Enjoying multiple courses and bread with olive oil are two great Italian culinary traditions.
While you may be aware of many tasty and enjoyable Italian culinary traditions, there are a few traditions that come naturally to Italians but haven’t quite made their way over here to Italian-American tables. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy Italian traditions at Giolitti Deli or at home, read on for a few Italian culinary traditions that will make dinnertime even more enjoyable.
Courses Rather Than an Entrée
American restaurants frequently focus on a large entrée, perhaps followed by dessert. In traditional Italian meals, you enjoy several courses of varying sizes. You can start your meal with an antipasto dish. Then, enjoy the “primo” dish, often pasta. Next comes “secondo,” a fish or meat dish. Then, “contorno” is served as cooked vegetables or a small salad. The final course, “dolce,” means dessert. Staggering food courses this way helps diners keep a measured pace and savor each dish’s flavor without uncomfortably stuffing themselves. At Giolitti Deli, we offer a number of appetizers, salads, and soups to enjoy before your main entrée.
Veggies Are Best Well-Cooked
Cooking vegetables just slightly longer than you otherwise would is recommended by many Italian chefs. This technique allows intense textures and flavors to come forward and bring out the best in your side of vegetables.
Skip the Butter on Bread
While butter on bread can be a great addition to many meals, those abiding by Italian culinary traditions will opt for olive oil instead. Some diners even prefer vinegar or use their bread to soak up leftover pasta sauce. However, having multiple toppings for your bread on hand is often the best option.
Try Fruit for Dessert
While tiramisu, cannoli, and gelato are all popular Italian desserts, fruit can often be the dessert of choice for Italian diners. Enjoying a small bowl of delicious fruit—cherries, strawberries, figs, peaches, plums, and more—after your meal can be very satisfying. At Giolitti Deli, we offer a version of this with our refreshing fruit sorbetto.
Authentic Italian Cuisine From Giolitti Deli
Giolitti Deli is a full-service Delicatessen in Annapolis, MD, specializing in authentic Italian cuisine. Founded in 1992, we use the freshest ingredients to make time-honed recipes from scratch, with no MSG or preservatives. We believe in real food and offer many healthy options, including vegetarian and vegan menu items. At Giolitti Deli, we make our own sauces, mozzarella, grilled and roasted vegetables, bread, pizza dough, and desserts, and our sandwiches, salads, pasta, pizza, and entrees are made to order. Owner Mary Giolitti has combined her passion for great food and fine wine to offer Annapolis a true taste of Italy!
Team members who also make the business possible include Manager Kathy Hunter, Manager and Catering Director Cheryl Molesky, Head Baker Porfirio Diaz, Chef Alfredo Escobar, and Deli Manager Noe Merino. To contact us, please visit our contact page or give us a call at 410.266.8600. Also, be sure to keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and our blog!
Tags: dessert, italian, italian culinary traditions, olive oil, vegetables