A Brief Introduction To Italian American Cuisine

By Essie Craft

When people think of Italian American cuisine their mental image is likely to be influenced by popular culture. Typically it tends to be from films and television series that depict gangsters meeting up to discuss matters while eating large amount of pasta in rich red sauce. Naturally this is just one version of this type of food!

The food may have originated in Italy but has developed distinctly from the food served in Europe. One of the major differences people tend to notice is that the food served in the United States tends to focus more on meat and tends to be served in larger portions and with thicker amounts of sauce. This is certainly the case with spaghetti and meatballs, the dish that is often the first thing that people think of when they think of Italian American cuisine.

Another thing to remember is that the food can change depending on where the generations of immigrants into the United States came from. A lot of the foods that people have come to associate with this kind of cuisine come from people whose families originated in Sicily, Naples or Calabria.

What the first wave of immigrants to America from places such as Sicily discovered was that meat was more plentiful and therefore they were able to create bigger portions, something that has since come to be associated with this rustic style of food. Indeed because a lot of the first wave came from Sicily a lot of what is thought of Italian is in fact Sicilian, with some other dishes more commonly associated with Napoli or other parts of the country.

Another difference is that Italians tend to have small plates of pasta as one small course. This tends to come just before a main serving of meat. In the United States you are more likely to get larger servings of spaghetti and meatballs. One reason for this is said to be that in Europe at that time meat was relatively scarce whereas in the United States cheaper meat was easier to come by and therefore could be served in larger amounts.

While this type of rustic food is typically associated with this it is by no means the only option available. In recent times there has been more development and more chefs are looking at classic dishes and putting their twist on them. This has resulted in a fine dining version of that takes the basic elements of dishes like chicken parmigean and refines them a bit more to create a different style of cuisine.

Neither the traditional or more modernised versions of these foods are right or wrong. It is a matter of taste. Plenty of people come to Chicago or New York in order to experience a deep pan pizza in their classic style while equally others may want to try a lighter variation on this type of food. What you choose depends on the kind of experience you want and the level of authenticity that you would like. You may want the opulence of fine dining or somewhere a bit more informal and relaxed.

The point is that Italian American cuisine is always developing. While it is possible to get spaghetti and meatballs the way Mama used to make it there are a range of other options as well. It is worth looking online to find restaurants in your local area that serve authentic dishes or new twists on the classics as well as feedback from other diners in order to find the best ones!

About the Author:

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