L'amore Italian Restaurant

  • L'amore Italian Restaurant
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Menus
    • Dinner Menu
    • Cocktail Hour Menu
  • Reservations
  • Galleries
    • Food Gallery
    • Restaurant Gallery
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Leave a Review
  • Contact

June 4, 2021 by Kim Abbott

The Story Of The Tomato And Why It Is Essential For Delicious Italian Food

Chances are the dish you order tonight will feature the tomato.  From tomato sauce used in pasta entrées to tomato sauce specific to pizza, diced tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, and beyond, tomatoes serve a wide variety of purposes in Italian food.  However, most people don’t know much about the tomato’s origin.

The Tomato’s Roots

Most people are surprised to learn tomatoes have been available to Italians for only a couple hundred years.  In fact, no one in Italy knew about the tomato prior to the Columbian Exchange.  The tomato was first cultivated in South America and Central America.  It is here where the Aztec culture used tomatoes for all sorts of delicious dishes.  In fact, the Aztecs enjoyed tomatoes for several centuries.  The etymology of the word “tomato” stems all the way back to the Nahuatl word “tomatl” which means fruit. 

Once the Spanish conquered Central and South America, they brought the tomato back home to Europe.  The Spanish also brought all sorts of other veggies, fruits, and even some animals back to their European homeland.  There is some debate as to when the tomato made its way to Italy.  Historians believe tomatoes reached Italy in the early to mid-16th century as this is the time when tomatoes were first featured in the writing of Italian authors such as Pietro Matthioli. 

It is particularly interesting to note Matthioli and other Italians believed the tomato was poisonous.  As a result, Italians originally used tomatoes as decorative plants.  Tomatoes were gradually implemented in Italian cooking in the years to follow.  The Spanish taught Italians how to cook tomatoes in pans, typically mixing them in with onions, eggplant, and squash.  Tomatoes quickly took off in popularity as they infused delicious flavor into all sorts of Italian dishes.

Fast forward to the 18th century and tomatoes were popular with Italian chefs and everyday people.  In fact, some Italians during this time period boiled tomatoes and sealed them in airtight containers to preserve their flavor throughout the entirety of the year.

By the time the 19th century started, Italians were using tomatoes in everything from pasta dishes to Margherita pizza and beyond.  Italians soon traveled to Argentina, Brazil, and United States in large numbers, spreading their culinary methods across the globe, ultimately putting the focus squarely on the many different creative uses of tomatoes. 

Now that you know the story of tomatoes, it is time to dig into your entrée and taste the magic of this flavorful fruit.

 

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: History of Tomatoes, Italian Cuisine, italian food

January 3, 2021 by Kim Abbott

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.

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: Cuisine, italian food, traditions

November 5, 2018 by Kim Abbott

You can Thank the Italians for These 5 Cheeses

When you think of Italian food, pasta certainly comes to mind but so does cheese. The Italians are famous for their variety of delicious cheeses that have made their way into the American diet. Read on to learn about five of the best cheeses to come out of Italy. 

1. Parmesan Cheese

This cheese is named after the area around Parma, where it originated.  Parmesan cheese is a hard cheese with a grainy texture, a strong aroma and sharp, savory flavor. In fact, it is considered to be the cheese of all cheeses according to cheese connoisseurs. It tastes best sprinkled over pasta and used as an ingredient in soups and risottos. Italians love to munch on it as a snack, as well.  

2. Gorgonzola Cheese

Hailed from the Gorgonzola region, this cheese is soft and crumbly. It can be made into a sharp or mild flavor, depending on its age, and has a nutty aroma. It’s an "old-world" blue-veined cheese made from unskimmed cow’s milk and takes up to four months to create. Serve it with red wine and your favorite pasta dish.

3. Mozzarella Cheese

Originating from the regions of Puglia, Molise, Abruzzo, and Campania, this famous Italian cheese is semi-soft with a stringy texture.  It’s white in color and has a milky flavor and aroma. In the past, mozzarella cheese was made from buffalo milk but today it is made from cow’s milk. Unlike most cheeses, mozzarella cheese doesn’t need to age. It’s eaten fresh. It tastes great on salads, meats, and with fish and vegetable dishes.

