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Learn to Make Italian Food

Italian food has long been amongst the most popular food in the world. Everyday people all over the world sit down to meals of fresh Italian food that tastes so good it’s hard to imagine making it yourself. However, there are some people who are up to the challenge of learning to make quality Italian food. For some it is not just enough to enjoy Italian food, they need to create Italian food. There are many options today for learning to cook Italian food. Some people live in areas where there are no Italian food cooking classes. Others may feel too self conscious in order to go to an Italian food class. But there is an option for everyone that wants to learn to cook Italian food whether they want to become a world class chef or if they just want to not be intimidated by a pot of boiling water and a handful of spaghetti. The great thing about Italian food is that it has great dishes that are simple to make for the beginner and complex dishes that take world class chefs years to master. There really is something for everyone.

The first option to learn to cook Italian food is cooking classes or cooking school. If you want to become a professional Italian food chef then you will want to attend an accredited cooking school. There are many different culinary institutes in the United States and around the world that can help you specialize in Italian food. Research the different options and decide which will be best for you and will help you meet your goals. Some things to consider are tuition and location. You can attend school abroad or in your local area. If you want to start work right away after graduation at an Italian food restaurant, then see what kind of help the different schools give in job placement after graduation.

Going to school to become a professional Italian food chef is very challenging but in the end it is extremely rewarding to know that you can craft some of the finest Italian food in the world. For those not wanting to necessarily become professionals, you can look into local cooking schools or community centers that offer lessons in cooking Italian food. You can learn to make specific regional Italian food or just take a few classes to teach you how to cook a meal for a special occasion to impress friends or family.

Another great option in today’s world is to learn how to cook Italian food right from home. Today it is possible to take classes in cooking Italian food off of the internet. This is a great option for people who are self conscious or like to take things at their own speed in a comfortable environment. There are both paid and free cooking classes online that can help you with your Italian food skills. Research the different programs available and see what is right for you. Be sure to also check out reviews of online programs and see if previous students feel that they really learned how to cook Italian food from the course.

You can never be too careful online, but once you find a school that you like that has good reviews, don’t hesitate to jump right in. Before long you’ll cooking up fabulous Italian food dishes that previously seemed impossible.

Italian Food on a Date

Want a romantic night out on the town? A fine Italian food restaurant is a safe bet. Italian food has always been romantic and here are some tips to picking a great restaurant.

It’s important to pick a place that serves authentic Italian food; otherwise your date will come off looking like a cheap imitation of the real thing. How do you know what’s authentic? Simply look at the menu; if you understand it, it’s not authentic enough. You’re looking for more Italian food than just spaghetti and pizza. You might also want to talk to some people who work at the restaurant. When I’m looking for an authentic Italian food experience I definitely want the people behind the food to know more Italian than English. If everyone there seems too American you can bet the food is going to be more American-Italian than authentic Italian food.

Once you find a place with a good menu the next step is to learn to understand it. You won’t make a good impression on your date if you order something and are then shocked to find out what it is when it gets to the table. Decide beforehand what you’re going to order and learn how to properly say it in Italian. Then, find out what Italian food your date likes and pick out some recommendations from the menu beforehand and learn how to say them. When it comes time to order and you’re reading off your selection from the menu like an Italian food connoisseur you’ll really impress your date.

Now, Italian food isn’t Italian without a good wine to go with it. Any respectable Italian food establishment should have a nice selection of wine. This is a must for your romantic date. Research what wine will go best will the Italian food you’re ordering. Don’t be scared to ask the server, that’s what they’re there for. However, also be aware that they know it’s easy to rack up your check with expensive wine. Italian food was meant to be enjoyed with wine, so do take some time to make sure you’re getting a good wine for both the food and you’re budget.

