Traditional Christmas market in Jena, Germany. Photo by Rene Schwietzke via CC

What to Expect at a German Christmas Market

Known as Weihnactsmarkt, Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Nikolausmarkt or Striezelmarkt, these open-air events appear in cities all over Germany during the four weeks of Advent that lead up to Christmas Day. Vendors set up stalls in the town square, and visitors flock from far and away to take part in this Old World tradition. German Christmas Markets are popular with locals and visitors alike, and while in larger cities they may have hundreds of vendors, many towns and villages hold their own markets on a smaller scale.

The festive scene at Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt. Photo by Yeowatzup via CC

German Christmas Markets provide a feast for all the senses. Aromas of flame-kissed sausage, roasting nuts and gingerbread fill the air while festive music adds ambience; though your extremities are sure to be numbed by the chilly weather, enjoying a nice mug of glühwein, hot mulled wine, spreads much-needed warmth through your body. Come nightfall, twinkling lights transform the market into a fairytale wonderland, casting a soft glow over the peaked tents and pine branch decorations.

The atmosphere at German Christmas Markets has universal appeal. For those who seek a bit of excitement with their holiday shopping, some markets also feature 21st century amusements like carnival rides — the one in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz boasts Europe’s largest mobile toboggan run. Whether the Christmas market you visit caters more toward modern entertainment or remains strictly traditional, every market pays homage to centuries-old customs in its own way.

Roller coaster ride at a more modern Christmas Market in Berlin. Photo by Thomas Quine via CC

Some Christmas Market History

Despite their connection to the Christian holiday, German Christmas markets are not strictly religious. In fact, the earliest Wintermarkte, dating back to the late 12th century, were not connected to Christmas at all. Instead, their intention was to offer townspeople a chance to stock up on food and supplies before hunkering down to ride out the barren winter months.

Looking down over Munich’s central Christmas Market. Photo by James via CC

Over time, these markets began featuring utilitarian goods less exclusively, and craftsmen started setting up stands to hawk hand-made baskets, wood carvings and toys. Delicacies like roasted nuts and baked foods were also for sale, purchased as small gifts to be shared with others or to enjoy on the spot as a mid-shopping snack. Around the time of the Reformation, Martin Luther established Germany’s official gift-giving day as December 24th, and with that, the modern-day idea of exchanging Christmas gifts really began to take hold. These days, gift giving is commonplace and traditional winter markets are embraced as a charming staple of the holiday season by the devout and secular alike.

What to Eat at a German Christmas Market

All German Christmas markets provide a great opportunity to indulge in hearty cuisine that satisfies the appetite and helps to fend off the winter cold. These markets are an excellent place to find regional and seasonal specialties.

Steckerlfisch roasting at the Christmas Market in Stuttgart. Photo by Chrissy Hunt via CC

With regard to foods that you are likely to encounter at winter markets throughout the country, sausages and other traditional wurst are a savory essential that are easy to eat while you browse. They’re usually served in a bun with mustard or ketchup; work a little variety into your sausage consumption with a käsewurst (cheese sausage), feuerwurst (spicy “fire sausage”), or currywurst. Sweet foods are just as popular as savory, and many treats we associate with Christmas worldwide actually have origins in Germany.

Hot wurst sandwiches in Aachen. Photo by Max Mayorov via CC

Gingerbread or Lebkuchen, for example, is a highly traditional Christmas cookie in Germany; it’s made of slightly sweet dough spiced with nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cinnamon. Almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts add a bit of crunch, while candied lemon or orange peels are sometimes added for a zesty touch.

Traditionally decorated gingerbread hearts. Photo by Phototropy via CC

Then there’s stollen, a type of fruitcake that bears only a slight resemblance to the variation at which Americans tend to turn up their noses. This cake-like bread is baked with candied or dried fruit (commonly citrus peel and raisins), nuts and spices, sometimes with a marzipan core, and then dusted with powdered sugar or topped with icing. Although you may not recognize it, stollen are traditionally shaped to symbolize the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths, making reference to the religious nature of the Christmas holiday.

Christmas stollen with a marzipan core. Photo by Butaris via CC

Whatever you choose to eat, be sure to wash it down with a steaming mug of glühwein; food stands may differ from market to market, but the spiced hot wine is a ubiquitous touch. For those desiring an extra kick of Christmas cheer, add a shot of rum or amaretto. Rather than serve this warming winter beverage in disposable cups, most major Christmas Markets employ ceramic mugs with seasonal designs for which you pay a deposit upon purchasing your glüwein. Once you’ve finished your glüwein, return your mug to get your deposit back, or, alternatively, forfeit your deposit and keep your mug as a holiday souvenir.

A decorative glühwein mug. Photo by Matt Hamm via CC

Where to Go

With the abundance of Christmas Markets across Germany, narrowing down your choice can feel like an impossible task. Here are just a few of the best German Christmas Markets to help you decide.

Nuremberg: One of the oldest and most famous markets, Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg’s Hauptmarkt square preserves all the charm of its earliest days (the market dates back to 1628). The sale of mass-produced goods is prohibited, so you’ll find only hand-crafted, original items. The medieval city and neighboring Alps provide the perfect backdrop for the ultra-traditional market, though the Children’s Market section does contain an old fashioned carousel and a Ferris wheel. While you’re there, be sure to try the “plum people,” prunes crafted into small figures, combining food and gifting in a unique way. Nuremberg’s gingerbread is also famous worldwide for its soft texture and marzipan flavoring.

Nuremberg’s plum people. Photo by Susanne Winter via CCOpen November 30 – December 24

Cologne: All of beautiful Cologne is a seasonal spectacle during Advent, and the city boasts several not-to-be-missed markets. The Am Dom market, located in the shadow of the UNESCO World Heritage Cologne Cathedral, has an incredibly gorgeous view and features a gigantic Christmas tree. The Cologne Harbor Market, situated next to the city’s famous chocolate factory, is also worth a visit and the Fairytale Christmas Market puts a fun twist on a timeless theme.

Cologne’s stunning gothic Cathedral makes for a scenic backdrop. Photo by Phototropy via CCOpen November 23 – December 23

Dresden: The main Christmas market in Dresden, known as Striezelmarkt, gives Nuremberg a run for its money. Accounts of this market date back to 1434, suggesting that it was one of the originals. Like Nuremberg’s markets, it also stays true to its roots, showcasing the works of artisan glass-blowers, carvers and bakers, whom you can watch in action at their stalls. Try the Pflaumentoffel, another dried prune delicacy, and pay a visit to the world’s tallest Nutcracker. While you’re in town, there are several other markets to visit as well, including the famous Frauenkirche Market. Striezelmarkt is also well known for its stollen, and every year, bakers create a giant fruitcake which is sliced up and sold to visitors to raise money for a charitable cause.

Dresden’s market, illuminated at night. Photo by LuxTonnerre via CCOpen November 30 – December 24

Berlin: It should come as no surprise that the diverse and modern city of Berlin hosts a wide range of Christmas Market offerings; there’s truly something for everyone in Berlin’s scene. The Christmas Market at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church features traditional craft stands selling ornaments, toys and accessories, while glazed fruit and grilled sausages deliver culinary Christmas delights. The Gendarmenmarkt, on the other hand, serves food cooked by some of the country’s top chefs for a more refined gastronomic display; entertainment includes jugglers, acrobats, fire artists and dance groups as well as choirs and other music ensembles. Potsdamer Platz hosts one of the most 21st century takes on the event, while the Lucia Christmas Market features a Nordic theme. The oldest and most traditional of Berlin Christmas Markets, the Spandau Market, boasts a nativity scene with live animals.

Berlin’s upscale Gendarmenmarkt. Photo by Visit Berlin via CCDates vary – most markets are open late November – December 27

Stuttgart: The Christmas market in Stuttgart is considered one of the most beautiful in Germany, if not the world. It’s held beneath the breathtaking Old Palace, but even better, the palace’s Renaissance inner courtyard hosts additional stalls. The 300 different stalls in the market compete over the best decorations, creating a gorgeous tableau of lights, angels and pine boughs. An outdoor skating rink and miniature steam railway add extra fun for the whole family. Be sure to catch the nightly performance of live music and choirs.

A musical performance by Stuttgart’s Old Palace. Photo by Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart via CCOpen November 25 – December 23

Keeping Holiday Traditions Alive

Today, though Christianity’s influence is generally fading in Germany, the Christmas markets are more popular than ever. Whatever faith you follow, you’ll find a trip to the markets a delightful celebration of the season. Choose the German Christmas Market that appeals most to you and enjoy taking part in a custom spanning cultures and centuries.

Author: Cara Meglio

But, if you are brave enough to wander in you’ll be treated to the star of Marrakech cuisine – the tanjia. Not to be confused with tajine, tanjia is a unique, meat-heavy dish made only in this city. Where a tajine is made in a two-piece cone shaped conical pot, a tanjia is cooked in a clay urn. Tajine can describe any number of combinations of meats, vegetables and spices, there are endless varieties across Morocco. Tanjia however is almost exclusively made with the meat of sheep along with the simple ingredients of preserved lemons, garlic, cumin, saffron, a touch of olive oil and just enough water to keep it from sticking to the pot. The recipe is so simple it’s also known as “the bachelor’s dish,” as in Morocco most cooking is still in the women’s realm of responsibility.

