Everyone is envious when they learn you are traveling to Italy.
What part and for how long? Can I come along for the ride?
Then come the stories, the picture perfect details of stepping back in time, admiring the art, sipping rich amarone, and devouring plate upon plate of handmade pasta. It seems that everyone has been to Italy, and they are dying to go back. Italian days are slow, yet full — packed with conversation, fueled by espresso and almost always centered around food.
Italy is a long and narrow country, mainly divided into north and south. The north represents most of what you most often mentally conjure, envisioning the canals of Venice or the runway models of Milan. Southern Italy’s coastline, on the other hand, offers intoxicating views and beaches such as the Almafi Coast and the isle of Sicily. But what differs between the regions to create their unique cuisines?
The terrain. Italy is no different than neighboring European countries or more distant Asian or American lands — the geographic location and makeup of a an areas’ terrain shapes the food that grows based on climate, resource availability, and soil composition. Northern Italy is home to the mountainous Alps, with pockets of cold and dry weather; while the South is less land locked, exposed to the extended Mediterranean Sea and sits closer to the equator yielding a thriving perpetual summer-like climate.
The result, a southern oasis of fresh herbs and vegetables such as tomatoes and olives, ultimately pressed into detectable olive oil (EVOO). These two ingredients create the base for many other dishes in the region, topping fresh grilled fish, baked and drizzled into a paper-thin crust Neapolitan pizza, or dressing a bowl of elegant angel hair pasta.
Italy’s northern half touts other prized culinary gems such as parmesan cheese from the Emilia-Romagna region and endless samplings of cured meats. Vegetarians beware, you may cave to the Parma ham, or brain lighting salami, better yet thinly sliced prosciutto paired with parm and you’re set. The red wines of the region are bolder, with stronger flavors, greater tannins and a lower sugar content — home to varietals such as Sangiovese as well as some lighter alternatives in Prosecco and Chardonnay.
The two regions offer their own flare on Italy culture and cuisine, and mixed together create something irresistible — as chef Massimo Bottura knows all too well at his Michelin rated Osteria Francescana, one of the world’s top restaurants in Modena — you may have even seen this joint set in season 2 of Aziz Ansari’s, Master of None.
When visiting Italy, be sure to carve out time to tour the many incredible sites, and a word to the wise is stay active, you’ll desperately want the stomach space and it will also keep your gluttonous guilt at bay. My recommended and best way we found to explore was by bicycle, as Italy is extremely cycle friendly with extensive trails, paved backroads and breathtaking views.
A Taste of Italy in New York City — Top 5 Restaurants
- Lilia — Williamsburg, Brooklyn
- Pasquale Jones — Nolita
- Al Di La — Park Slope, Brooklyn
- Barbuto — West Village
- Frankies 457 Spuntino — Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
