Italian Cuisine

Traditional Italian cuisine developed over millennia, influenced by the cuisine of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and by the contributions of Byzantine, Jewish and Arab traditions. With the discovery of the New World, novel ingredients were introduced, among them potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and corn, which have adapted to the Italian territory in multiple native varieties. Recipes have been created and handed down over the centuries mainly by female wisdom and resourcefulness, favouring local and seasonal products.

In 1986 Carlo Petrini founded in Italy the non-profit Slow Food Association, a cultural and gastronomic movement which has since spread internationally. Grown as a reaction to the spread of fast and junk food, and to the frantic modern eating habits, Slow Food has the mission to study, defend and disseminate agricultural and food traditions from all over the world, protect biodiversity and traditional differences of the various peoples, and fight food standardization, massive agriculture and enetic manipulation.