Photo by Kieren Messenger via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Even the method of cooking a tanjia is unique. Once the urns are filled, they’re taken to a furnace where the water for the hammam (the Moroccan bathhouse) is heated. Once charcoal is created from burning material, the coals are moved out of the oven to the side. The tanjias are nestled into the coals and left overnight to slow cook until the meat is tender and falling apart. How did this delicious dish come to exist and why just in Marrakech?

Today’s tanjia stalls have been in operation for multiple generations. Our favorite shop is owned by a man named Hassan who is the fourth generation of his family to do the same thing, in the same place, using the same recipe. While no one is certain how many years it has been in operation, guesses are around 150. Traditionally, the men who worked in Marrakech’s souks would have Friday off work. On Thursday, one of the men would stop by the shops in his section of the souk to collect money from the men that wanted to participate. He would be in charge of preparing the tanjia. On Friday the men would then go to a park outside of the city to have a picnic and relax.

Photo by Todd Geasland via CC

Today, this tradition has largely faded away but you still find tanjia in the food stalls and on tables throughout the city. Other Moroccans haven’t adopted the dish, and few outside of the city know how to make it. Instead they visit Marrakech to get their tangia fill.

The tanjia shops don’t just serve this dish, they also have two other offerings; mechoui and roasted sheep head. Mechoui is made across the country. A whole sheep is placed into a deep clay oven and roasted for about three hours until tender. It’s sold by the weight and served with a side of cumin and salt to sprinkle on top. Sheep heads are cooked in a similar way. First, the brain is removed and fur and skin is burned off. Then the heads are roasted. This dish is often served in Moroccan homes following Eid al Adha but for those who can’t wait an entire year, it’s available from food stalls any day of the week.

Photo by Hugo van Tilborg via CC

Morocco’s culinary history runs deep but visitors have to work a little to uncover the true gems. The best food is still served in homes, however enterprising individuals are resurrecting traditional cuisine and bringing it to those who lack the time and knowledge to prepare these meals. Whatever you do, don’t leave Marrakech with trying tanjia!

photo by Rene Bastiaanssen via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Assuming you plan to eat out while in Morocco, you’ll find a couple of different scenarios for menus (or lack thereof). In restaurants, it will be very rare to find a menu that is in Arabic, which is great news for people who can’t speak Arabic! The majority of menus will be written in French and in some places you’ll be able to find menus in Spanish or English. The second scenario is that there will be no menu; either the restaurant serves a set few things or you point and order what you see. If you find yourself in a local Moroccan restaurant that does have a menu, the following tips will help you decode what you are likely to find.

Salads and Starters

A typical Moroccan meal starts with at least one salad and, often times, several. The salads that are served depend to some degree on what’s in season and what the main dish will be. Salads are typically cooked and spiced (not spicy) vegetables that are served at room temperature or warm. There are a few raw Moroccan salads, but not many. Salads are served in small portions. Some popular combinations are:

• Za’alook – an eggplant and tomato salad
• Taktouka – a tomato and charred green pepper salad
• Carottes – spiced cooked carrots
• Haricot Vert – green beans in a vinaigrette dressing
• Lentilles – cooked lentils or other types of beans in a thick sauce with spices
• Riz et Thon – rice and tuna, served cold and flavored with cumin and pepper
• Salade Marocaine – tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in vinaigrette (raw salad)

photo by Amanda Mouttaki

Other starters might include a variety of olives or b’stila. B’stila is a very unique type of pie of which there are two common varieties: chicken and seafood. The b’stila avec poulet (chicken pie) has a filling made with cooked, spiced chicken and slow-cooked onions to which eggs are gradually incorporated. The filling is placed into a filo-like dough and topped with ground almonds. The package is wrapped up and baked. Before serving, chicken b’stila is dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Traditionally, this version was made using pigeon but it’s uncommon to find it still being made that way. The second type of b’stila is b’stila avec fruits de mer, stuffed with mixed seafood, green olives, vermicelli noodles and lots of spices; no sugar involved, it’s deliciously savory!

Plat Principal

Couscous and tajine are the two primary dishes that feature heavily as mains on Moroccan menus. Don’t worry, just because you won’t find a plethora of mainstays in commercial Moroccan cuisine doesn’t mean that you should expect to keep eating the same thing. Both couscous and tajines come in many different varieties!

photo by Arsheffield via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Couscous in Morocco is different from what you’ve had anywhere else. To make Moroccan couscous, semolina grains are soaked in salt water and tripled steamed in a special pot. The couscous is topped with a variety of things like vegetables, broth, and meat which have been cooked in the bottom pot. Once the couscous is dry from the first steaming, it’s removed and the cook uses her hands to separate the grains and wet them again. By the third steaming, it’s ready. Unlike many typical Moroccan dishes, couscous is eaten with a spoon rather than bread or your hands. Moroccans eat couscous on Fridays, so your best chance of tasting really good couscous is on that day. Couscous can be made vegetarian, with lamb or with chicken. Couscous Tfaya is extra special as it’s topped with caramelized onions, raisins and almonds or sesame seeds which give it a really unique flavor.

photo by Amanda Mouttaki

Tajine is the meal of choice most days in a Moroccan home. There are dozens of varieties. The name tajine refers not to one single dish but rather it has several meanings. First, tajine is the name of the conical pot that food is often cooked in. Second, it’s the name of the type of food cooked inside of the pot of the same name. What is cooked inside the tajine will vary. Chicken with preserved lemons and olives is a very popular option, as is lamb with prunes and almonds. Many restaurants will have a set menu of tajines which may include specials of the day. When given the option, go with the special because it’s often made with seasonal produce like quinces or artichokes.

Desserts

A very typical dessert in Morocco is a platter of fresh, seasonal fruit. Fruit makes for a very simple and light dessert – which is a good thing after you’ve indulged in all of the starters and main dishes! Aside from fruit, restaurants may serve cookies or some type of cake as a dessert but it isn’t very common.

photo by Liz Mochrie via CC

Point and Order Menus

The other “menu” scenario you may encounter is when there really isn’t one. For example, in Marrakech there’s a street where all that the small shops lining it sell is lamb, prepared in two ways. These type of shops have no menu and, unless you are feeling gutsy or you already know what you’re doing, you probably wouldn’t wander into one of them. If you are curious about the opportunity for a meal at a local Moroccan shop, you’ll have to ask to find out what they offer and how much it costs. Some places offer a very limited menu of no more than a handful of items every day; perhaps two types of tajine and another entrée with salads. If you stumble onto one of these establishments, give it a try. As opposed to some of the large kitchens designed to crank out sub-par “Moroccan” food for tourists, these shops are usually small, family-run operations that offer an authentic taste of the local cuisine.

photo by Reena Mahtani via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Another informal dining option in Morocco is the food stalls which offer a few dishes and a few places to sit down. At a food stall, you tell them or point to what you want from the limited options and either take your food to-go or find an available seat. One of the good things about these places is that you’ll find that lots of locals eat this way. You’ll likely discover that the food from a menuless shop or food stall is more representative of what Moroccans eat than what you’ll eat in restaurants. Because these shops serve a local population, the prices are also very affordable.

photo by Dave Morris via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Eating in Morocco can be an amazing experience but you’ll need a little bit of gusto and willingness to go outside of your normal comfort zone to uncover local gems and authentic treats. If you do, you’ll walk away having experienced a cuisine that has evolved and been perfected over centuries, not to mention with a very full stomach, happy palate, and delicious memories to savor once you’ve returned home.

Have you ever been to Morocco? What was your favorite type of place to eat while there? Tweet us or visit us on facebook to share what you thought!

Photo by Liv Unni Sødem via CC

Ask any Moroccan how many cups of tea a day they drink and you may be surprised by the answer. It could be as few as three or it could be upwards of ten! When you visit a Moroccan’s house, the first thing they will do is start brewing tea. A typical breakfast might consist of a cup of tea and bread drizzled with olive oil. Tea is served after lunch, in the early evening for “snack” time, and maybe later in the evening before bedtime too. Of course, if someone pops in for a visit, the host will brew an extra pot to drink together, that is if there isn’t one already brewing. As temperatures drop in winter months, tea consumption goes up and it’s not uncommon to see teapots being nursed on burners all day long. But the Moroccan tea ritual is not as simple as boiling water and dunking tea bags. No, not at all. Making Moroccan tea is an art and a skill that is learned over time.

Making mint tea using loose leaves. Photo by Amanda Mouttaki

The most typical type of tea served in Morocco is green tea, specifically Chinese gunpowder tea. It’s brewed with fresh mint and plenty of sugar. The level of sugar will vary by location; those in the South tend to drink much sweeter tea. You can request Moroccan tea without sugar but be prepared to get some strange looks. You also may discover that it just doesn’t taste as good without a bit of sugar mixed in. How you take your tea is up to you, but Moroccan tea is always served with sugar brewed in it, so if you don’t want any, make sure to voice your request ahead of time.

Making Moroccan Tea

Moroccan tea starts with adding water and loose tea leaves directly into a tea kettle. The kettle is set onto a gas burner until it boils. At that point, fresh mint and sugar is stuffed into the pot and left to steep for about five minutes. Some people heat the water up again while the mint and sugar steep, while others prefer to let it sit untouched. Once the steeping is complete, the first glass is poured and the ritual begins.

