In Italy, food is life. Dinner in famiglia is the rule rather than the exception and Italians will wait until everyone is home before sitting at the table rather than cover a plate with aluminum foil and save anyone’s meal in the oven. Italians also tend to return to the same restaurant over and over in the “if it ain’t broken don’t fix it” vein. A meal is savored rather than wolfed down, and most of the conversation around the table is focused on the food and wine; Italians truly live to eat.
- Portion size: As you may have noticed, we are accustomed to being super-sized at our restaurants here in the U.S. Not so in Italy where it is possible and acceptable to eat a 4-course meal at a leisurely pace, and don’t worry that you’ll need a forklift to get you out of the restaurant either; the portions are smaller and not covered in heavy sauces. Likewise, it is common to keep your meal to two courses if you’re not terrifically hungry.
