Excel Cooking - Excel Italian Cooking: Get Into the Art of Italian Cooking

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Excel Italian Cooking

Get into the Art of Italian Cooking

Excel Cooking

Copyright Excel Cooking, all rights reserved. It is impermissible to reproduce any part of this book without prior consent. All violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. While attempts have been made to verify the information contained within this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, interpretation or usage of the subject matter herein. This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author and is intended for informational purpose only. The author and publisher shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damages incurred from the usage of this publication.

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OPENING

"Yes, we're open! Please come on in."

Greetings, we would like to welcome you to Excel Cooking.

Now this might not be what you expect like most cookbooks out there because (naturally) there is no way we can cover every dish under the sun.

Our approach is not to overwhelm you with choices, but rather give you the finest options available to choose from to get your feet wet. Don't be surprised if they're not the most common food items that you think of since we're going for a more authentic route.

These recipes were specifically chosen for a reason to give you real hands-on experience.

Each cuisine requires different cooking techniques and method, and the goal is for you to build that foundation to the point where you can customize and tweak the selections however you like for more intricate fancy dishes.

More importantly, rather than simply know how to cook, it's about understanding the cultural practice and the handling of the food itself to really excel in this particular area of cooking.

We recommend that you at least attempt all the dishes (if you can).

Enjoy your meal!

STARTERS

I. Renaissance Eataly Culture

When you think of Rome, what comes to mind?

Most people have the perceived notion of a mysterious and ancient world filled with structures such as the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa (among a few others that the general populace is familiar with). These are all pretty great and grand, just like the arts that came about during the Renaissance.

On the subject of art, popular names like Di Vinci or Michelangelo are more than likely to also be a part of most peoples idea of this prestigious land. For those with more religious or spiritual leanings, the Vatican and the Pope may also be included in that perception.

Each of these are a part of a huge swathe of things that could pop into ones head when they talk of Italy and its place both in the world and in history.

These days, it still clings to its legacy of greatness even with its crowded streets and narrow buildings, both set to the backdrop of a rich and diverse culture that is unceasing in the way it continues to blossom.

Although, one must wonder, what do the people of this fantastic European country eat?

One of the best ways (and its certainly cheaper than the cost of a passport, plane ticket, and hotel) that one can experience an exotic or foreign place is to take a tour of it through the cuisine it has to offer.

In fact, one can get a pretty good taste of it through the foods that embody its culture and people. Its like taking a small vacation at your very own dining table.

II. Risorgimento Eatery History

According to historians, Italy didnt become a unified nation until around 1861 under Italian General Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Because it was such a fragmented place throughout most of history, each region has its own sense of diversity, particularly when it comes to the dishes that follow. Interestingly, even though the meals are, for the most part, basically the same, each region in the country will put a different spin on them by spicing them up with one or two deviations. (Its kind of like how there are many variations of English out there between England, Ireland, Australia or even in just the U.S. Its all the same language, but people will have a radically different approach depending on where theyre from.)

So, just what is Italian food?

For the most part, its a style of cooking that brings just about everything to the table. This is a nation that is practically obsessed with food. In fact, one might say that Italians are the original foodies because of their passion for the culinary arts.

Now, the average person might generally think of pizza and spaghetti (among other pastas), but Italian cooking has so much more to offer including salads, soups, breads, and a wide variety of rich, starchy flavors intermingled with an assortment of veggies and occasional touches of fiber.

III. Ricerca Eatable Considerations

Some things that are recommended musts for Italian cooking include:

• Having a Healthy Heart: Seriously, there are plenty of reasons Italians traditionally drink a daily dosage of wine for medicinal purposes! A main one being that most Italian dishes tend to fall on the fattier side of carbs and can cause concern for people with diabetes or high cholesterol. Basically, this is just something to be aware of.

• Consideration for Others: Traditionally speaking, Italians use food as their tool to convey love and concern (and other feel good emotions) when it comes to their friends and family. In that way, they make big dishes with others in mind. So, yeah, their serving sizes are going to be larger than what you might be used to as the goal will be about feeding more than just yourself and a friend.

• An Acquired Taste for Intense Flavors: You know what they say about staying out of the kitchen if you cant stand the heat? Really though, some of the dishes include ingredients that can be overpowering to some people. We're talking strong herbs and spices.

• A Knack for Non-Traditional Cooking Styles: It doesnt happen a whole lot, but, some of these dishes are what some people might call out there or different when it comes to style and approach in the kitchen. So, its for the best if you enter into this completely open to the new experience of creating and eating exotic dishes.

• An Understanding that Theres NO Difference Between Italian and American Prep: Basically, if you can dice up veggies, operate a stove, and can identify a frying pan, then youre probably already on the right track. Any major or unique differences at the basic prep cooking stage of these recipes will be duly noted.

Keeping these guidelines in mind, youre ready to begin your own journey into the world of Italian cooking!

BREAKFASTS

IV. Colazione

Who doesnt love a good and hearty breakfast or, as the Italians call it, colazione? Because the Italian diet tends to be very rich (and delicious!), a small breakfast should do the trick for filling you up and getting you going for the day.

There are lots of goodies to be found in a typical Italian breakfast. Some of these include pastries, hot drinks, rolls, cookies, and biscuits. Of each of the scrumptious delights, there are many types.

Also, because these foods are small, people in Italy have no qualms about having two or three extra breakfasts after their main meal in the morning. Which is good news since it just means theres just that much more delicious goodness to be had.