Italy is always associated with pizza, pasta and wine, and many tourists go there and have some expectations to taste it. But it’s not a secret Italians do not eat only flour, drink only alcohol and coffee. Traditionally there are a lot of vegetables, fresh salads, legumes and cereals on their tables. Therefore if you come to Italy, be sure not to go to a tourist restaurant and try something preferable by local!
And surely they have some unusual, weird and even strange food that recipes have already existed for several centuries! Lets explore this eating experience together!
- Different varieties of cheeses (I decided to begin with the simplest:) They really make just a huge amount of various cheese: cow, goat, with mold, soft, terribly smelly, colored, cheese with honey, with jam, and even cheese WITH FLIES!
- Meat offal: brains, guts, liver, spleen, and cock’s combs. Maybe it sounds not so tasty but is is really worth trying!
Of course, all these dishes can be found in different areas of Italy. For example, the liver is served in Tuscany with a glass of Chianti. Fried brains (usually calf’s or lamb’s) are preferable to eat with lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
Dishes for those who are ready to try stewed offal! In terms of consistency and taste it looks like regular meat, sauce and seasonings complete it perfectly. In addition, it is also very useful because offal contain the necessary vitamins and minerals.
- Stuffed Mice with Mince
Only if you are lucky to visit small countrysides near Calabria! But to be honest I wouldn’t try this dish only because of mice used for cooking are protected due to the risk of losing them as a subspecies. Some centuries ago this dish was ubiquitous and was served also in Rome! Mice were stuffed with meat, nuts, herbs, seasonings, etc. But now as an alternative, you can try the vegetables stuffed in the same way, but only with chicken or other meat, or even vegan!
In the same way, Songbirds are being cooked in Italy. This dish is more prevalent in Lombardy.
- Oh these sweet Desserts..: Pork blood cake, Birramisu and Hard cheese with honey. If you are used to traditional tiramisu, panacotta and whipped cream with strawberries, then it’s time to try something completely unusual! What about a pie with a chocolate bloody cream, m?
So almost all dishes are safe to eat and probably leave a lasting impression of Italy, because the notorious pizza and pasta only say that you did not fully understand and feel the true Italy! Buon appetito signore e signori!