Colorful Moroccan tea glasses. Photo by Omer Simkha under CC, adapted by ParTASTE
If you take part in Moroccan tea time, you will most likely notice two things: the tea is poured from very high up and an extra glass is also poured. There are a variety of stories explaining these traditions. One version is that in order to assess how good the tea is, it must be poured from high enough to create foam at the top of the glass. If there’s no foam, than the tea is bad and you should start over. You also may notice that the first cup of tea is only poured about half way full. It’s then left to sit for a few moments. A second cup is also poured. The first cup is poured back into the pot while the second cup is discarded. The reasoning for discarding the second cup of tea is a claim that there are toxins released when pouring it. Those who pour the tea back into the top of the pot do so as a way of removing some of the bitterness that may be found in the first glass or two – a way to help circulate the flavors.

The art of Moroccan tea pouring. Photo by Cliff Williams via CC
The first cups of tea served can be a bit strong. As soon as they’re poured, it’s not uncommon to refill the pot, add more mint (but not more tea) and boil the liquid again. This second brewing of tea will be lighter, sweeter and infused with more mint flavor. In some locations, like the Sahara, a third pot of tea will also be brewed from the same initial pot. Drinking tea in Morocco is not something that is done on-the-go or in a hurry; it’s meant to be savored and enjoyed slowly.

Photo by Evan Bench via CC
When the tea is truly ready to drink, the host or hostess will fill small glass cups from high above in a dramatic show, leaving plenty of bubbles on top of each. Half the fun of drinking tea in Morocco is to see from how high up the glasses can be poured! It’s easy to get caught up in the spectacle of things, but be careful when you drink your tea as the glass is usually very hot. A good trick is to place your thumb on the top rim of the glass and bend your index finger to a slight curve. Set the bottom rim on the curve to support the glass. You can also hold the top rim where there’s no liquid with your thumb and index finger. Sip your tea slowly – its best when piping hot. When the level of your tea gets low, be prepared for a refill, it will be served without asking. If you’re done, wave your hand over the top of the cup and say, safi, baraka, a nice way of saying “thanks, I’m all done!”

Different Types of Tea in Morocco

Even though green tea is the most common type of tea served in Morocco, there are many other varieties. Tea is not only for quenching your thirst, it’s also believed to have medicinal qualities. Different fresh herbs and types of mint are used for treating different symptoms. In winter months, it’s common to see a variety of herbs brewed in tea in order to ward off illnesses.

Specialty Moroccan tea and sweets. Photo by Amanda Mouttaki
A unique type of tea, called Berber tea, mixes herbs like wild thyme, mint, lemongrass, geranium, sage, verbena, wormwood and sometimes even more ingredients like dried flowers. What’s added to Berber tea will depend on the time of year and what’s on hand. The tea has a naturally sweet taste so the addition of sugar is not necessary, but some is often added anyway. The practice of steeping herbs with tea extends beyond Berber tea and it’s even common to substitute different types of herbs for the mint in traditional Moroccan tea.

The Lifestyle of Drinking Tea

Tea holds a special place in the hearts of Moroccans. It’s often one of the first things children taste after their mother’s milk as bread soaked in tea is a typical thing to feed to babies! Tea is an important medicine in the Moroccan culture, especially for people who have limited access to prescription medications or to those who prefer natural remedies. But most of all, it’s an extension of Moroccan culture’s famed hospitality.

Photo by Rachid Ahitass via CC
When I married my Moroccan husband, we knew we wouldn’t be doing a champagne toast. Instead, we brewed mint tea and gave each one of our guests a tea cup from Morocco etched with the words “marhaban” (you’re welcome) in Arabic. We shared with them the tradition of drinking tea in Morocco, it went something like this:

Today, as we start our new lives together we’d like to offer our toast to you in the Moroccan spirit. Drinking tea with someone in Morocco isn’t just a passing act. Drinking tea together means you’re being welcomed into their family. You’re seen as a friend and today we’d like to welcome you all to be a part of our new family.

In the Moroccan culture an invitation to drink tea is a meaningful thing. When you travel to Morocco, you can bond with new friends and meet wonderful people over a simple pot of tea.

Have you tried Moroccan mint tea? Tweet us or visit us on facebook to share what you thought and tell us about your favorite tea varieties!

1) Set down the silverware

In Morocco silverware is rarely used. Meals are eaten communally from a large dish – not on individual plates. You’ll use bread as silverware not a fork or spoon. Sure, most places can accommodate visitors who prefer their own plate but there’s something really special about sharing a tajine or plate with your tablemates. In rural areas and in some family homes people might even use their hands to eat or to move items around.

Photo (left) by Amanda Mouttaki, photo (right) by Katie Bordner via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

2) Keep to your immediate triangle

Just because everyone is eating from the same dish, don’t think there are no rules. You should eat from the triangle that is immediately in front of you. Don’t reach across to someone else’s area even if they might have something you would like. You’ll notice tajines or couscous are prepared in a way that each person will get a little bit of each component of the meal – that’s not an accident! If you’re eating with Moroccans you might discover the hostess will use her hands to give you a piece of meat or a favorite vegetable. Try not to balk at this, it’s an honor and sign of hospitality that they want you to have the best pieces. Guests always get the best pieces!

3) Remember “right”

If you’re left handed you may have a little bit of a challenge in Morocco. Eating is done with the right hand. The left is considered unclean. For example, when eating a tajine people will break off a small piece of bread with their right hand and hold it between their thumb and first two fingers. It’s then used to scoop the food and sauce. If you’re left handed don’t worry too much, most people understand and will just want you to be comfortable.

Right hand only please. Photo by Kali Fire via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

4) Allergies are uncommon

Allergies are uncommon in Morocco and the concept of choosing not to eat something just because is hard for many to wrap their heads around. Some things are more familiar than others. For example, many people now know what it means to be a vegetarian and are familiar with nut and shellfish allergies. Gluten allergies and more obscure allergies are not as well understood. The reason is simple, for many people the choice of eating or not eating certain things doesn’t exist. They eat what they can afford, period. If you can, try to eat foods that naturally don’t contain allergens you react to instead of trying to have a typical recipe changed to remove the allergen. This will help you stay safe. The Moroccan Arabic word for allergy is hassasiya and is really good to know so that you can be sure you are understood in the case that you have a severe allergy to a certain ingredient.

5) In Morocco, bread is your friend!

Moroccans love and eat a lot of bread. Not only is it used as silverware for eating tajines and salads but it’s breakfast and snack food too. There are many different kinds of bread from small round loaves to tandoori cooked rounds in the villages and dozens of varieties in between. As you might imagine, Morocco is a very hard place to be gluten free or low carb.

Piles of fresh Moroccan bread. Photo by Green Prophet, via CC

6) The best Moroccan food isn’t found in restaurants

Sadly, the best Moroccan food you’ll eat won’t be in a restaurant in Morocco. There are very few that make really good Moroccan food. It might seem like this makes no sense but the reality is Moroccan people do not go to restaurants to eat Moroccan food – they stay at home! That’s where the best Moroccan food is. If you can’t get an invitation, then eating in a riad is a good option. The women who work in the kitchens of the riads cook the same types of food they would make at home. Don’t fall under the impression that upscale, expensive restaurants are going to provide really good Moroccan food, in most cases they don’t. You’ll pay for the experience but not for the food. Some riads are open only as restaurants while others offer accommodation and dining. If you choose to stay at a riad, start by trying the food on-site and then branch out to other riads. Many riads offer dinner to non-guests, but you’ll need to call ahead and make reservations. If you are dining in a location that also has rooms for guests, you should be aware that people are staying there and keep your voice level in check. Typically, the cook won’t leave the kitchen but it’s always appreciated when you show gratitude and share with them that you enjoyed the food. There’s nothing better than hearing someone enjoyed your cooking!

Riads are a great choice for accommodation and eating in Morocco. Photo by Andrew Nash via CC

7) Eat on the streets

You might not discover the best sit down meal in the restaurants of Morocco but you can find really great street food! Many people are nervous about eating food from the shops lining the streets but you shouldn’t be. Do some research, how clean is it? Are there lots of locals eating there? If the food is fried, is the oil dark or cloudy? If all is well, go for it! Some street food specialties to try;

• Msemmen, plain or stuffed with spices
• Juices of all varieties
• Grilled meats
• Sfinge and Kringo (doughnuts)
• Ma’akouda (a potato patty)
• Harira or B’ssara (soups)

Simple Moroccan street food. Photo by Amanda Mouttaki

What you’ll find on the streets will depend on which city you are in. Each has its own special foods or twists on foods you’ll find across the country. You’ll find some stalls open all the time however, the majority of vendors open at night. Likewise there’s no best time to go – it will depend a lot on the specific shop you are visiting. I know of one shop in Marrakesh where the man only makes one thing. He opens at 11am and by 1pm everything is gone! Moroccans want their food hot, fresh, and delicious so don’t worry too much about food spoilage as nearly everything is made and consumed in the same day. Some guidebooks and “experts” may tell you to bring your own cup or silverware to eat with – I’ve never seen this done and would say it’s probably not necessary. One of the cheapest street foods you can get is fresh fruit. It’s all local, plentiful, and inexpensive.

You can’t go wrong with local produce. Photo by Amanda Mouttaki

8) Money matters.

