Recently in Italian Culture Category

Unlike other parts of the world, Italy is blessed with varied micro-environments.  The micro-environments help preserve the varied culture, foods, and traditions of the 107 provinces or regions of Italy.  

Cheese is an ideal example of how each Italian region produces it's own version of a basic food commodity.  The region of Calabria, and the birthplace of my parents, produces some great cheeses, here are the top 8, in my view:

1. Pecorino.  Pecorino is the king of Southern Italian cheeses (specifically, Calabria).  Pecorino is made from sheep's milk and some varieties are aged (such as the type used for grating).  My grandafather produced a version of Pecorino with his 20 or so sheep.  Most folks know Percorino Romano which can be sharp and tangy.  Buy the imported kind.  

2. Provolone.  Another Calabrian favorite, Provolone can be eaten young or, like Pecorino, it can age and become more flavorful.  Provolone is readily available in the US and can be used in sandwiches and antipasti.  Buy the imported kind.

3. Caciocavallo.  The horse cheese - don't ask me why.  Caciocavallo is a cross between provolone and gouda.  Caciocavallo goes well with fruit or can be grated.  The pic above is of Caciocavallo.

4. Incanestrato.  This is the cheese you see hanging in a basket at Italian specialty shops.  Incanestrato is a spicy cheese and can be grateed (when aged) or eaten fresh.

5. Mozzarella.  The best Mozzarella in the world comes from Naples (sorry, Calabria).  Mozzarella is a semi-soft cheese made from water buffalo milk.  If you can find imported Mozzarella from Italy, it is a grand treat (especially when eaten raw with extra virgin olive oil, a ripe tomato, and some basel).  Fresh mozzarella can be found in the US and the quality has become quite good (but note the cheese is made with cow's milk).  Provola is similar to mozzarella, but is a bit firmer.

6. Ricotta.  Ricotta is one of my favorite cheeses. Ricotta means "cooked twice" or re-cook.  Ricotta is made with cow's milk and is very creamy and smooth.  Ricotta can be used as is with a drizzle of olive and spread on toast or you can combine linguine, olive oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano to make one of the loveliest pasta dishes on the planet.  I don't recommend buying the supermarket variety (as it is tasteless and often lacks consistency and texture), rather go to a local Italian speciality shop and ask for the fresh variety.  My mother makes a version of Ricotta in her New Jersey kitchen, I'll post the recipe soon!  

7. Scamorza.  A cow's milk cheese shaped like a pear with a dark yellow exterior. Scamorza is a soft cheese and is usually eaten on its own.

8. Gorgonzola.  A blue cheese, but usually a bit milder and sweeter.  Gorgonzola does not contain a high level of salt and I especially enjoy it in salads.  Buy the imported kind.

Italians consume olive oil like it's water.  My grandparents used olive oil for cooking, shining shoes, preserving food, lubricating machinery (including various shotguns), curing various ailments (including stomach ulcers), etc.  I wouldn't recommend you use olive oil to lubricate your shotgun given other alternatives on the market, but if you produced your own olive oil (as my grandparents once did) you'd probably find alternative uses for the golden liquid as well!

If you're going to stick to olive oil for preparing and eating food, then you have plenty of good choices on the US market.  First, let's start with some basics about olive oil (including extra virgin olive oil):

1. Olive oil DOES NOT get better with age.  In fact, olive is meant to be consumed as quickly as possible (fresh=good).

2. Olive oil DOES NOT like light or warm temperatures.  In turn, it should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark environment.

3. Olive oil is a type of fat (like butter and lard) and has a good amount of calories.

4. Unlike butter, for example, olive oil has wonderful health benefits due to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids as well as high content of antioxidative substances. 

5. Olive oil helps lower bad cholesterol and helps with good cholesterol.

6. Extra virgin olive oil is produced without using heat or chemicals (extra virgin olive oil also must have an acidity level of less than one percent).
 
