Breakfast in Italy
-passionate-
Tour around the world of breakfast: Italy
Coffee and pastry, breakfast on the go.
Every Italian town has its own recipe to make cheese –there are about 400 different kinds of cheese- sausages –at least 300 types of sausage- and wine –don’t ask for Chianti indiscriminately, people are probably very proud of their local wine- their breakfast customs are pretty uniform. Breakfast is a small meal in Italy. Never mind, they will make up for it later at lunch –the most important meal- and dinner –also a social occasion.
Most of the days, Italians make do with a quick espresso and a pastry or bun at the bar counter, but those lazy mornings when they are not in a hurry to get to work, they take the time luxuriate in a more exotic breakfast, mixing sweet and savory items.
Breakfast to go
The bar of your choice, usually standing or on a stall by the counter.
On the menu
Coffee and patries – espresso or capuccino, brioche or pastry of your choice. Sometimes a slice of bread with cheese or cold meats.
Eating in
The same pattern of a normal day, but the bread and cheese won't be an optional item, but present. Milk and cereals were introduced as children's breakfast and as the children grew into adults and kept their breakfast customs, are now popular with many people.
On the menu
Cereals with melon and Parma ham -Place ¼ cup white diced cheese in a bowl, add ½ cup diced melon –Galia, for instance- 1 slice Parma ham, cut in small pieces, and ½ cup unsweetened cereals –plain corn flakes, for instance.
Ciabatta bread –Cut a 2” (5 cm) piece of ciabatta bread and halve it to make a sandwich. Fill with slices of tomato alternating with mozzarella cheese. Season with a little salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Drinks
Coffee, preferably capuccino, which is one shot of espresso, one part steamed milk, one part foamed milk, and a dusting of powdered cocoa or chocolate. Fancy capuccino can have some chantilly cream. This ultramodern life also provides Italians with capucchino in a sachet.
Kids go on milk, but they take seem to take into coffee as young teenagers, a couple of years earlier than other countries. Not surprising as Italian coffee is very nice and a soda based diet has more caffeine into it.
Back to food in USA, food in America or visit the food pantry. You can also return to World Food and Wine home page.