Cash is king in Morocco. There are places that take credit cards but you should always assume that they won’t. ATM’s are almost everywhere and are safe and easy to use. Have cash ready and never expect to be able to use a credit card. Also keep in mind that the tipping culture that exists in North America isn’t customary in Morocco. Leaving a small tip is more than acceptable. This is something you’ll want to meter depending on the establishment. A hole-in-the-wall eatery may only require a few dirham (5-10%) tip but the staff at a 4 star restaurant will expect a tip somewhat closer to 15%. You might also find that bathrooms are serviced by attendants. It used to be quite common that you would tip the attendants but this is going out of style. However, should you find yourself faced with this situation, a dirham or two is sufficient.

9) Drinking alcohol will cost you

Morocco is a Muslim country, however it is legal to sell alcohol to foreigners. Morocco even has its own breweries and wineries! You will find that alcohol is quite expensive, especially compared to prices in Europe and North America. In large cities many, many restaurants serve beer and wine but if you’re visiting smaller cities you may have to hunt down an alcoholic beverage or not be able to find any alcohol at all. Usually, you won’t encounter much difficulty but may need to ask around a little to find specific items. The only time you may face difficulties in getting alcohol at all is during Ramadan. Alcohol sales stop 10 days before this holiday, throughout the month, and the during the 10 days that follow.

Casablanca, Morocco’s premium lager. Photo by Richard Allaway via CC

10) There is no reason to worry over health and safety.

Working in the food and travel industry I regularly hear from people that they are worried about food safety in Morocco. This is a legitimate concern whenever traveling. But, Morocco is really no different from any other place. Simple precautions like drinking bottled water whenever possible, avoiding ordering meat cooked rare, always opting for freshly cooked items and making sure raw foods like fruit and veggies are washed will go a long way to keep your stomach happy. Morocco has a rich history of herbal medicines. If you do find yourself under the weather, you can pop into one of the many local natural pharmacies for a remedy. A spoonful of cumin is often ingested for gastrointestinal issues, and there are numerous teas brewed to relieve different symptoms. Often times, you can even ask your riad or hotel for help with your particular ailment and they can get you something that will work. If you prefer a western medical approach, there are full-service pharmacies everywhere and very few things in Morocco actually need a prescription to acquire. Walk in, tell them your symptoms, and the pharmacist will set you up and on your way. Medicine in Morocco is also very inexpensive. Whatever you do, don’t let the fear rumors stop you from eating amazing Moroccan food!

Natural remedies at a Moroccan pharmacy. Photo by Cloudzilla via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Have you ever been to Morocco? Tweet us or visit us on facebook to share you’re tips and favorite things about eating in this colorful country!

Kitfo

Discovered by: Dave of Cook Sip Go
Find it in: Ethiopia
Steak tartare with an African twist: I found my favorite new dish of 2014 on a busy road in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Kitfo is the Ethiopian version of steak tartare – raw, minced beef that has been marinated in spices and butter. A specialty of the Gurage region, kitfo is now eaten in most of the country. The beef, which is flavorful on its own, is accompanied by sides of fresh cheese and cooked greens. I most enjoyed kitfo because it is a social dish and the restaurants that prepare kitfo well end up being lively spots. Sitting down to a large bowl of kitfo enjoyed with friends is thus an essential part of an Ethiopian travel experience.

Sopa Leão Veloso

Discovered by: Tom of Eat Rio
Find it in: Brazil
France and Brazil brought together in a bowl: This luscious Brazilian seafood soup is named after Pedro Leão Veloso, the Minister for External affairs in 1940s Brazil. During a trip to France, Leão Veloso fell in love with the classic French seafood soup, Bouillabaisse, and upon returning to Brazil he determined to create a version of the dish that could be made at home (exotic ingredients like saffron were not easily available in those days). The result was this rich soup (coloured with the urucum seeds native to Brazil) which is crammed full of shrimps, clams, crab, lobster and firm white-fleshed fish. I chose this dish because it combines Brazilian history with ingredient improvisation (something we all have to do from time to time) and the end result is absolutely delicious!

Germknödel

Discovered by: Jen of ParTASTE
Find it in: Austria and Germany
Alpine dumplings gone urban: To say that I have a sweet tooth would be a massive understatement, so the suggestion of what sounded like a dessert being typically offered for lunch immediately had me drooling. Germknödel, steamed yeasted-dough buns with a warm plum filling, served in a pool of browned butter sauce or vanilla custard, are surprisingly airy and deliver the perfect combination of sweet, tart and rich flavors. When I visited Berlin last spring, I was ecstatic to find a little shop called Häppies, specializing in germknödeln. Traditionally, there is only one type of germknödel and it is found in the alpine regions of Austria and Germany. At Häppies, there are a variety of different germknödeln on offer including delicious savory combinations from chicken and gorgonzola filling with an apricot and rosemary glaze to a Sichuan pork filled dumpling topped with chili sauce. Although every germknödel we tried was delicious, the original is hard to beat; but I loved the idea of taking a classic, super regional dish and adapting it with flavors inspired by foods from different cultures around the world.

Dim Sum

Discovered by: Audry of That Backpacker
Find it in: China
A Hong Kong hunt for dim sum: When it comes to Cantonese food, dim sum is no secret! These steamed, bite-sized dumplings are as old as time, and I daresay this has allowed them to be perfected over many generations. When I travelled around Hong Kong about a year ago, one of my goals was to eat my way around the city. My quest for dim sum took me to small family owned shops, a Michelin starred venue, and even a glitzy restaurant inside the Ritz-Carlton – the dim sum was delicious across the board. My favorites turned out to be the shrimp dumplings (har gao), crispy BBQ pork buns (char siu bao) and pork dumplings (siu mai). What I like about dim sum (and why I think everyone should try it!) is that there is so much variety and it’s great for sharing. The best thing to do is gather a group of friends, order a bit of everything off the menu, and then sample it all. You’re bound to find something you like!

Com Tam Suon Op La

Discovered by: Steph and Tony of 20 Years Hence
Find it in: Vietnam
What to eat when you’ve had your fill of pho: For many, pho is Vietnam’s national dish, but in our opinion, nothing is more pleasing and speaks more truthfully to the spirit of this wonderful country’s vibrant cuisine than the humble “broken rice” plate. Never ones to let any ingredient go to waste, the resourceful Vietnamese created this dish to gussy up the otherwise unusable bits of rice that have shattered during the harvesting process. Topped with a pork chop grilled over charcoals, a fried egg with a perfect molten yolk, pickled carrots & daikon radish, a drizzle of scallion oil with some crispy pork fat and a tangy dipping sauce, this moreish delight features all the hallmark flavors of Vietnamese cuisine: salty, sweet, sour and just a little bit smoky too. Found predominantly in the southern reaches of the country, com tam is ubiquitous in Ho Chi Minh City and is best enjoyed when eaten on a tiny plastic stool with a cup of floral tea (tra da)—or a cold beer!—surrounded by locals.

Schmalznudel

Discovered by: Lauren of Madrid Food Tour and Devour Barcelona
Find it in: Germany
The art of frying dough, perfected in Germany: 2014 was a year filled with delicious food finds and narrowing them down is always difficult! But something that stands out as one of the best breakfast snacks I’ve ever tried is the schmalznudel in Munich, Germany. This is arguably the best fried dough I’ve eaten in any country I’ve visited, and I’ve tried many versions! Light and fluffy, the schmalznudel is made fresh and served piping hot with optional sugar. People line up throughout the day at popular Cafe Frischhut to taste them, but the earlier you go the better. No matter when you visit Munich, eating a schmalznudel is a must!

Vary Amin’anana

Discovered by: Margherita and Nick of The Crowded Planet
Find it in: Madagascar
Start your day off right the Malagasy way: In summer 2014, we fulfilled one of our long-standing dreams: visiting Madagascar. We spent 5 weeks touring the island and eating delicious French food, but traditional Malagasy fare left us underwhelmed. Except vary amin’anana, Madagascar’s signature breakfast dish. It’s a rice and green vegetable soup, delicious in its simplicity. Rice is the staple food of Madagascar; it’s eaten with all meals, usually accompanied by meat and spicy sauce, but the meat is usually so bony and fatty that it becomes hard to stomach, especially after a bone-rattling ride on the island’s roads. Vary amin’anana is the only Malagasy dish I really enjoyed. The broth is delicious and nourishing, and the mixture of rice and vegetables fills your belly, giving you energy for the whole day. Eaten with a sausage on the side, it’s a perfectly balanced meal! You can have it at every restaurant and hotely (traditional eatery) around the country, sometimes for as little as 25 cents.

Suan Tang Yu

Discovered by: Fiona of Life on Nanchang Lu
Find it in: China
This traditional soup proves that what grows together goes together: The Miao people of southern China have a unique cuisine that reflects their geographic isolation deep in the mountains of Guizhou. They grow everything they eat, and forage for wild herbs and edible fern fronds in the forest. Their most famous dish, suan tang yu (sour fish soup), shows this true locavorism – sweet fish grown in the waters of rice paddies are cooked in a rich, spicy tomato broth flavoured with lemon herbs and home-made rice wine. Miao cuisine is ancient, but I got to know it properly in 2014 thanks to travels in the area for a creative project.

Lab Khua

Discovered by: Mark of Migrationology
Find it in: Thailand
A hearty salad that will have meat-lovers begging for more: Lab khua is a dish from northern Thailand, a roasted meat salad, typically made with either minced beef or pork. Along with the meat, a blend of spices, that includes makwen, a spice related to the Sichuan peppercorn, is a key ingredient, giving the meat a citrus-like spiciness that slightly numbs the tongue. A plate of lab khua is usually topped with crispy shallots, and a handful of green onions and cilantro. Lab khua is a favorite dish in northern Thailand, always eaten along with fresh sticky rice. It’s a dish, packed with flavor that I never miss when I’m in northern Thailand.

