Interesting Facts About Italian Cuisine

Sheila R. Vitale is a pastor, teacher and founder of Living Epistles Ministries, which, for more than two decades, has focused on teaching the word of God through the publishing and distribution of Christian literature that covers a wide array of topics. To date, Sheila Vitale has written over 20 books providing information on various issues. Outside of her professional work, she has a passion for food and traveling. Italian cuisine is her favorite type of cuisine.

Italian cuisine is well-known around the globe and various renditions of the cuisine have been seen in different countries. Despite the popularity of this type of fare, there are many facts about Italian food and customs that you may not be aware of.

1. Garlic is not common in authentic Italian food. Italian cuisine is delicious because it emphasizes the use of fresh, flavorful ingredients and not the use of too many spices. Even though garlic bread is a staple in many Italian restaurants, it's hard to find in Italy.

2. Spaghetti and meatballs is unfortunately not an Italian dish, as Italians love to separate their protein and pasta.

3. Italian cuisine focuses heavily on the quality of ingredients with each dish typically being simple with only a few ingredients. Italians want you to taste each ingredient in their food so quality is key.

4. Italian espresso has less caffeine than American coffee. This is why Italians take their espresso at night or with a dessert.

5. Salad isn't considered an appetizer. Instead, Italians love to eat their salad after meals as it contains roughage which helps in digestion. Salad dressing in Italian foods is kept simple with virgin oil and vinegar being common.