7. Olive oil is extracted from crushed olives.

Both my grandparents and parents have told me wonderful stories about harvesting olives on the family farm in southern Italy and the process involved to produce both first press olive oil (that is, the first batch of olive oil produced via an old fashioned press. Nowadays, most olive oil is produced via continuous centrifugal presses) and extra virgin olive oil.  I've tasted much of the olive oil produced by my family in Italy and to be perfectly honest the olive oil is extremely intense and almost too flavorful and viscous for everyday use (at least for my American palette).

In terms of everyday olive oil that can be purchased in most supermarkets in the US, I have a couple of favorites:

- Filippio Berio Olive Oil for everyday use- I find this olive great for both cooking (frying, sautéing, etc.) and using raw in salads and for finishing dishes (like bruschetta, any type of sauce for meat, etc.).  There is a definite olive taste to Berio and it's not overly oily like many mediocre olive oils on the market today.

- Colovita Exta Virgin Olive Oil for items that don't require cooking - I use Colovita Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO as Rachel Ray like to say) for pasta sauces, tomato salads, and for dunging soft crusty bread from my favorite bakery (Sullivan Street!).  Unlike celebrity chefs such as Mario Batali, I don't believe in using extra virgin olive oil exclusively in my kitchen (that is to say, for cooking, finishing, raw, etc.).  

- Bertolli Olive Oil - Bertolli is very similar to Berio in terms of quality, taste, and use.  In fact, I have a hard time discerning between the two, however I do have a preference for Berio if I'm faced with a choice at my local supermarket.  

In terms of high end olive oils from small producers, it's really a hit or miss type of thing.  I can't recommend a specific brand because of location and distribution.  For example, here on the East coast I often buy my extra virgin olive oil from Bartolomeo's Italian Food Emporium (click here for a review of the shop from Jason Perlow at Off the Broiler) that imports the oil from the owner's olive orchards in Puglia (the olive oil is fresh and has a nice balance of flavor and viscosity without being too overpowering or thick).  My recommendation on finding specialty olive oil is to try different producers and stick with a brand once you find something you like (also be sure to buy in small quantities unless you plan on using the oil every day).  Also, price doesn't equal quality.  In fact, I would opt for a fresh, recently produced bottle over an expensive extra virgin, first pressed, olive oil that has been sitting on the shelf for months.  

Finally, as I've said about wine, you should only buy and use what you like (don't listen to critics unless you've tried the product yourself).  

Recently, our extended family has been going through a difficult period caring for my 89 year old grandfather (Nonno Vincenzo).  Nonno Vincenzo has been housebound for the last year suffering from dementia, et. al.  I was named after Nonno Vincenzo and we share many of the same traits (including being calm most of the time with the occasional loss of temper).

Nonno's physical decline got me thinking about how personal identity is shaped by family and whether it's a good thing?  For example, in most large cities in the Western world, people cherish the ability to create their own identity and the personal freedom that comes along with such a choice.  In Ancient Greece, however, a newborn male became a citizen only after being acknowledge as a member of a particular family.  The newborn was also, in most cases, named after the paternal grandfather.   So, in many ways, identity in Ancient Greek culture was shaped by the family the individual was born into.

Family, as I've said in other posts, is critical if you're interested in money matters and living a frugal life.  The way I see it, an extended family can help with:

1. Raising and caring for children (this has been the model for thousands of years and it's only in Western countries where we've moved away from this idea).

2. Managing a home (including home repairs and maintenance).  This is especially true if you live in an older home and have family members who are handy.

3. Maintaining a social life.  OK, hanging out with your 90 year old grandfather on a Friday night may not be that much fun, but the occasional dinner and party with family is really nice.  I try to have dinner my parents once a week and I like having family over for a coffee and light snacks every month or so.

4. General advice.  Think of Uncle Frank and Aunt Maria as pro bono attorneys and psychotherapists who can offer advice on tough life decisions.  Making a decision in a vacuum is not good and I like to shop ideas and possible solutions around with family before acting on an item, so I think this tip is particularly important.

Let me know what you think in terms of family, identity, and how you've managed to stay close to your extended family.