Traveling to a foreign land is not complete without tasting the local delicacy and menu of the place. It wouldnt definitely be complete to travel in Italy without tasting the countrys own pasta and pizza. Just imagine, its like visiting the United States without tasting their burger, shake, fries and hotdogs. Its a must to dine out at least once at an Italians local restaurant, autogrill, osteria or the trattoria. But before you engage yourself to the sumptuous Italian dishes, you have to painstakingly order something right? Dont be scared in reading the Italian words in the menu. The thing is that, menus in Italian restaurants are entirely done in the Italian language. To clue you in further, you only need to know the food under Italian descriptions which follow the order of the meal. It is common in Italy to serve different plates for specific orders so expect to find groups of food under certain categories like before meals, main course and dessert. To translate the Italian categories from the menu, we start with food like mozzarella in carrozza or crostini. These types of food are served before the meal so its called L’antipasto in Italian. First course servings already include pasta, risotto and soup (zuppa). It is called Il Primo in Italian. Next is the second course serving and it includes heavy meals and it is also regarded as the main course. Meat, poultry or fish are what this meal offers and it is called by Italians Il secondo. Then, theres also the side dish and dessert after the main course. Usually, the Italian side dish consists of melanzane (eggplant), spinaci (spinach), or insalata mista (mixed salad), yes, its all vegetables and its called Il contorno by Italians. Now the dessert is plainly called Il dolce and as always, its mostly sweets. There are a wide variety of desserts served in Italian restaurants but most of it is made of custard. There, now that you know how to properly identify Italian food from a menu, you can now truly enjoy your meal and your stay in Italy.

High-quality bell peppers, summer squash and cucumbers may not have arrived in the farmer’s markets yet, but they’re crisp, fresh and abundant at the supermarket-and most likely imported from Mexico. Many people don’t realize that Mexico exports far more than just chiles, avocados, tomatoes, limes and other produce you think of as being in Mexican food. Bell peppers in several colors, summer squash in many varieties, and different varieties of cucumbers are just as commonly available from our warm and sunny neighbor to the south. Mexico has exported high-quality produce to the U.S. for more than 100 years. All Mexican produce undergoes strict quality and safety assurances before it crosses the U.S. border, so you can know it’s safe and fresh. Plus, it’s healthy: Red, yellow and orange bell peppers are high in beta-carotene and vitamin C. Standard-sized cucumbers are just 39 calories each. And yellow squash and zucchini are an excellent source of magnesium. Try these vegetables in salads this month, or sliced on sandwiches, or in a stir-fry. You can even use summer squash and red bell peppers in your salsa. Zucchini & Red Pepper Salsa 2 pounds zucchini (look for small to medium ones) 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into a small julienne 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro Trim and dice zucchini, and place in a medium bowl. Add julienne of red pepper, cucumber, red onion and chiles. Dress with olive oil, lime juice and salt, and toss to incorporate. Gently stir in cilantro and serve with yellow or blue tortilla chips, round slices of jicama, or thin slices of French bread. Makes 8 servings.

