THAILAND ONE/ LIFESTYLE
EXPLORE THE CULINARY DELIGHTS OF ITALY
ITALIAN CHEESE There’s so much in the Italian cheese culture that it needs its own list. Cheese has been around the Italian Peninsula for centuries. Ancient Romans created a vast variety of cheeses and experimented with them by smoking, melting, and aging them, giving us the basis of many famous cheeses found today. Strong, soft, creamy, grained, sweet, or salty, how can anyone say no to a good piece of cheese? As is common with every Italian food, each region has mastered a specific type of cheese, but all are equally good. Locals say the best mozzarella is sold in Southern Naples, it is a fresh kind of cheese made with buffalo milk. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is found in Parma in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Parmesan cheese, also known as the “King of Cheeses”, is worldwide famous and its magic is that it goes well with everything. Gorgonzola is the Italian blue cheese from the Gorgonzola region, one of the greatest strong cheeses and one of the most beloved in Italy.
RISOTTO Because rice by itself is kinda boring, Italians found a way to make it extra interesting and delicious. This rice dish comes from Lombardy and uses Arborio or Carnaroli rice. Its most popular preparation is the risotto a la Milanesa with saffron, beef or chicken stock (sometimes fish stock), cheese, and lard, everything held together with a creamy sauce made with butter and other spices. In other regions it is served with different kinds of proteins and sauces giving the risotto different colors, but the same deliciousness. TRUFFLES One of the best gifts Italy has given the world, even though it is possible to find truffles in a few other places, no other country produces them with such quality and volume. Truffles are a highly aromatic fungus that are found near the tree roots in the forests of Piedmont and Umbria between the months of November and March. They are found by trained dogs and may be white truffles, which are stronger, or black truffles with a lighter taste and smell. Both of them are among the most expensive foods in the world. With a pasta dish, a salad, or even a breakfast egg, truffles will add a strong, but delicious, special fragrance to your food. GELATO No, gelato is not just ice cream, although it may look similar, it is quite different to what is commonly known as ice cream. Gelato has way less fat than ice cream and a stronger taste since it’s not mixed with water and air. Gelato is made with fresh ingredients only, making it unable to store for long periods of time. Also, it is stored and served less cold than ice cream, giving the gelato a smoother texture and making it more refreshing while enjoying it walking through the streets of Rome. One of the best desserts to enjoy during the summer… and even during the winter!
LASAGNA
A meal made up of layers of pasta, meat, cheese, and tomato sauce is as close as it can get to culinary perfection. There’s also a vegetarian version where meat is substituted with vegetables, that way everyone has the chance to try the amazing Italian dish. Lasagna is from the Naples region and it was originally cooked with bechamel sauce, ragu, and cheese, but over the years, with more international ingredients available, lasagna transformed into what we know today. OSSOBUCO Ossobuco is a dish from Milan and is the best example of elaborate Italian cuisine. It is slowly cooked and may take up to three hours to be ready, but that results in a meat so delicious and tender that it’s going to be worth the wait. Ossobuco is veal shanks with a red or white wine sauce, vegetables, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and other spices. The best part of the dish is when it’s all finished and you get to tase the delicious bone marrow. That’s where its name comes from, Ossobuco means “Hollow Bone”, the name itself invites people to try the entire thing making it one of the most traditional foods in Italy.
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THAILAND ONE
APRIL/ MAY 2024
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