Pasteis de Nata

Discovered by: Amanda of Maroc Mama
Find it in: Portugal
Lisbon’s most revered pastry: 2014 took us to over a dozen countries but the one food that has stuck with me is pasteis de nata in Portugal. These egg custard tarts are simply heavenly. They’re the perfect sweetness that you can eat two (because, trust me, you’ll want to) without feeling like you’ve overdone it. I like them best warm with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top but there’s no wrong way to enjoy them!

So what do you think, what was your favorite food in 2014?

We hope our foodie finds have encouraged you to get our and travel this year and we look forward to sharing more of our own food adventures with you. In the meantime, for even more mouthwatering inspiration and travel tips, make sure to visit Cook Sip Go, Eat Rio, That Backpacker, 20 Years Hence, Devour Barcelona, The Crowded Planet, Life on Nanchang Lu, Migrationology and Maroc Mama. Happy 2015!

A Small assortment of cicchetti. Photo by Pedro Sousa via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

An unfortunate combination of bad policy by local restaurants and lack of education on tourists’ part has resulted in a mass under-appreciation of Venetian gastronomy. But now, thanks to a renewed interest in cicchetti, traditional Venetian delicacies and mouthwatering local dishes are stepping back into the spotlight and have started to be enjoyed again by Italians and foreign visitors alike.

What are Cicchetti?

Cicchetti are small snacks, similar in concept to Spanish tapas, which are typically eaten accompanied by a small glass of wine, called an ombra. Some theories imply that the Venetian word cicchetto derives from the Spanish word chico, used to implicate something small, since the size of cicchetti is small like an appetizer. Historically, bàcari (wine bars) offered cicchetti along with the local house wine to be eaten standing at the counter of the bar. In Italian culture, a good glass of wine is always consumed with something to eat as it helps to avoid getting drunk unintentionally!

There is a great variety when it comes to different types of cicchetti and, depending on the creativity of the chef, they can be completely unique to a particular bàcaro or osteria. Cicchetti can range from uovo sodo con arringa (hard boiled egg topped with herring fillet), to acciughe marinate (vinegar marinated anchovies), to a small portion of seppioline alla griglia (grilled baby squid), to panino con il salame (a small bread roll filled with local salame).

Polpette, photo by Flavia Conidi via CC.

The most typical cicchetti, those which are most loved by Venetians and that you are guaranteed to find in almost every bàcaro, include succulent polpette (fried meatballs), slices of grilled polenta topped with mouthwatering creamy baccalà mantecato (creamed cod) and bite-size crostini with sarde in saor (sardines in an onion and vinegar sauce), just to name a few. Regardless of the specific cicchetti you encounter, they should all be freshly prepared and are generally created with seasonal and local products, as are all of the most authentic dishes found in Italy. Cicchetti can be ordered individually or you can opt for a cichetada, a platter which includes a selection of the house specialties. The price for an individual cicchetto ranges from €1.00 to €2.50 depending on the type and size.

No matter which cicchetti you order, they should always be washed down with an ombra of the local house wine. Ombra, which literally translates to “shade”, can refer to a small glass of red or white wine. One legend says that the name comes from the fact that Venetian wine sellers used to stand in Saint Mark’s Square selling wine from their stalls under the shade of the church tower. As the shade shifted, they moved their stalls, thus keeping their ambrosial drink cool.

The basilica in Piazza San Marco. Photo by Turinboy via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

The locals used to say, “Andiamo a bere all’ombra del campanile,” meaning, “Let’s go and drink in the shade of the church tower.” As years went by, the saying was abbreviated and now locals simply say, “Andiamo a bere un’ombra,” or, “Let’s go and drink a shade.” Another theory suggests that the term ombra comes from the fact that the small glass and serving size is only a “shade” of a proper glass of wine, so that is why the locals refer to it in that way! Regardless of which explanation you believe, the pleasure of a nice ombra, enjoyed in the company of friends, still lives on today, always accompanied by a cicchetto or two.

What Type of Wine Should be Ordered with Cicchetti?

The most typical wine to order with your cicchetti is a Veneto wine. Not many people realize that Venice produces the largest variety of red and white wines in Italy and it also produces the largest volume of wine in the country, most of which is consumed locally!

Wine serve on tap. Photo by Eric Parker via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

The best and most typical wines to drink in Venice are Prosecco, the light sparkling wine now famous internationally, Raboso, a light red wine with a little hint of peppery spice, Merlot, the most commonly consumed red wine in Venice, Pinot Grigio, a very common dry white wine on the Venetian table and Ribolla, a light but delicious white wine.

As is customary, all of these wines should be served drafted, from the tap. It is very rare that Veneto wine, apart from Prosecco, is served from a bottle in an authentic bàcaro. Typical Veneto wines are young, smooth, refreshing and cheap – an ombra will usually cost around €1.00.

An Aperol Spritz, in the making

If you aren’t in the mood for wine, you aren’t required to drink it when eating cicchetti. Instead, you can opt for a world famous Spritz, prepared with good quality Prosecco, sparkling water and a typical Italian aperitif of your choosing like Select, Aperol or Campari, according to how bitter you’d like your drink to be.

Andiamo per Bàcari

The social ritual of going out for drinks and cicchetti is referred to by Venetians with the expression andar per bàcari, meaning to go to wine bars. To andar per bàcari is about more than the destination – it means coming together to eat and drink in the company of friends, perusing the various local bars and making frequent stops in the best bàcari in the city.

In recent years it has become fashionable among young people to spend their Friday and Saturday nights andando per bàcari, but the older generation of local Venetians would do this every day as a sort of aperitivo ritual. Still today, it is not uncommon to see groups of men in their 70s and 80s going from one bar to another, having a drink and a nibble, chatting and enjoying a friendly, lively discussion! In general, the locals go for a quick ombra and a small cicchetto around lunchtime, before heading home for a family meal, or in the evening, around 6, again, before heading home for dinner.

Venice’s famous Rialto Bridge. Photo by Gnuckx via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

Traditional wine bars like Venetian bàcari have existed for a very long time. Already by the 1300s there were more than 20 bàcari in the area immediately surrounding the Rialto Bridge. With such a long history, it comes as no surprise that the etymology of the word bàcari has conflicting origins. According to some people, it comes from the name Bacchus, the god of wine. Others believe the term bàcari
comes from bàcaro, a type of wine from Puglia which was the most popular variety in Venice during the eighteenth century. Yet another explanation of the word comes from a legend in which a gondolier coined the term one day when tasting a new wine, exclaiming, “xe proprio un vin de bàcaro,” meaning, “it is a real wine of bàcaro,” that is, a wine to celebrate. The Venetian expression far Bàcara means, in fact, to celebrate, to party, and to eat and drink together!

Cantinone Già Schiavi,  a 19th century bàcaro run by the same family for generations. Photo by Tim Sackton via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

A typical bàcaro is often found directly overlooking narrow Venetian streets, it is small and has a very minimal interior space. Only a few bàcari offer seats: usually customers stand at the counter or in the street, so it is not unusual to see people sitting on bridges or by the canal’s edge, particularly if the bàcaro provides its customers with a boat mooring. To find a good Venetian bàcaro, look out for small crowds of people holding a glass of wine and a plate of cicchetti. When you spot a group like this, odds are that they are standing right outside one of their favorite local bàcari. The bàcari usually open around lunch time and again around dinner time, but some of them are open through the day continuously from around 11 in the morning until 10 in the evening – bear in mind that food will be scarce during hours that aren’t typical for eating!

The Evolution of Cicchetti

Nowadays, cicchetti can be eaten not only in bàcaro, but as starters in restaurants. When this is the case, the restaurant will generally list a selection of fish-based cicchetti, including ovuli di seppia (squid eggs), insalata di polpo (octopus salad) and gambari in saor (sweet and sour prawns). Cicchetti have also begun to spread in popularity outside of Venice and it is not unusual to find them in neighboring towns like Padova, the alleged home of the Spritz, and Treviso, the birthplace of Tiramisù.

A restaurant’s sarde and gambari in saor, quite different from what you’d find in bàcari. Photo by Voiello via CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Although cicchetti can be ordered in some restaurants, forgoing the sit-down cicchetti experience to andar per bàcari is not only the best way to enjoy good Venetian food and good local wines at reasonable prices, it is also a pleasant way to enjoy the real Venice, away from the hustle and bustle of typical tourist routes. The opportunity to discover the most authentic and genuine side of this enchanting city is the real key to understanding the Venetians and the pleasures of life in a place where no-one is in a hurry.

Have you ever tried cicchetti? Tweet us or visit us on facebook to share what you thought and tell us about your favorite Venetian Bácari!

Photo by John Keogh via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

Italy is full of what we would call, “restaurants,” though they would more appropriately be classified as, “eating establishments,” since a ristorante is merely a sub category of a larger group. If you wandered into a traditional trattoria in Italy, you would find that it’s a little bit less formal than a ristorante, that the food is more rustic than what a professional chef would normally prepare and that it is a truer representation of the local cuisine.

Photo by Sheeprus via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

Maybe you aren’t in the mood for a full service meal, but rather a made-to-order sandwich with home-baked bread and fresh sliced prosciutto; in this case you should head for the paninoteca. If you really know your stuff or have a local friend to show you the way, you can even seek out a late night paninaro, or sandwich stand, that will grill up the most delicious sausage, cutlet, or mozzarella sandwich you have ever had.