Now that the Italian food and wine are squared away, the next thing to look for in a restaurant is ambience. There are really two ways to go on this one. The first is with a more traditional fine dining restaurant with dimmed lighting and maybe some romantic music in the background. This is an excellent choice. However, sometimes the most authentic Italian food can be found at small family owned restaurants with more of a home feeling about them. This can be equally as romantic as long as the restaurant isn’t loud. There you can enjoy not only good Italian food, but it will also be a memorable experience for your date. If the restaurant doesn’t have candles or a flower on the table you may be able to add that romantic touch by asking if you can bring your own candle and rose to decorate the table. Your date will be really impressed with your initiative when your table is distinctly nicer than the others.

Following these steps will lead to an excellent Italian food experience for you and your date. Find the right restaurant and you’re sure to have a romantic evening eating fine Italian food.

Cheap Italian Food in Milan

One of the highlights of traveling to Italy is naturally the Italian food. Milan in particular is a fashion and food capital of the world. With so many choices for good quality Italian food it can be hard to decide where to eat at times. Travelers are also frequently overwhelmed with how much there is to do in Milan or may only be in the city for a few days. The food here can also be very expensive and not for the budget conscious traveler. However, there must be an alternative to the ever ubiquitous McDonald’s? Surely there is a way to eat cheap Italian food in Milan? Time and budget constraints often prevent tourists from enjoying good Italian food, but that need not be the case in Milan.

Milan is home to yet another Italian food innovation. It is quite simply known as Ciao. Ciao is a fast Italian food restaurant that serves up fresh Italian food made on the spot with a friendly price tag. Unlike American fast food chains, Ciao serves quality Italian food. For those a little leery of anyplace claiming to have quality Italian food fast, let me point out that there is not set menu at Ciao. The menu changes daily in order to provide the freshest Italian food that is in season. Ciao serves all manner of hot Italian foods along with snacks, alcohol, and espresso. It’s a self service restaurant so you just fill up your plate and then pay at the register. With the low price tag Ciao also presents tourists with an opportunity to try different Italian foods without worrying about the money should you not like it.

Another great feature of Ciao that endears it to American tourists is the fact that it is open all day. Ciao is one of the only options for Italian food after lunch and before dinner. In Italy many of the Italian food establishments close between meals leaving only the American fast food imports open. If you’re a tourist and visiting Milan for the first time, then it can be hard to fit everything into your schedule and get meal times in when most of the restaurants are open. Plus, many people don’t want to spend the time it takes to eat at a typical Italian food restaurant, choosing to instead see the sites. It’s a real shame that people save up for vacations to Italy and end up eating at McDonald’s because of lack of time or money.

Many people don’t know a place like Ciao exists before they leave home so take this opportunity to plan it into your Italian vacation now. In fact, you won’t even have to stop looking at the sites while eating quality Italian food at Ciao. Be sure to check out the Ciao outlet at Piazza Duomo. Get your food and head over to the third floor of the Duomo Center and grab a table. The view from this vantage point is simply amazing and will provide a nice backdrop to your meal. Italian food doesn’t have to be expensive when in Milan and you don’t have to carve large blocks of time out of your vacation in order to experience fresh Italian food, just go to the nearest Ciao and soon you will be dining on quality Italian food in the heart of Milan.

Buying Italian Food Online

There seems to be a trend today to return to authentic Italian food. People are no longer satisfied with the Americanized Italian food that is often served at restaurants, especially chain restaurants. There is also a move to make more and more Italian food at home. People like to have control over the food and make healthy substitutions or personalize Italian food recipes. This is due in large part to the internet. Before the internet people who wanted to make or buy authentic Italian food had to hope that an Italian family or international market had setup shop in their town or a neighboring city. Also, the Americanized version of Italian food became popular because it was easy and cheap to make. However, with the internet people can now learn online in the comfort of their own homes the secrets to making good Italian food and now that shoppers can buy directly from the source it is cheaper to buy ingredients and prepared food.

