranean cuisines, like Greek or Spanish food. Sicilian chefs use a lot of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers to create light, fresh dishes. While they do have pasta, Sicilian dishes tend to be on the whole lighter, and they often include fish.
Northern Italian cuisine has more central European influence, as this region lies close to Switzerland, Austria and France. Meals in the north include more meat, cream sauces, and cheeses (like parmesan). Since it is harder to grow as much produce here as compared to in the south, the cuisine is not based on fresh fruits and vegetables. Whereas olive oil is used in the south, northerners use more butter and heavy cream in their cooking.
In observing these differences, I found one major theme: Italians like to cook with what they find in their environment. Near the sea in the south, Italians use the fish that is readily available to them. With more cattle and sheep in the north, Italians there focus on meat and cheese dishes. Not only do the traditional dishes have their roots in availability, but chefs in Italy often try to get ingredients as fresh as possible. This means that each morning, they go to the market to purchase from local farmers. They look for in-season produce, locally produced cheeses and the freshest fish to create their meals. Instead of going to the grocery store with a detailed list, italian chefs see what is available and make decisions on what to cook based on what they can buy.