Photo by Niyantha Shekar via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

In this article you will learn about the most common different types of eateries in Italy. When it comes to eating, Italians have a place for every occasion; we recommend you try them all to ensure you get a true grip on the local Italian dining scene.

Osteria

Traditional osterie in Italy are all but extinct these days. A true osteria was a small, bar-like establishment back in the time of coal mining and Italian industrialism that had one or two communal tables available for siting down to eat. Osterie were locales where hungry workmen would come by between noon and two o’clock to get a plate of pasta and wine or a sandwich for the road. In some cases, osterie didn’t serve food but permitted you to bring a packed lunch, drink some wine and socialize. The idea behind a classic osteria was less about comfort and hospitality, and more down-home and informal, a place where you’d pay for some wine or food, take it or sit down for a quick break, and then get back to working.

Osteria del Sole in Bologna, est. 1465, is one of the oldest surviving osterie in all of Italy! Photo by Scott D. Haddow via Creative Commons

Nowadays, osterie are very much back in style in Italy, but they bear very little resemblance to their historic roots. Modern osterie, have menus, albeit short ones, that offer very simple food: pastas, grilled meats or fish and wine. These osterie are usually full service and you will pay the bill after eating as opposed to after ordering (so make sure to ask for it!). If the osteria is not full service, you will be expected to pay at a cash register before leaving. Prices are generally moderate but there are some more upscale osterie that use the word osteria in their names to evoke a charming, nostalgic sort of feeling.

Trattoria

Trattorie are a step up from osterie in terms of class. They more closely resemble a ristorante in their size and style of service, they offer a more extensive menu of rustic and traditional foods, but unlike ristoranti, trattorie are typically family run and specialize in home-cooked food. Like traditional osterie, trattorie can bring in a lot of their money from take out dining, sometimes having a deli section with cheeses and sliceable meats to send home with clients.

Milan’s Antica Trattoria della Pesa, family owned and operated since 1880. Photo by Bob Gorman via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

The use of the word trattoria has, in recent years, become a fashionable way for restaurants, both in major Italian cities and abroad, to make claim to their authenticity; but be advised, the traditional trattorie that you find in Italy should be more moderately priced, look and feel more casual than a typical ristorante and will offer food that is significantly different from what is served in classy, high-end restaurants calling themselves trattorias in the United States.

Ristorante

Ristorante is the word for restaurant, and it signifies the full-service dining establishment that we generally think of when the word comes to mind. Ristoranti are prized as the higher-end food businesses in Italy, you won’t be able to call in for take out but you can expect to sit at the table and pay a coperto to do so. You will be served bread, covered under the cost of this coperto, and will be brought bottles of carbonated or natural water. A ristorante will have an extensive menu with antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, and dolci.

Bologna’s century-old Ristorante da Cesari. Photo by Premshree Pillai via CC

A meal is at a ristorante is intended to be a relaxed and indulgent affair, so enjoy it and don’t go to one if you are in a hurry. If you’re looking for lunch during the day, especially in the larger cities, you should keep your eye out for ristoranti that have a menu fisso (pre fixe menu); what you see on the menu fisso board is all that they offer during those hours of service, so if nothing appeals to you, move on, but if you like what you see, menu fissos offer great deals. After you finish eating at a ristorante, your check will be delivered and, once you are done relaxing and the bill is paid, you can be on your way.

Bar

A bar in Italy is probably not what you are thinking. An Italian bar has no age restrictions and is similar to what many would consider a coffee shop, although in most of these establishments you can order some bottom shelf liquors, a beer, or a glass of wine. The biggest source of income for an Italian bar is the coffee that they serve. People in Italy go to bars at all hours of the day, ordering a quick espresso to keep them going.

Photo by Darren and Brad via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

In the mornings, bars are stocked with fresh baked pastries, usually delivered early and then heated up upon request. Around lunchtime you will find that bars stock five or six different sandwiches and sometimes even a primi in case you’ve come to eat something. Bars offer the best prices for grab-and-go quality food and are a very practical option if you need a quick coffee or snack on your way to a tightly scheduled appointment or to catch a train.

Bars are also conveniently located everywhere the eye can see; it is difficult to walk an entire block in most Italian cities without passing by one. Just like any counter-service food place, you pay your balance either before or just after your order is handed over. In a larger bar, you may have to pay at a separate register before you can order at the food counter. In this case, in order to get your food, you’ll have to turn in your receipt. If you aren’t sure what to do, watch what others are doing and just go with the flow, the barista is sure to send you in the right direction if you do the wrong thing. One last thing to note is that if the bar you visit has tables, the price for the same order will be higher if you sit down as opposed to eating at the bar standing.

Pasticceria

The English word for pasticceria is bakery or pastry shop. An Italian pasticceria is a type of cafe that produces and serves sweet and savory pastries, brioches, croissants and the like. Some pasticceria will also have fresh baked breads, meats, cheeses, olives, and wine, depending on the size of the space.

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck via CC

At a pasticceria, it’s likely that you will need to place your order at the register, take your receipt and then repeat your order at the counter and turn in your receipt. The casual style and fast-moving service at pasticceri make them a great place to stop in for a quick breakfast or to pick up everything you would need for a makeshift meal on the go or for picnicking.

Tavola Calda

A tavola calda, or “hot table”, is less of a type of eatery, and more of an additional piece of cooking equipment at a small food place. A bar with a tavola calda will offer everything a regular Italian bar offers, but will also have a small selection of pre-prepared hot dishes, usually including a few different pastas, risotto, and a meat or fish choice. Options typically don’t exceed three or four items, and the food is often served cafeteria-style and sometimes charged by weight.

Photo by Emily Webber via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

As opposed to many regular bars, a tavola calda will usually have a few small tables to sit down at, either inside or outside. Like normal bars, you pay at the register for your meal. A tavola calda generally only offers hot food for lunch, but it’s a great option for a quick and satisfying meal.

Paninoteca

Panino imbottito, or simply panino in Italian means sandwich, so logically a paninoteca is a place where you can buy sandwiches like panini and tramezzino, bread, cold cuts and cheese.

Photo by Andy Ciordia via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

Paninotecas are very similar to other establishments such as pasticcerias, but they specifically deal in fresh baked bread and artisanal grains. They quality of ingredients at a a paninoteca is higher than what you would find in a paninaro, but the selection is more limited.

Paninaro

Every once in a while, you will happen upon a food truck lined with open windows displaying a large selection of items. There are different types of these food trucks, but the vast majority are paninari, or sandwich carts. Foreigners often find it intimidating to eat from one of these trucks, but there is no reason to worry, eating from a paninaro is normal in Italy! Paninari serve delicious sandwiches; a sandwich on a bun-roll with three different ingredients, a meat such as sausage or chicken cutlet, a cheese like mozzarella or provolone, and grilled onions, mushrooms, or marinated eggplant, will costs about €6 or €7. And don’t forget the sauce! There are usually between four or five different sauces to choose for your sandwich or to add on as you please.

Photo by Curtis Perry via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

To find a good paninaro, ask the locals for a recommendation or look for long lines; the popularity of paninari has resulted in a lot of cheap knock-offs, and you want to try the real thing. Many paninari don’t open until late evening, hoping to attract the young, dance-club crowds, so if you have a particular paninaro you want to try, make sure you check the opening hours before going out of your way to find it.

Rosticceria

A rosticceria has been classified as a few different things in English, but it is generally considered a deli that specializes in roasted and sliceable meats. A rosticceria is different from a butcher in that it offers meat that has already been cooked, ready to be taken home. A rosticceria is the place to go if you would like to order a specialty roast or simply buy a professionally roasted chicken to bring home for the family.

Photo by Fiore Silvestro Barbato via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

With the growing popularity of butcher shops in Italy, rosticcerias are becoming less and less common, but it is worth it to look for a local rosticceria in isolated Italian towns; they are where you will find traditional regional meats that aren’t available anywhere else.

Autogrill

One of the few Italian eateries with an English name, the autogrill is basically a place for road-trippers to make a pit stop. Autogrill are conveniently located every so many miles off of the highways with large signs that you can’t miss. Most autogrills have an incorporated gas station and a bar where you can get a slice of pizza or a sandwich. Many of the bigger autogrill either have a franchise eatery like McDonalds inside or will have a sizable selection of ready-made foods or hot food that can be prepared quickly.

Photo by Jose and Roxanne via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

Autogrills also serve as edible-souvenir shops, offering specialty foods that you can only buy in a given region. Although it seems tacky, the quality of these foods is actually standard for the areas you’ll be passing and the price is usually not too high. Consider this an option for small gifts to bring home to friends and family, or simply stock up on snacks for the long road ahead!

Taverna / Rifugio

The Italian taverna was once an establishment found in the mountainous regions of Italy where a traveler could stop for the evening and order a hearty meal, drink beer or spiced wine and even stay the night. Nowadays, the correct term for these types of taverne is rifugio, or refuge. The the word taverna is outdated, but can still be heard in use in some small mountain villages.

Rifugio Garibaldi in Lombardy, Italy. Photo by Fred Inklaar via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

If you go to the mountains in Italy, you must make sure to stop and eat in a rifugio. Dining at a rifugio is a great way to get a taste of what the high north has to offer in terms of its cuisine; you are likely to encounter dishes that are so regional they are not found in any other country in the world, or even in most other parts of Italy. Rifugi are full service eateries so your check will be brought to the table, but you are usually expected to pay at the register before leaving.

