L'amore Italian Restaurant

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What Are The Top Italian Dining Traditions?

If you are thinking about having an Italian dinner, then you need to stay up-to-date on the top Italian dining Traditions. When people think about Italian food, they commonly think about delicious pasta, unique pizza, and meals that are bursting with flavor. At the same time, so truly get the entire Italian experience, it is a good idea to think about a few Italian dining traditions. What are a few of the top points to keep in mind? 

Bread And Pasta Do Not Go Together

First, it is important to highlight the role that red plays an Italian mule. Obviously, Italy is known for its delicious bread. At the same time, bread is also meant to be eaten first. Bread is a starch. Famed Italian pasta is also a starch. Therefore, they should not be eaten together. Bread should be eaten first. Once the bread is gone, the main course can be brought out. Be sure to eat bread like an Italian. This usually means with a soup or salad course. 

Coffee Is Only Allowed After Dinner

In Italy, coffee is seen as a way to help you digest your meal. Therefore, drinking it with the main course is seen as misguided. Therefore, coffee is always reserved for after the meeting. There are lots of variations on coffee including espressos, cappuccinos, and more. All of them are meant to be consumed after the meal is done. Furthermore, the caffeine in these drinks can help you stay awake if your body is tempted to fall asleep after eating a delicious Italian dinner. 

Italians Share Their Dishes

When you go to a restaurant in the United States, you are probably used to ordering a dish that is meant for you. This is not how it is done in Italy. An Italian dinner is meant to be shared. The goal is to try as many different dishes as possible. Therefore, Italian dishes are usually served on large plates that are meant to be passed around. This will also help facilitate conversation during dinner. Never try to eat all of the food on a single platter. This will be seen as rude. 

Eat Dinner Like An Italian

These are a few of the top traditions and etiquette tips to keep in mind when it comes to eating an Italian dinner. There is something special about Italian food. It is always packed with flavor. Make sure that you enjoy it like an Italian as well.

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Important Differences Between Olive Oils Used in Italian Dishes

When it comes to olive oil, the generic brand available at the local store simply will not suffice.  True Italians know there are hundreds of varieties of olives used to make the many different olive oils.  The olive oil used in a particular meal largely hinges on the specific appetizers and entrée served.  Tasty olive oil is slightly pungent and bitter yet does not overwhelm the palate.

The fresh olives’ fruitiness should emerge along with subtle pepper flavor.  In combination, these elements should form a well-balanced flavor with a lovely aroma and lasting taste.

No two Olive Oils are Exactly the Same
Some olive oils have a clean and crisp mouthfeel while others are comparably sweet and smooth.  When the words “light” or “extra light” are used to refer to olive oil, they describe taste strength as opposed to the number of calories.

Filtered and Unfiltered Oil
Unfiltered olive oil that has a rustic look and small amounts of skin/pulp might look quite tasty and authentic yet this is not always the case.  Excessive filtration or filtration performed incorrectly has the potential to affect aroma and flavor yet filtration is generally viewed as a positive as it prolongs shelf life.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is made in a mechanical manner without chemicals.  This is the highest grade available to it is not processed as much as other varieties.  This comparably high quality of extra virgin olive oil creates a litany of health benefits.

Olive Pomace Oil
Olive pomace oil is the oil extracted with the use of solvents stemming from the olive pulp after it is crushed.  Olive pomace oil has more of a neutral and bland taste with an elevated smoke point, making it perfect for meats and other foods that are deep-fried.

Virgin Olive Oil
Virgin olive oil is not the highest quality, sometimes providing a sensory defect.  Give virgin olive oil a try and you might find it tastes slightly similar to mushrooms.  Some virgin olive oil tastes like vinegar.

Regular Olive Oil
Refined or pure olive oil, typically referred to as regular olive oil, is virgin oil put through a refining process either with chemicals or charcoal.  However, solvents are not used to create refined/pure olive oil.  In some instances, refined or pure olive oil is combined with virgin olive oil for improved taste.

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An Inside Look at why Water is the key Ingredient for Delicious Pizza Dough

It is often said New York City has the best pizza because of the city’s superior dough.  However, the little-known truth is it is the water in pizza dough that makes the difference between a bland taste and taste that makes a truly indelible impact.  Indeed, New York City has the “champagne of waters” so it certainly makes sense its pizzerias have some of the best flavors in the land.

