Custom «The History of Italian Food» Essay Paper Sample

Italian food has one of the longest histories spanning through many generations. Slices of Pizza as well as a filled plate of pasta are some of the most well known Italian dishes that are closely related to their culture. In general, Italian cooking and the type of food have been changing with time. The essay provides an overview of the history of Italian food.

Every region in Italy has a peculiar style of cooking and habits of eating, choice of ingredients and unique cuisines. The type of food that was eaten before the Roman era has both similarities and distinctions from those that can be found in today's cuisine. Modern books do not have much detail about the cooking of Italian food that was used over 2000 years ago (Pilcher, 2006). However, there is a book that contains the cooking instructions (Apicius).

The diversity of the type of food in Italy emerged soon after the fall of Empire of Rome. Each of the states embraced different cultural orientations and identities (Capatti & Montanari, 2003). Food preparation approaches varied significantly across the states, particularly the preparation of meatballs, black truffles as well as the various types of cheese.

Preparation techniques used in the making of pasta, bread, and pizza has been found to differ in most Italian states. In the southern areas for instance, spaghetti which has been hard-boiled is most preferred (David, 1999). The northern region on the other hand, prefers a noodle of soft egg.

External cultures have however played a central role in improving the quality of food offered in the Italian cuisine. Most of the cookeries used in Italy today were borrowed from early Greek and virtually all have been integrated to the Italian culture. The regions along the coast have been known for developing very delicious seafood dishes as well as fish. In modern times, Italian food and cooking still reflect differences and similarities across the southern and northern regions owing to their historical cultural factors (Pilcher, 2006). The characteristic serving of the appetizers, the desserts, followed by the main course has never changed over time. The pattern is such that the taste buds are ignited into action.