Delicious Delicacies

Some of my all-time favs that can only be fully appreciated in their respective countries

My host family was originally from Rome (Roma), so they made a lot of dishes typical of that region. Above are Suppli, which are the smaller, Roman version of Arancini. Arancini, are actually Sicilian and usually more circular in shape. Suppli, on the other hand, are usually made from Riso simmered in a tomato-based sauce, formed into oblong-ball shapes with fresh balls of mozzarella pressed into the middle and then fried.

Dishes Typical to Le Marche (The Region I lived in)

Polenta was one of my favorite dishes, and a winter staple. It can be made in various ways. My host grandma made it with a Ragu and Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGCRmgG5y2c - youtube video of an authentic Italian g-ma making polenta this way

Polenta can also be made with mushrooms, olive oil, spices and beef. I enjoyed this dish at a Rotary meeting in Italy. My Rotary club in Italy was all about eating. They got together once a month to eat like a five course meal. I tried some really unusual food at these Rotary dinners, like pigeon (piccione) and cow tongue (lingua di mucca). I wasn't really into either. If you were curious, pigeon tastes a little like chicken and is considered a Christmas-time delicacy (no I don't have a picture unfortunately).

Cappelletti are filled with a mixture of minced meat (either beef, pork or chicken) parmesan, nutmeg, lemon zest and casatella (or mascarpone). My grandma would make everything by hand, including the pasta sheets. The broth is very important for flavoring, and of course you can't forget some more parmesan to top it off! https://eatlikeagirl.com/make-san-marinese-cappelletti-brodo-christmas-lunch/

Another common dish was verdure gratinate al forno. My host families used eggplant (Melanzane), tomatoes (pomodori) and zucchini (zucchine). They'd top the vegetables with breadcrumbs (pangrattato), oregano, olive oil and parmesan. Then, they'd put them in the oven to roast. We often ate meals with a type of bread called crescia (but foccacia is the bread in the picture). https://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Verdure-gratinate-al-forno.html

During my exchange I got to visit my friend Luca, who was from Germany. She got some slack in Italy because Luca is a name reserved for boys, and they are pretty traditional when it come to those things. Anyways, she was staying in a town called Ascoli, which was known for its olive all'ascolana. They are fried olives stuffed with celery, carrots, onions and minced meat sautéed in white wine and then fried. https://www.thespruceeats.com/stuffed-fried-ascolana-olives-recipe-2017689

Dishes from the Region of Puglia (my host mom's bestie originated from there)

My host mom's best friend lived on the Adriatic sea, so freshly caught seafood was not hard to come by. One day she brought back sea urchins for us all to try, whose spines still moved when you touched them. All she did was crack them open and smear the raw insides on cracked bread. I tried it, but it resembled the brine of the ocean on my tongue just a little too much. A bit fishy if I do say so.

There was this weird, very hard bread you couldn't eat unless you soaked it in water for a bit. Sound weird, but it was actually pretty good. I was told they like it in the south because it can be stored for long periods of time and used whenever, saving you a trip to the grocery store. My host mom's friend confessed that southerns are all lazy, probably from the extra sun, and practically have chairs glued to their butts 24/7. Not going to lie, it's kind of true. The city was always dead for about three hours after lunch, and they didn't even eat lunch until 2/3, because everyone just takes a nap. Contrary to the stereotype, this isn't what everyone in Italy does.

My Favorite Italian Fruit

Have you ever hear of persimmons (Cachi)? They are an autumnal fruit that Italians like to eat with a spoon. They let them ripen to a point that any sensible American would probably consider tossing them rather than putting them anywhere near their mouths, but it really does make the fruit melt in your mouth.

Baked hazelnuts are also really good! They eat them ALL THE TIME in the winter. All you do is slit holes in the tops and put them in the oven.

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American Dishes I Missed While Abroad

My family's mac & cheese recipe. Always a staple at family parties. The secret is loads of velveeta cheese. Super healthy, I know, but I grew up eating it.

All hipster food doesn't exist in Italy. That means no avocado toast, cauliflower hot wings (which my roommates make fun of me for eating so much), breakfast wraps or kombucha.

Some Other Things you Can't Find in Italy

• Meat alternatives (Good luck finding veggie patties, tempeh or even tofu. I never saw any of them in the year that I was there)

• Brunch/breakfast foods that we enjoy most: pancakes, bacon and eggs.

• Marshmallows that actually taste good

• Most of the processed snack food we love so much (cheez-its, gummy candies)

• Avocados and other fruits that can't be grown locally

• Peanut butter