L'amore Italian Restaurant

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November 16, 2016 by Kim Abbott

Healthy Eating the Italian Way

When you think of Italian food, you may think of many savory and indulgent things that would send the average American dieter’s head spinning. But, if you visit Italy, you will find that they are much fitter than you would expect. As it happens, they have many customs that help to keep them healthy that we could really learn a great deal from.

Here are four ways Italians keep their scrumptious menus on the table without breaking their belts.

Italians eat a small breakfast

Breakfast consists of coffee with milk and sugar, a small croissant or biscotti. Just enough to get the day going, not an enormous plate of eggs, bacon, waffles and syrup. And definitely no processed junk food. Breakfast is a small event. Lunch is the most important meal of the day and they save room for it.

Italians eat only fresh food

You would never catch Italians eating out of season frozen ingredients or frozen meals. If it’s not in season, they don’t have it. There’s no prepackaged low fat, sugar-free, non-fat nonsense. They eat a lot of fresh fish, leafy greens, tomatoes, zucchini, artichokes, eggplant, olives, lemons, and capers because these things are always available. Don’t expect to go to a restaurant and have your meal served within twenty minutes. They expect that you will take your time and enjoy your company so they will serve you at a leisurely pace, unlike a typical American restaurant.

Italians move

They walk constantly. They walk for business and they walk for pleasure. Italians stroll through the main streets, lakes sides, the old town, and piazzas just for the sheer enjoyment of being outside- and the calorie expenditure really adds up. Most people will walk 40 minutes to an hour after eating dinner each night and, if you follow their example you’ll notice how good it feels. It improves the quality of both sleep and digestion.

Italians eat small portions

They will usually have primo (a small serving of pasta) and secondo (a preparation of protein and veggies) courses with their meals. If you told the average carb-avoiding American dieter that she should be eating pasta along with the main course she’d be shocked, because the American conception of a serving of pasta and an entrée are about three times the size of an average Italian serving. They take a small serving of pasta and because they know another course is on its way- as well as a serving of fresh fish, or meat with veggies- they don’t stuff themselves. And because they’ve already had their pasta course they won’t eat much of what comes after. It’s a nicely balanced way to eat! A good rule of thumb is to never have a serving of anything larger than one’s own hand.

There is a good chance you have never enjoyed genuine Italian dishes. Stop on in for dinner at L’amore Italian Restaurant to experience the taste of real Italian food.

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: Cuisine

November 1, 2016 by Kim Abbott

Italian Food You Would Have Trouble Locating in Italy

food-dinner-pasta-spaghetti-8500Italian food as we know it in America is not exactly what you will find if you go to Italy. In fact, there are some dishes that are different while others do not exist at all.

Many of these changes occurred when immigrants came over to the United States and did not have the access to the same ingredients used in Italy. Other dishes were created entirely in the United States and cannot be found in Italy. 

These are some of the dishes you will have trouble finding in Italy.

  • Chicken Alfredo. In Italy, if you ask for chicken on your pasta, you may get a strange look. The only meat typically served in a traditional pasta is livers and kidneys. Not to mention, this is usually only found in a tomato sauce. Alfredo as we know it is also different because it is made with butter and sage instead of cream and parsley.
  • Garlic Bread. If you like garlic bread with your Italian food, you will find something very different in Italy. The baguette used to make the garlic bread in the US very different that what you find in Italy. You definitely will not find garlic butter and mozzarella on it. Instead, you will find Tuscan bread with garlic on it. Italians also use garlic to make bruschetta and would not use garlic butter.
  • Spaghetti and Meatballs. Traditional spaghetti does not include meat in the sauce. You can find meatballs as a starter for your meal but not with pasta. Additionally, you can get meatballs as your main course but it would be served with beans, vegetables, or potatoes instead.
  • Italian Dressing. If you like Italian dressing on your salad, in Italy you will not get what you are expecting. Instead, if you ask for Italian dressing, you will get a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes, you may even get a dressing that has white or red wine in it as well.
  • Chicken Parmigiana. While you will find eggplant parmigiana, you will not find chicken or even veal parmigiana in Italy. This dish has been reproduced in the US and Canada with meat probably because it was more affordable here at the time.
  • Neapolitan Ice Cream. This ice cream is supposed to be Italian and it is true that they layer ice cream together but they do not necessarily put chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry together. It’s locally known as Spumoni in Italy.

There is a good chance you have never enjoyed genuine Italian dishes. Stop on in for dinner at L’amore Italian Restaurant to experience the taste of real Italian food.

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: Cuisine

June 17, 2016 by Kim Abbott

How to Eat Italian Food With the Proper Etiquette

When it comes to chowing down on Italian food, plenty of people proceed with what is best described as reckless abandon. The truth is that there are a number of unwritten rules when it comes to consuming Italian food.

Real Italians Drink Cappuccino With Breakfast

Cappuccino and espresso are enormously popular amongst Italians. Yet cappuccino is not meant to be consumed beyond the breakfast hour. Native Italians will testify that cappuccino is strictly reserved for the morning. A true Italian will shudder at the thought of drinking cappuccino after lunch or dinner.

Italians Aren’t big on Breakfast

If you head on out to a legitimate Italian restaurant or cafe for breakfast, you will likely observe little eating and plenty of drinking. Devouring a breakfast plate full of eggs, bacon, toast and home fries is not something that real Italians do. Italians typically enjoy coffee, espresso or cappuccino in the morning. Some will pair one of these beverages with a cornetto (the Italian version of a croissant).

Dunking Bread Into Olive Oil is not a Common Practice Amongst Native Italians

Step foot in any one of Italy’s restaurants and you probably won’t see too many people dipping their bread into olive oil. Slathering olive oil onto bread products is a phenomenon that developed in the United States and other countries. Italians certainly love olive oil yet it is not meant to be a dunking sauce for bread.

Bread is Consumed With Your Meal

Few Italians eat bread before a meal. We all love bread yet it is meant to be enjoyed with the actual meal itself, not in advance of the main dish. Many Italians will intentionally save their bread to clean up leftover sauces that remain on the plate.

Coffee Should be Consumed After Your Meal

Italians typically view coffee as a digestive aid. Ordering coffee before a meal or alongside a meal rarely occurs.

Parmesan Cheese on Pizza is a No-No

Real Italians don’t put parmesan cheese on their pizza. Parmigiano, as the Italians call it, is meant for pasta dishes. Mozzarella cheese is meant for pizza. Some Italians will even frown upon adding parmesan cheese to dishes where it is not called for. The bottom line is that if parmesan cheese is not offered, it should not be added to the dish.

Eating on the Run is not Something Italians Do

Italians frown upon the activity of rushed eating. Food is meant to be savored in a patient manner. One who eats snacks or meals while multitasking or traveling is unable to truly enjoy flavors. Furthermore, such rushed eating is considered to be sloppy and a bit pathetic. Italians value food to the point that many meals last two to three hours in length. The only exception is gelato. Plenty of Italians will enjoy gelato during an evening stroll around the neighborhood.

Filed Under: Food History Tagged With: Cuisine, Etiquette, italian

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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 – 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

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