Enoteca

An enoteca is a wine bar, or a bar where the only alcohol served is wine. In any given enoteca, you’ll find a generous selection of whites and (predominantly) reds from the local area and, depending on the size of the bar, they might also stock some imported wines as well as a very small menu of appetizers.

Photo by Angelo DeSantis via CC, adapted by ParTASTE.

An enoteca is a nice place to get a glass of wine and a snack before dinner, but keep in mind that most of them are too small to offer big apperitivi. If you stop by an enoteca in the evening, plan on having a substantial dinner afterwards, you can’t let yourself go hungry in Italy!

Photo by Levente Hernadi via CC.

As you can see, there are plenty of options when it comes to different types of places to eat in Italy. Although this list includes the most commonly encountered Italian eateries, depending on where you travel, you are sure to come across others that are more specialized like fiaschetterie, pizzerie, bacari and piadinerie. If you are anything like us, you plan your vacations and itineraries around what you want to eat. We hope that this list will help you have an amazing time in Italy, full of delicious meals and Italian treats!

What’s your favorite type of place to eat in Italy?  Tweet us or find us on facebook to share your tips for indulging in local Italian gastronomy!

Can you tell which cone is gelato and which is ice cream? left photo by Janine under CC, right photo by Alpha under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

The most important aspect of making gelato, like any food in Italy, is that it’s made with love. The first technical step to gelato making begins with a hot process that acts as a pasteurization tool. Gelato is produced using milk cream as opposed to the heavy cream used to make ice cream. The difference in cream type is a large contributor to the difference in gelato’s consistency. During the production process, less air is pumped into the mixture than is into normal ice cream, which makes gelato more flavorful as a result of higher ingredient density. The lower air content also means that the serving temperature of gelato is warmer than it is for ice cream, resulting in a texture that is smother and more creamy.

There are a few different types of establishments that sell gelato in Italy. Depending on the place, the method of payment for gelato also varies. In major cities, there are always four or five gelaterias on the main corso. Most gelaterias display their gelato in a window which doubles as a counter, making it easy for you to pass by and grab a cone or cup of heavenly cream. When this is the case, you simply walk up to the counter, order your gelato and exchange the money as your gelato is handed over.

left photo by John Spooner, right by Sandra Cohen-Rose, both under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

There are, however, many bars that double as gelaterias, especially in vacation areas and near the beaches. Most of these bars have a separate register that is located away from the gelato counter and, before you order your gelato, you must pay at that register. This effectively means that, when the bar is busy, you will have to wait in two lines. But don’t worry, even on the busiest days you’ll never wait for more than about 10 minutes, and lines are generally a good sign, it means the gelato is worth waiting for! When you order and pay for your gelato separately, you should tell the person at the register if you prefer a cup or a cone and what size you’d like. They will take your money and give you a receipt. Once you have your receipt, hold onto it and head over to the gelato counter. Give the barista your receipt and tell them which flavors you would like, or if you aren’t sure, you can ask to try a couple of things before choosing. The barista will serve your gelato, pass it over the counter, and then all you have to do is enjoy your frozen treat!

photo by Rebecca Siegel under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Unfortunately for many travelers, most of the very best gelaterias in Italy go undiscovered by visitors as they are found off the beaten path or in smaller towns, run by artisans who have dedicated their lives to the art of gelato making. At most of these places, English is not spoken, which is really unhelpful for those wanting to try some truly artisan gelato who don’t speak a lick of Italian. Although most people working in the service industry in Italy know some basic English words that apply to their business, it’s a good idea for you to learn some vocabulary in Italian so you can order with confidence if you do manage to find a diamond-in-the-rough Italian gelateria. A phrase to be on the lookout for is fatta in casa. This phrase signifies that the gelato at that gelateria is made fresh and on-site every day; in fact, it’s against Italian law to post a sign saying fatta in casa unless that is the case.

The first thing you will be asked when you order gelato is coppa o cono?, cup or cone? Almost all gelaterias will have three or four different sizes of cups, but usually not more than one or two choices of cones. Pay attention to the number of scoops that correspond to each cup or cone size; most gelaterias have a board above the counter with illustrations showing how many scoops you get for each. Why is this important? Because you are expected to choose a different flavor for each scoop! It is rare that Italians ask for the same flavor for more than one scoop. In fact, a barista will know with certainty that you are not a local if you select a size that comes with multiple scoops but only choose one flavor. If you do decide to stick with several scoops of the same flavor, you will probably get a strange look or two, and if you discover a really authentic gelateria, the person taking your order might think they misunderstood what you are ordering.

photos by Robyn Lee under CC

Flavor mixing is a big part of the gelato lovers’ culture, and with such an enormous variety of flavors, the possibilities are endless. When you arrive at a gelateria, among the array of different gelati flavors before you, you’ll find there are two different categories of gelato: sorbetto, or fruit gelato, made with some water in the mixture creating an even lighter texture and crema which is usually flavored with chocolate, cream-based or nut flavors. As mentioned earlier, most gelaterias, especially in tourist-frequented areas, will understand what flavors you want even if you order in English. If you decide to seek out a small independent gelateria, you would be wise to learn a few simple words to indicate the flavors you want when ordering:

Classic gelato flavors. photo by David van der Mark under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Sorbetti:
Fragola (frAH-gola) – Strawberry
Limone (lee-MO-nay) – Lemon
Melone (me-LO-nay) – Melon
Frutti di Bosco (Froo-ti dee boh-sco) – wild berries (literally “forest fruits”)
Arancia Rossa (Ah-rahn-cha row-sah) – Blood orange
Pesca (pEh-sca) – Peach
Mela Verde (Mel-la Ver-day) – Green Apple

Cream:
Cioccolato (Cho-co-lAT-tow) – Chocolate
Vaniglia (Vah-NI-yla) – Vanilla
Nocciola (No-chO-lah) – Hazelnut
Pistacchio (Pea-stA-kyo) – Pistachio
Fior di Latte (Feeyor di lat-tay) – Milk cream
Zuppa Inglese (Zoo-pah eeng-les-ay) – Custard (literally “English soup”)
Bacio (BAh-choh) – Hazelnut and chocolate (literally “kiss”)
Caffe’ (cah-fay) – Coffee
Cocco (COh-koh) – Coconut
Stracciatella (Strah-cha-tel-la) – Chocolate chip
Amarena (ama-rEn-na) – Amarena cherries and cream

These are some of the most popular flavors, although among these you will find many, many more, including specialties unique to individual gelaterias. A good example of this is a flavor called Puffo, which means “Smurf”. Puffo is not offered in all gelaterias and, strangely, when it is available, it can represent a variety of flavors rather than always indicate the same thing. Some people have reported Puffo to taste like anise or licorice, others bubble gum, and others still blue raspberry. Some people really like Puffo, and others not so much. Whatever flavors you happen to encounter at a gelateria, feel free to ask for a sample before diving in and ordering!

photo by Romana Klee under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

As far as we’re concerned, gelato is one of the biggest tourist attractors that Italy has. I mean, how many times have you heard someone advise to “Eat lots of gelato!” or “Have a gelato for me!” upon finding out that someone they knew was traveling to Italy? Gelato has become so popular that businesses emulate it in different countries. Is it the same? Almost always, the answer is no, not exactly. The fact that so many people try to replicate traditional gelato production techniques shows that it is held in high esteem worldwide. Like anything that becomes popular or trendy, businesses have hopped on the proverbial bandwagon and take shortcuts in making gelato to meet their bottom line and stay competitive. As a result, there are now many gelaterias that produce their gelato using chemicals and artificial flavors to save on production cost. Fortunately, the difference between good and bad gelato is easily identified just by looking.

The very best gelati do not include artificial flavoring, but because artificial flavors are cheap, there are many gelaterias that use them. To tell which gelaterias use artificial flavors, simply look at their sorbetti. Any fruit flavored gelato should be the color of the fruit itself when crushed and blended, this means that banana will look a little grayish and pale, rather than bright yellow. Frutti di bosco should be a deep purplish pink color, not bright red. Green apple will be nearly white, not bright green. The color rule also applies to nut-flavored gelati; pistachio will not be bright green but a much deeper and less appetizing color, but don’t worry, that’s a good thing!

This gelato looks great, but towering mounds of gelato are a sign of artificial additives. Photo by Hiro Kobashi under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

While strolling the main corso of a popular Italian destination, you will see tons of gelaterias with their windows open, showing off rolling mounds of gelato. This certainly looks appealing, and it does its job to attract tourists, but to create the volume found in this type of gelato, a coagulating agent is added in with the ingredients. Not only is this unnatural but the chemicals alter the flavor of the delicate cream. An all-natural gelato should be lying flat in metal bins, and sometimes will even be covered with a metal lid for preservation. Metal bins do a better job of maintaining the temperature of gelato, so if you see plastic bins, it’s a sign that the gelato probably contains stabilizers that help keep it from melting. Gelato should always be served with a small paddle, not a spoon. Spoon scoopers, tall gelato mounds in plastic bins and bright, fake colors are all telltale signs of an industrial gelateria. If you’ve tried this kind of “fake” gelato, you would probably agree that there is no such thing as ‘bad’ gelato, but if you compare chemical-infused gelato to the real thing, there will be no doubt in your mind that the later is the version that people rave about when returning from Italy.

