Delightful Italian food

So for true, wonderful italian food, I challenge the dining population of the United States, at least southern california to go out and search for true Italian cuisinee. I want all of you to stop eating at Olive Garden, I want you to stop going to pizza shops and thinking it's fine Italian cuisine. Pasta is not the only thing Italians have for dinner.
Food in America is prepared with a quickiness, and it is consumed with a quickness. I have here the classic Italian meal structure. It is set up this way so that the food can be truly enjoyed by relaxing and eating at a slow pace. with this in mind, please go out, spend 4-5 hours eating your dinner. Don't go by yourself, bring your family or your friends that you love.

Go out seach for it, because the restaurants are there, and one of the finest is found in beverly hills enoteca drago. I'll fornaio found in orange county and Los Angeles, may not be one of the finest but it is pretty good so go check it out. In Pasadena, there is Trattoria Tre Venezie and in downtown you can go to patino. One of my wine instructors works at vallentinos and he is a master sommelier so you know your pairing will be amazing!!!!

If you haven't had it before go out and enjoy some osso bucco, it's a fabulous dish when prepared correctly, and if you don't have anyone else to go out with feel free to get a hold of me, I'm willing to have a great dinner with you!

Aperitivo
Appertif usually enjoyed as an appetizer before a large meal. I think Proseco goes great for this, but of course it is dependent on the meal.

The meal usually starts with an amuse busch, which is a french thing, but many Italian chefs feature it. It is used to amuse our pallet and get something tasty to prepare us for a wonderful meal.

Antipasto
literally "before (the) meal", Not Salad!!! It is usually a hot or cold appetizer.

Primo
"first course", usually consists of a hot dish like pasta, yes, pasta, only one part of a huge italian dinner, haveing pasta for dinner and nothing else does not constitue a true italian meal. risotto which is amazing with italian hite truffles is another dish. Gnocchi is a great potato dumpling that is incredible witha good balsamic vinegar. Primo also features great polenta and soups

Secondo
"second course", the main dish, usually fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are the most commonly used meat. Northern Italy is full of farms and beef is becoming very popular in those regions. Wild game is very popular, particularly in Tuscany and other areas where it is available. Fish are those which are caught locally.

Contorno
"side dish", Salads and cooked veggies. These will accompany the main course

Formaggio e frutta
'cheese and fruits", the first dessert.
Local Cheeses may also be part of the Antipasto or Contorno as well.
Parmigiano Reggiano is the most popluar cheese in Italy and one of my favorites, but Italy has many different cheeses so it helps to find out what each region offes.


Dolce
"dessert", such as cakes and cookies like Tiramasu or biscottie

Caffè
coffee

Digestivo
"digestives", liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amarro, limoncello,sambuca, nocino) sometimes referred to as ammazzacaffe ("coffee killer")

Now go out and enjoy great Italian food