Wine connoisseurs regularly boast about their fine Italian wine collections and rightly so. Even if youre not a connoisseur, by the end of this article youll be able to put your best Italian wine forward. Italy is best known for its Moscato, Barolo, Chianti, and Soave; but there are numerous varieties just waiting to be enjoyed. Italy produces more wine than any other country and it produces the largest selection of wines. When you choose an Italian wine, even if you have no wine buying skills, the odds of finding a poor one are very slim so relax! Wine from the Piedmont region provides red wines that are light bodied and refreshing. This is where the famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines come from. The Barbera grape appears in full body reds. The Dolcetto grape is light bodied and distinctly dry. The Nebbiolo grape is responsible for the dry, full body wines of the area. The Moscato Bianco is the grape responsible for the sparkling white wines from the area. And then there is the indulgence of Chianti from the Tuscany region. Chances are youve indulged in this lovely wine if youve ever dined in an Italian restaurant. The popular region wines include Chianti, Brunello, Vino Nobile di Monepulciano, and Vernaccia de San Giminagno. The Sangiovese grape with its robust flavor is used in medium and full bodied red wines. Vernaccia is the grape of choice for a variety of sweet and dry white wines. You can order wines from Italy in any color, style, or flavor; but if you want to be sure you are choosing a good Italian wine look for the DOCG classification. This doesnt guarantee a better tasting wine, it just indicates level of quality thats been maintained for at least 5 years which puts the odds in your favor. Remember this easy rule of thumb. Reds go with red meats and whites go with white meats. Its a simple rule that goes a long way in helping choose a wine for your meal. Italians strictly regulate their wines within four classification from tightly regulated superior wines to lenient regulations and creative innovation. The are as follows: 1. DOCG is the strictest of the regulation levels. Output yield is regulated; the wines composition is analyzed; there is a minimum alcohol content; and there are minimum aging periods. 2. DOC is the qualification of all quality wines. Output yield is regulated; origin is regulated; there is a minimum alcohol content; there are minimum aging periods; and grape variety is regulated. 3. IGT is classified as excellent value for the cost. There are less quality restrictions, as well as wider territories; and grape ratios are not regulated. 4. Table Wine is the wine that is consumed on a daily basis in Italy. It includes some of the most expensive wines and some of the least expensive wines. The level of alcohol is regulated and so are the wine making techniques. Now wasn’t that simple? You are on your way to being a connoisseur of Italian wine!

With the fast pace and competitiveness of American society, dining out is a way of life for many people. Americans eat out an average of three to four meals a week. Unfortunately, in many cases, restaurant food often contains a lot of fat, sugar and sodium for taste and preservative value. It is possible, however, to eat healthy and choose wisely if you’re skilled at special ordering and knowledgeable about food preparation for different cuisines. Tips: Hold or limit guacamole and sour cream. Two tablespoons of guacamole has about 50 calories and four grams of fat (72 percent fat) and two tablespoons of sour cream have 45 calories and five grams of fat (100 percent fat). Hold or limit the chips. A typical basket of chips contains 1,040 calories and 43 percent fat. Hold the cheese or get it on the side. A one-inch cube of cheese has about 100 calories and eight grams of fat (75-percent fat). Skip or limit the chile con queso dip. One cup has about 529 calories and 31 grams of fat (53 percent fat). Drink light beer or a wine spritzer instead of a margarita (90-100 calories versus 250 calories for the margarita). Split orders and take home half in a doggie bag. Share the praline or sopapilla, if you must indulge. Be aware of: tortilla shells, chorizo (Mexican sausage), deep-fried, refried beans, “served over chips, stuffed or covered with cheese or bacon,” cheese sauce, queso, guacamole, sour cream, sauces (con queso). Go for: flour tortillas (2-3 grams fat), corn tortillas (1 gram fat), soft tacos, marinated, simmered, grilled chicken, shrimp, fish, pinto beans, Mexican rice, black beans, hot peppers, served with salsa, covered with enchilada sauce, salsa verde with tomato, lettuce, onion, mole, tomato.

Go to any family restaurant with Italian dining in mind and you are likely to order chicken parmesan, pasta alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, or maybe a pizza. It is easy to think that some pasta, some marinara sauce, a crust of Italian bread and a glass of wine is the beginning and end of Italian cuisine, especially if you grew up in the United States.There is much more than red sauce and starch on the agenda for most Italian regional cuisines, and with all of the various regions and cultures in the boot on the ocean, Italian regional cuisines have as much range as your average New York City block. There is the tourist region of Tuscany, on the northwestern coast of Italy. Tuscany is sought out for its simple but delicious dishes, seasoned sparingly with basil, parsley, and thyme. Tuscan bread and a little bit of olive oil is a big part of the seafood dishes of the Tuscan region. Abruzzo, a little known treasure in the middle eastern section of the boot mixes chili peppers into almost all of their dishes. Like many other regions in Italy, there is a mixture of mountain and seafood dishes. Pasta is very often a first course, instead of a part of a stew or entre. Most of the chefs in the Abruzzo region are skilled at hand rolling their own stuffed pastas, and crepes are used in meat dishes, rolled in savory sauces or put in to broths. Polenta is enjoyed with hearty sausages and rich, meaty sauces. Sardinia, an island off of the western coast of Italy is home to a rich fishing tradition as well as a beautiful mountainous inland landscape. This, in addition to a rich heritage of not only Italians, but also Arabs, French, Greeks, and Spaniards, has made the island home to a diverse culture of seafood and meat dishes spiced with fennel and saffron. Stews and rich, hearty pastas make up a large part of the local cuisine in Sardinia, as well as sheep milks cheese. Emilia-Romagna is perhaps the most sought out region of Italy in terms of local cuisine. It is often called the market basket of Italy. Located in northern Italy, Emilia-Romagna is home to many of Italys most renowned dishes, like Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and balsamic vinegar. Chefs in the Emilia Romagna region have a penchant for gregarious presentation and rich spices. Much like the American idea of Chinese food, the American idea of Italian food is only the tip of the iceberg. Italian regional cuisine is marked by the countrys locality to northern Africa and other Mediterranean countries, as well as a diverse local landscape, ranging from mountains to oceans. Sheppards, shopkeepers, farmers, and fisherman all contribute to one of the most diverse cultural cuisines in the world. Next time you are in the mood for Italian food, try something a little bit different than your usual spaghetti and meatballs, maybe a saffron seafood stew or a polenta. Rest assured, you wont think of the words Italian cuisine the same again.