Have you tried gelato in Italy? Tweet us or find us on facebook to share your favorite gelato flavor pairings!

Photo by Federico Fasce under Creative Commons License, adapted by ParTASTE

Trofie al pesto is a prime example of this. Trofie is a short, two inch, hand-twisted pasta typical of Ligurian cuisine. Making trofie by hand gives their shape a bit of irregularity, resulting in a midsection that is a little bit denser than that of your average pasta shape. Because of this, trofie have a hearty consistency and the ridges created by twisting the dough helps to hold pesto better than any other shape of pasta. This does not mean that pesto must always and only be served with trofie, but the two are always found together in traditional style Ligurian dining.

Learning all of the typical pasta sauce and shape combinations would be a daunting task for anybody. However, there are some shapes that you would do well to remember. Pastas can be generally grouped by shape and those groups tend to have loose guidelines when it comes to sauce pairings. If you learn these foundations, you’ll be able to seek out the best pasta for the sauce you intend on making.

Pasta Lunghi

When pasta is produced, it is shaped in one of two ways: by hand or by extrusion through a die to achieve a desired texture and form. Long pastas tend to be less complex in shape and are cut in large pieces that call for wrapping around a fork before eating.

Strands: Long strand pastas are among the most popular and include the world-famous spaghetti. Considered “the original” pasta by many, spaghetti is an Italian restaurant staple, whether served with a fine seafood and tomato broth or simply with olive oil, butter, and Parmesan cheese, a typical preparation for children whose “tummies are hurting”. Long strand pastas that are similar to spaghetti include
capelli d’angelo (angels hair), which is thinner than spaghetti, and vermicelli, which is thicker than capelli d’angelo but thinner than spaghetti. When serving a long thin pasta, it’s best to use a sauce that is relatively light. Smooth, thin sauces, such as those that are tomato or oil based, spread well and are perfect for coating long strand-shaped noodles like spaghetti.

Cacio e pepe, where the sauce is simply melted Pecorino Romano cheese. Photo by Luca Nebuloni under CC License, adapted by ParTASTE

Tubes: Tube shaped pastas are more common in short varieties, but there are a few major types that are found cut into longer pieces. The most well known long tube pasta is buccatini. Buccatini are straw-like in shape and resemble thick spaghetti with a hole running through the center.

A classic pasta / sauce paring is Buccatini all’Amatriciana. All’Amatriciana indicates that the sauce is in the style of Amatrice, a small town in the Lazio region of Italy. In Amatrice, this type of sauce is actually served with spaghetti, but Roman adaptations of the dish popularized the use of buccatini over spaghetti. The sauce is made by simmering tomato with guanciale (cured pork jowl) and sometimes garlic. When the sauce is ready, it is mixed with the pasta and served with pecorino cheese. Further adaptations of the original recipe as adopted into Roman cuisine include onions in the sauce and the use of percorino romano which has a stronger, saltier flavor than the pecorino used in Amatrice.

Buccatini all’Amatriciana. Photo by Stu Spivack under CC License, adapted by ParTASTE

Beyond buccatini, other notable long tube pastas are perciatelli, with the same shape but a slightly thicker width than buccatini, and fusilli bucati, a hollow noodle with a corkscrew shape that is available lunghi or corti (short). Long tube pastas are great for holding sauces similar to those paired with regular spaghetti, but they have the added bonus of the hollowed center and thicker texture, which makes them particularly good for stronger flavored, fluid sauces that can fill the center of the pasta, making it extra tasty.

Ribbons: Ribbon pastas are flat noodles which can often be found fresca or secca and they can be made by hand fairly easily. One of the most well known ribbon pastas is fettuccine. Other prominent varieties are tagliatelle and paperdelle. The smooth, flat surface of ribbon pasta makes it good for pairing with sauces that are rich or creamy. The more surface area the pasta has, the more robust of a sauce it can handle, which is why you will find a thick pasta like tagliatelle paired with hearty meat sauces like ragù alla bolognese.

Tagliatelle with ragù alla bolognese. Photo by Surtr under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Pasta Corti

Pasta corti refers to pasta that is cut short or made into many small pieces. The more complex varieties of short pastas can only be produced commercially while short pastas with filling are usually best when made fresh and by hand rather than with machinery.

Shaped: Shaped short pastas are rather hearty and their ridges, nooks and crannies make them good for pairing with rich sauces, particularly those which include bits of meat or veggies. Farfalle, which means “butterfly”, is the popular bow tie pasta which has long been a children’s favorite, particularly when paired simply with butter and Parmesan cheese. With a relatively simple form compared to other short shaped pastas, the smooth, large surface of farfalle is perfect for holding decadent cream based sauces. Other well recognized short shaped pastas that would do well to hold a more rugged sauce include fusilli corti, rotini and orecchiette.

Hand-shaped orecchiette. Photo by Giuseppe Masili under CC License, adapted by ParTASTE

Tubes: When it comes to short tube pastas, the variety can be overwhelming. A couple of the most common form are penne and rigatoni. Coming from the Latin word for “quills”, and Italian word for “pens”, penne are the small cylindrical pasta with opposing ends that angle up and down. Penne can be found with ridges running through them or with smooth sides and are most famously paired with arrabbiata, an “angry” (spicy) sauce made with tomato and chili peppers.

Penne all’arrabbiata. Photo by Yasmina under CC License, adapted by ParTASTE

Coming from the Italian word rigato or “ridged”, rigatoni are cylindrically shaped, furrowed pasta tubes that are a little bit bigger than penne and have blunt rather than angled ends. Rigatoni comes primarily from southern and central Italy, a fact that means you are most likely to find it paired with ingredients from those regions. The shape of short tube pastas makes them incredibly versatile and, as a result, you’ll find them used in everything from pairing with chunky sauces to baking in casseroles to mixing with vegetables as pasta salad. Rigatoni is the perfect example: it is just as well served with a rabbit ragù as it is with a fish and cherry tomato sauce. The possibilities for cooking with short tube pastas are abundant thanks to this shape’s fantastic adaptability.

Pasta Ripiena: Pasta ripiena refers to pasta that is filled with cheese, meat, fish, or vegetables. Outside of Italy, stuffed or filled pastas are often referred to as ravioli, but in reality there are many different kinds of stuffed pasta with distinct names based on their particular shapes. The origins of stuffed pasta were reputed to be a way to use leftovers that caught on and spread all over Italy. Today, many fresh stuffed pastas can be purchased at pastifici (pasta stores) across Italy. Although what’s available in terms of filling is likely to change depending on region and seasonality, 3 typical shapes that are often sold by a pastificio are tortelloni, agnolotti and ravioli.

Tortelloni, along with tortelli and tortellini, are some of the oldest types of pasta ripiena. Many foreigners who enjoy Italian food with any sort of regularity are familiar with tortellini. Tortellini, tortelli and tortelloni share a similar shape but are of different sizes; small, medium and large, respectively speaking. The large size of tortelloni results in a shape that resembles a triangular pillow. You will find this type of pasta ripiena throughout different regions in Italy, many of which will be called by a different name and found stuffed with whatever ingredients are present in the region and are in season at the time you are visiting, ranging from veal to lobster to pumpkin filling.

Tortellini in brodo (broth) from Bologna. Photo by Pug Girl under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Agnolotti are a poorly understood type of stuffed pasta that resembles ravioli but are much smaller and are generally made into a rectangular shape with cylindrical shaped filling. No one seems to know whether the name agnolotti comes from a supposed creator of the pasta shape, Angelot, or if it simply comes from the latin word “anellus”, which means ring and could be meant to describe the shape of the filling inside agnolotti. Traditionally, agnolotti was stuffed with meat and vegetables, but nowadays it can be found in many restaurants stuffed with a wider variety of different ingredients.

Agnolotti al plin, a small, pinched variation of agnolotti. Photo by Alessandro Vernet under CC

Ravioli, arguably the most universally adopted form of pasta ripiena, is a square shaped filled pasta, resembling a pillow, made from two sheets of fresh pasta with filling sandwiched in between. Like tortelloni, ravioli can vary in size, the smaller version being called ravioletti. One of the more ubiquitous fillings for ravioli is spinach with ricotta cheese, but like most pasta ripiena, ravioli fillings are found with a great deal of regionally influenced variety.

Freshly made ravioli. Photo by Robert S. Donovan under CC, adapted by ParTASTE

Despite so much diversity in types of pasta ripiena, a few things ring true about filled pastas even when speaking generally. First of all, they are typically reserved for special events or holidays when they are made at home, as preparing enough of them to feed a lot of people, or even a single family, is not easy. Although pasta ripiena can be purchased dried or frozen in some cases, fresh pasta ripiena is always best, no matter the shape or the filling. Finally, when it comes to sauce pairing, you want to choose something that doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the pasta or the filling. Typical sauces include those that are butter or cream based, a light tomato sauce, or even a simple broth or light gravy for some varieties.

Time to Get Cooking!

If you’ve been following along with the earlier installments of this series, by now you know pretty much everything you need to prepare a pasta dish with delicious flavor and texture that rivals those served in Italy. From dos and don’ts for cooking pasta, utensils to employ when eating and appropriate pasta toppings to a little insight into the food traditions of Italy, we hope you’ve enjoyed this series and that it will help you up your game in Italian-style entertaining.