(CLAIR) – Italian food is popular all over the world. You can find it almost anywhere you go, from walk-up pizza places to fancy sit-down restaurants. In fact, one of the most recognized restaurants in all of Simi Valley is the Palermo’s Italian Restaurant building on Tapo Street. Iconic!
For those who know anything about dining with Italians, you know they are really proud of their food. This pride is exhibited by the number of rules about how the food should be prepared, how it is to be served, and how it should be eaten.
And the further you venture from authentic style cuisine, the more you realize sometimes, people don’t always follow the rules, even in Italy.
That’s where the “You’re Doing It Wrong” Survey comes in. This recent survey asked almost 20,000 people in 17 different countries about certain “food crimes” in Italian cuisine. To make the list, researchers looked at foodie blogs written by upset Italians living in other countries. They also talked to thousands of Italian-Americans to make the list even more interesting.
The survey found that some of the most common mistakes people make with Italian food, according to Italians, are:
PASTA-RELATED INFRACTIONS
- Having garlic bread with a pasta meal: Some Italians will argue, garlic bread is not a traditional accompaniment to pasta in Italian cuisine. In The United States however, garlicky, buttery soft bread is a perfectly delicious combination that should not be missed.
- Cutting long pasta with a knife: Some people believe that it is a crime to cut long pasta with a knife. They say, this is simply not a proper way to eat it. A large number of Italians agree, it is generally recommended to twirl the pasta around a fork to eat it.
- Putting pasta in cold water and then boiling it: Some people believe that this method can cause the pasta to become mushy and lose its texture. To avoid this crime, it is generally recommended to start the pasta in a pot of boiling, salted water.
- Including cream in carbonara sauce: 50/50! Carbonara sauce is traditionally made with eggs, cheese, bacon or pancetta, and black pepper. Adding cream to the sauce is not ‘technically’ traditional and will likely change the authentic flavor and consistency. On the other hand, creamy carbonara is so delicious and sometimes delicious wins over tradition.
- Eating pasta as a side dish: In Italian cuisine, pasta is typically served as a main dish, rather than as a side.
- Rinsing or cooling off cooked pasta under cold water: Some people think that rinsing pasta removes some of the important starch that can help the sauce stick to the noodles. Others believe rinsing pasta may cause it to become mushy and lose its texture. For most Italians, rinsing pasta is big “no, grazie”.
- Using ketchup with pasta: Apparently, there are people who actually commit this crime on a regular basis. Most people know however, ketchup is way too sweet and doesn’t pair well with pasta. Additionally, ketchup is not even close to a traditional condiment in Italian cuisine.
- Not adding salt to the water used for boiling pasta: Most Italians agree that adding a little salt to the pasta water helps to enhance the flavor of the pasta and prevent it from sticking together.
- Adding cheese to a pasta meal that includes seafood: Feelings on this are mixed. Many people feel that the flavors of cheese and seafood do not pair well together. Others however, love cheese so much, they will add it to most anything.
In interpreting the results, it should be noted that even in Italy, these so-called rules vary widely across the country’s 20 regions.
The study suggests there may also be generational shifts afoot. Younger Italians (18-24 years old) tended to think it was fine to drink cappuccino after an Italian meal compared to older persons, especially those over the age of 55, that choose not to.
Younger Italians were also more likely to find it acceptable to have garlic bread with pasta and having risotto as an appetizer or side dish.
In any case, whether you looking for a quick and modern Italian dining experience, or a more authentic and traditional evening out, Palermo’s Italian is one of the few places in town where your insatiable appetite for tasty and delicious Italian cuisine can be totally and completely satisfied.
A presto!