Just south of the United States and bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, Mexico is quickly advancing both culturally and economically. The devaluation of the peso in 1994 threw the Mexican economy into a frenzy, lowering their per capita income to a mere quarter of that of the United States. Through repeated social and economic turmoil, the rich cultures of the original Yucatan civilizations has remained, though somewhat jaded after their emersion from under Spanish rule in the 19th century. It isn’t hard to research the rich history of Mexican cuisine. When the Spaniards first landed in Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) they carefully chronicled every aspect of life there in Mexico, especially the food and cooking techniques of the natives. During their observations, they noticed that the Mexicans had a lot of corn-based foods. This was due to the fact that maize was Mexico’s chief crop at the time. A lot of these notes have carefully been preserved in the name of history–not that that is necessary. The Mexican culture has continued to live on through food, if through nothing else at all. Be warned: Mexican food is not for the faint of stomach. Consisting of such rich, heavy foods as tortillas, chili peppers, and beans, many bodies cannot take the richness and spiciness of Mexican cuisine. Mexican food is one cuisine that will always have a taste and sabor (flavor) all its own. Present-day Mexican food is a mixture of original Mayan and Aztec cuisine combined with the influence of the culture of the Spanish conquistadores. While Tex-Mex and local “authentic” Mexican restaurants have become very skilled in mastering the style of Mexican cooking, there is no comparison between the Americanized “restaurant” version and the real thing. Mexican food is known for its wealth of spices and intense, deep flavoring. Tortillas are the staple of Mexican cuisine. Tortillas are made by curing maize in lime water, kneading the mixture into a dough, and cooking the thin patties on a flat grill. The most common tortillas in the United States’ version of Mexican food are made of corn, although this version of the corn tortilla is quite unlike the original, authentic version. Authentic corn tortillas are made by hand on a flat grill (called a comal). The corn is ground by hand, resulting in thick tasty tortillas that the grocery store versions pale in comparison to. Flour tortillas were implemented only after the Spaniards introduced wheat to the Mexican region. Chiles are another staple in traditional Mexican cuisine, adding color and dimension to many traditional Mexican dishes. Bell peppers, tabasco peppers, and paprika peppers add the color and the flavor kick that Mexican food is so known for. It is also important to take into consideration that Mexican cuisine varies in reference to the region it is coming from or being made in. Northern-style Mexican food normally consists of dishes with a lot of beef, while southern-style Mexican cuisine consists more of chicken and vegetables such as bell pepper, radishes, and broccoli, more than anything else. Veracruz is also another common style of Mexican food, coming from the coastal areas in Mexico. Veracruz cuisine, which was named after a state in Mexico and its largest city, consists of seafood such as fish and shrimp. More indigenous areas have even been known to incorporate spider monkey and iguana into their meals. Especially while in Mexico, “Mexican Food” does not always imply tacos and burritos. Authentic Mexican cuisine is not to be confused with the Americanized Tex-Mex or New Mexican food (versions of Mexican food in Texas and New Mexico).