The internet is truly opening doors not just in Italian food, but in all international cuisine. But, you do need to be careful when shopping for Italian food online. The first thing you want to do is make sure that the vendor you are buying from is as close to the source as possible. If you are looking for a specific ingredient then look for a vendor that specializes in that particular area. This will help you maintain an authentic taste as well as cut on the costs if you’re not dealing with a middle man. See how long the vendor has been in business and what their experience is with Italian food. There are dozens of these Italian food specialty shops online, you just need to find the ones that you feel most comfortable with.

Another thing you want to pay special attention to is the shipping charges, especially if you are buying from another country. In Italian food there are many non perishable items and you will want to buy them in bulk since it is cheaper to ship it in the same order than to order it again. Avoid any online vendors that charge you shipping per item since all your purchases will be shipped together. The bulk of the shipping should be charged with the first item you order and rise gradually with each additional item. Many vendors will just charge flat rate shipping or you may be able to find specials with free shipping. Make sure you also read the fine print to understand all their charges. You don’t want to be surprised by any processing charges or other extra fees.

When buying Italian food online it is also important to look at the company’s return policy. A vendor should be willing to take back any food that is spoiled or ruined upon delivery. Italian food depends on fresh ingredients and online shopping is a great way to get not only the ingredients, but whole Italian food dishes already prepared. Just make sure you don’t get stuck paying for Italian food that isn’t fresh. These days online Italian food companies have mastered shipping fresh food to make sure it arrives fresh at your doorstep.

Demand the best from the vendors you deal with. If you haven’t already, take the plunge and try buying Italian food online. You might discover a new favorite, or experience another side of Italian food without having to go out to a fancy Italian food restaurant.

Anchovies in Italian Food

Anchovies are a very important part of the flavor of Italian food. However, many people, even fans of Italian food claim to not like anchovies. Some people have bad memories of smelly little fish on pizza that have forever tainted their view of Italian food that includes anchovies. Unbeknownst to many of these people is the fact that anchovies are widely used in Italian food and it’s likely that some of their favorite Italian food dishes are made with anchovies.

These small and often misunderstood fish are used extensively in Italian food and there comes a point when it is impossible to enjoy Italian food without running into these little guys. Anchovies are a small saltwater fish. They are only about three inches long but pack quite a flavor. There are six different species of anchovies that are used in Italian food. From April to September is the Sicilian anchovy season and these species are lighter in flavor than the Spanish anchovies that make up a bulk of the anchovies used in Italian food.

Anchovies must quickly be preserved in order to keep the flavor that is wanted for Italian food intact. The most traditional way to preserve anchovies is packed in salt. This is the best way to guarantee an authentic Italian food flavor. Soon after the fish are caught they are cleaned and washed in salt brine and then set out to dry. The fish are then layered in round tins with sea salt in between each layer. The tins are then left to season for up to two months. A weight is placed on top of the tins in order to compress the fish and remove any extra fluids and fat from the fish. After the curing time is up they are sealed up and shipped off to be used in different Italian food dishes around the world.

Another way to preserve anchovies is to pack them in olive oil. This is similar to the above method of preserving, except that after the seasoning period is over the fish are again washed and the scales, skin, and bones are removed before placing the fish in jars or tins of olive oil. There are other ways to preserve anchovies for use in Italian food, but none are as popular as these first two. Anchovy paste is readily available, however this paste does not have the anchovy flavor that is desired for Italian food and instead ends up tasting just plain salty.

When using anchovies in Italian food it is important to rinse them first. They are much too salty the way you buy them and you want to wash away some of the excess salt. If you are shopping for anchovies to use in a specific Italian food dish, make sure to buy just enough for the meal you are planning. Anchovies do not last very long once opened and should be used right away to ensure the flavor. If you have leftover anchovies then wash them and put them in a jar of olive oil. Seal the jar and place it in the refrigerator. This will only buy you five more days but if the fish are left in the tin after opening they will begin to get a metallic flavor that will ruin your Italian food.

Now you know a little more about this Italian food favorite. The next time you see anchovies listed as an ingredient at your favorite Italian food restaurant go on and give it a try; you might be surprised at how good it is.