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peninsula, have the pleasure and
the certainty of a worthy cuisine,
made traditionally with excellent
ingredients
By Maddalena Baldini
It’s not a matter of establishment, or
a matter of Michelin stars. Maybe it’s
about preferences, culture, fascinating
attention to culinary traditions but,
as we know, tastes are tastes and
when talking about gastronomy and
Italian cuisine, it’s hard to find rivals.
In the midst of the beautiful season
and the tourism that (fortunately) has
recorded positively for 2017, the Italian
cities and the coasts of our sea are
taken over, not only by foreigners, but
also by the Italians themselves who
never refuse a “typical dish”. But, as a
matter of taste, the orders that arrive
in the kitchens are among the most
diverse, with ingredients, products
and ingredients that vary from tourist
to tourist, especially when they come
from all over the world. “The requests
change a lot depending on the origin
of the tourist - declares Maurizio
Roberto, a chef active in the heart of
Milan, in addition to having a rich
pedigree made in the kitchens of the
best restaurants - the Lombard capital
remains always a favourite destination,
not only for the cultural diversity but
also for the fame that it has rightly
built: which is that of a big city
where you can eat well in the name
of quality. It’s always very interesting
analysing and studying the orders
that arrive, you can understand many
things: for example, European tourists
often ask for dishes based on ragù,
one of the evergreens of our tradition.
The Americans often ask for the pasta
Alfredo, a dish that in Italy doesn’t
exist. Or rather, in our country, it could
be associated with tagliatelle with
butter and cheese. “
And it is very curious to note how
the concept of interaction changes,
since the Italian tourist remains at
the table much longer to chat, while
the foreigner, after having eaten
as ordered, leaves the table. “They
inevitably require the classic Milanese
risotto but also dishes such as cacio
cheese and pepper or spaghetti with
seafood. You need to add that they
also listen to the suggestions for wine
to be matched to the menu, and they
are also tempted to have a spirit at
the end of the meal or some dessert.”
Chef Maurizio continues. “Tiramisu,
gelato, creams are always the most
popular and, usually, they follow
dishes based on fish and vegetables,
especially in the summer season.”
ORDERS: THE RESTAURANT
TOP TEN
For everyone who visits Italy,
regardless of the region, among the
dishes that remain anchored in first
place is lasagna alla bolognese; and
it doesn’t matter if the summer heat
and high temperatures do not make
this dish among the “most suitable”
because it is rich in sauce and
substantial ingredients. Foreigners eat
it with pleasure, at every hour of the
day, even though, and it must be said,
many restaurants and trattorias “pass
off” for a plate of lasagna, dishes that
do not resemble even remotely the
inimitable recipe of “Dotta”. However,
trends change and, in the same way,
even fashions and acquaintances. In
essence, we are not satisfied with the
usual dishes, the demand is varied and
diversified and many of the products
or recipes that were once limited by
regional boundaries are becoming a
real playground for table enthusiasts.
Among the many requests, also from
northern European or American
tourists, pasta with pesto alla Ligure,
or the Trentino canederli dumplings,
recipes of an Italian culinary tradition
often difficult to replicate outside their
place of origin.
Meat seems to have decreased (they
recorded a slight decline in request
by foreigners) at the expense of sea
food, increasingly inspired by “poor
fish” that go to compose the menus
that, once, were for seamen. And here,
since one has moved from the big
cities to the seaside resorts, the word
rests with chef Antonio Scarantino,
young but greatly experienced with
a further advantage: having worked
for several years in the kitchens of
overseas capitals, today he carries
out his profession as a chef in Fano,
in one of the most popular sea areas
of Le Marche and, needless to say,
his restaurant is called Al Mare, a
beautiful structure not far from the
beaches of the town.
“On the Adriatic we have a great
turnover of tourists, both Italian
and foreign. In fact, especially in
recent years, they come with clear
ideas and want to try traditional
dishes. First of all, the typical stews
“says chef Scarantino. “In this we’ve
been assisted by technology, by the
internet and by social media... no one
now makes a trip without informing
themselves beforehand, maybe
looking for just what to eat and what
the recipes that identify a region or
a city are.” As with the cities, the
seaside resorts also confirm a habit:
Italians have the pleasure of trying
more dishes, perhaps with different
courses that can also include second
helpings of the first and main courses.
Foreigners follow more a “rule”, that
is to decline what the menu offers
by choosing a dish between the
appetizers, an item from the first
courses and one from the second.
“Certainly, customers have learned to
rely also on advice and suggestions
coming from the staff. So, if we tell
them that the catch of the day includes
scampi or shrimps, for example,
and we put on the menu an ad hoc
appetizer, they will ask for it without a
shadow of doubt. The important thing
is that there is always an essential link
between ingredients, creativity and
tradition of the territory”.
Wines and drinks? Wines produced