4. Provolone Cheese

From the Po valley Region, provolone cheese is firm and grainy with a mild or sharp buttery taste and pale yellow color. As an artisan cheese, provolone is semi-hard with a pleasant aroma. It has high amounts of calcium and protein but is also high in salt. Provolone goes wonderfully with red wine and served with fresh, homemade bread still warm.

5. Ricotta Cheese

This fresh Italian cheese is made from either sheep, cow, goat, or buffalo milk whey that is left over after making other types of cheese. It’s smooth, tastes sweet, and is high in protein but low in fat. It goes well with many Italian dishes such as lasagna, cheesecake, pizza, clazone, ravioli, manicotti, and more. Ricotta can also be used as a sauce thickener. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: cheese, italian, red wine

October 1, 2018 by Kim Abbott

5 Foods You Probably Didn’t Know are Italian

Every culture around the world has its own authentic cuisine, delicacies, and everyday food. Italy is no exception. In fact, Italian food is one of the most famous types of cuisine found around the world, often with a local adjustment made.

When it comes to Italian food, however, we automatically think of spaghetti, pizza, and minestrone soup, for example.  But there is more to Italian food than meets the eye. Read on to discover five foods that you probably didn’t know are Italian in origin.

1. Calamari

This yummy appetizer is served in many restaurants in the United States, not just Italian ones, but did you know that calamari is an authentic Italian dish? Calamari it typically sauteed in lemon and oil. Some restaurants add hot or banana peppers to add extra flavor to the squid, which comes in deliciously shaped rings or tentacles.

2. Cow’s Face

Cow’s what? Yup, that’s right – cow’s face. In Italy it’s called “Muss’ e voooi” and is considered a delicacy in the south. You can find it sold by vendors and restaurants, especially during festivals, and can be eaten in a sandwich. Maybe so you don’t see its face?

3. Sea Urchins

You know those black prickly creatures you try not to step on when reef snorkeling? Well, Italians love to eat them. In fact, the spikes we are so afraid of are the best part to eat of the sea urchin.  It’s prepared baked or steamed to get at the meat inside the shell.  Add a dash of lemon for extra flavor or add it to your spaghetti sauce for an authentic Italian meal.

4. Eel

Known as “Vigilia di Natale,” eel is another favorite dish in Italy. Eel is prepared roasted, grilled, or fried and is considered a cherished traditional Italian dish served on Christmas Eve.

5. Rabbit

Rabbit meat is eaten throughout Italy. On the Island of Ischia off the coast of Naples, rabbit in white wine sauce is a favorite. In Tuscany, they tend to eat hares, which are bigger than rabbits. No part of the rabbit goes to waste, with Italians consuming the kidneys and even the brain, along with the rest of the rabbit’s organs.  The meat is a great addition to a spaghetti sauce or served grilled.

While there are likely many more Italian food you have never heard of or simply didn’t know are traditionally Italian, the five listed above can doubtless be found in any Italian restaurant in Italy.

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: calamari, italian food, seafood

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 11
  • Next Page »
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Menus
    • Dinner Menu
    • Cocktail Hour Menu
  • Reservations
  • Galleries
    • Food Gallery
    • Restaurant Gallery
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Leave a Review
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Menus
    • Dinner Menu
    • Cocktail Hour Menu
  • Reservations
  • Galleries
    • Food Gallery
    • Restaurant Gallery
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Leave a Review
  • Contact

Visit Us

3159 E Lincoln Dr
Phoenix , AZ 85016
Phone: 602.381.3159

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Credit for most photos: Kay W. Eskridge: Images By Kay

Our Hours

Lunch
TBD.
Dinner
Mon – Sat: 4pm–9pm
Saturday Dinner: 4pm–9pm

Sunday Closed

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

Holiday Closures: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, sometimes Christmas Eve (call to check), Christmas Day

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework