When most people go out for dinner or even lunch, Italian food is usually on the menu. Italy is located in Southern Europe and is slightly bigger than the state of Arizona. Italy is mostly a mountainous region and is home to Mount Vesuvius the only active volcano in Europe. Italy consists of separate republics each with their own culinary cooking customs. These customs have been passed down from generation to generation and have contributed to the diversity of Italian cuisine. Italy’s neighboring countries which include, France, Austria, and Yugoslavia have also contributed to this country’s cuisine. Each community and each valley have differences in eating habits and each has a different way of Italian cooking.
It can be said that every town in Italy has it’s own distinctive way of making sausage, special types of cheese and wines, and local types of bread.
Although we recognize Italian food throughout the world for their pizza, pasta and tomato sauce, which is considered the national diet of Italy, this has traditionally differed significantly by region. For example, cooking by the type of cooking fat used: butter was used in the north, pork fat in the center of the country and olive oil in the south. The staple dishes of the northern region were rice and polenta, and pasta was the mostly popular throughout the southern region of Italy.
During the 1980’s and 1990’s pizza and pasta, which is traditional southern food became popular in the north of Italy. Italians are known for their use of herbs in cooking, especially basil, oregano, thyme, sage and rosemary. Cheese definitely plays a very important role in the cuisine of Italy. There are more than 400 types of cheese made in Italy everything from Parmesan, mozarella, and asiago being among the best known worldwide. One of the key ingredients in Italian antipasto which is a first course is Prosciutto ham, which was first made in the city of Parma, the city that also gives its name to Parmesan cheese.
Italian food is ingrained in American culture and most families have some type of Italian food at least once a week. Many families have their own favorite versions of spaghetti and meatballs, or lasagna or some type of pasta dish. So whatever your hungry for be it anitpasto, pasta, pizza or an Italian dessert or wine… enjoy!
For your next Italian dining pleasure we welcome you to Maria’s Italian Deli and Market is family owned and operated since 1973. We are located at 22620 Lyons Avenue in Newhall. We can be reached at 661-259-4150 and check our website at: www.mariasdeliscv.com.