However, New York pizzerias are not the only ones with access to flawless water.  Give our pizza a taste and you will agree our dough is just as good as that of any pizzeria in the Big Apple.

Why Water Matters for Pizza Dough Taste

When it comes to pizza, most people are focused on the sweetness and flavor of the sauce, the freshness of the toppings and the crunchiness of the crust.  Water is often overlooked yet it is of the utmost importance.

It is not only the quantity of water that matters but also it’s quality.  Pizza dough consistency is largely dependent on the type and quality of water used.  In particular, water hardness, purity, and acidity are especially important.

We test the pH of our water to guarantee it has the optimal acidity.   Proper water acidity level ensures the dough ferments as it should.  The alternative is to let hard water’s comparably high alkalinity minimize dough yeast activity, ultimately rendering flat dough that proves unfulfilling.  We strive for water with a pH slightly below 7.

Water Purity

Pure water is necessary to make a delicious pizza.  Water with an elevated chlorine level compromises pizza dough culture.  This is precisely why we test our water chlorine level with regularity.  Rest assured, the water used to make our pizza dough and other doughs used in our dishes is as pure as possible.

Water Hardness

Water hardness is a reference to the level of magnesium and calcium as measured by parts per million or ppm for short.  Hard water has in excess of 200 calcium/magnesium ppm.  Soft water is characterized by calcium/magnesium with less than 50 ppm.

We strictly use water with medium hardness, measuring between 100 and 150 ppm to create pizza dough with unparalleled taste.  This precise level of water mineral content is necessary to properly feed dough yeast and facilitate the fermentation process for truly unbeatable pizza.

Give our world-class pizza a taste and you will agree it is delizioso.  Our secret is our water but – shhh – don’t tell anyone!

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5 Italian Dishes MOST Kids Love

Do you have a child who is a picky eater? Or just the opposite? A kid who loves to try new foods?

Either way, you’ll score big in the kitchen when you make these Italian dishes that most kids love.

They’re easy to make at home and your kids can even help! Read on to discover some Italian meals that will please everyone’s palate at lunch or dinner time.

1. Spaghetti and Meatballs

Mmmmmm. Noodles. Who doesn’t love noodles? And when you pair them with hearty marina sauce (it’s ok you can use it from the jar) and meatballs, they’re even better. This is an easy meal to make, as well as inexpensive, that your kids will surely love. Give them some tasks, such as stirring the sauce, helping form the meat into balls, and setting the table. Finish the meal with a yummy, fresh salad to help with digestion – the Italian way.

2. Italian Style Pizza

Otherwise known as Neapolitan, this Italian style pizza is sure to make a hit. It is made from a round and flattened (can you say thin crust?) base of leavened wheat-based dough. Top it with tomatoes, cheese, and any other toppings you want. Then bake it. For the kids, have them “decorate” the pizza with their favorite toppings.

3. Roasted Veggies

It can be hard sometimes to get your kids to eat vegetables. But with this Italian recipe, they’ll love their veggies. You can use any veggies you want, so have the kids choose which veggies they’d love to roast, such as baby potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and more. Cut and place them together in a large mixing bowl. Add your favorite Italian seasoning and olive oil and then transfer to a lightly-oiled baking sheet and stick them in the oven. Yum.

4. Calzones

Calzones are basically folded pizza. They are made from salted dough and baked in the oven. Stuff them with your kid’s favorite meats and cheese, like pepperoni, salami, ham, parmesan, and mozzarella. Sneak some veggies in there too.

5. Gelato

For dessert, offer this Italian favorite. The main ingredients are milk and cream. The best flavors are vanilla, chocolate, or anything fruit based. If you decide to make it at home, have the kids do the churning. Otherwise, pick some up in the frozen dessert section at your local grocery store for a new twist on dessert time.

 

 

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3159 E Lincoln Dr
Phoenix , AZ 85016
Phone: 602.381.3159

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Credit for most photos: Kay W. Eskridge: Images By Kay

Our Hours

Lunch
TBD.
Dinner
Mon – Fri: 4pm–close
Saturday Dinner: 4pm–close

Note: We're closed from 3pm–4pm
Sunday Closed

Happy Hour
Mon – Fri: 4:00pm–6:00pm
No happy hour on Saturdays

Holidays: Closed Thanksgiving Day
Open Christmas Eve
Closed Christmas Day and Day after Christmas

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