Italian Specialty and Gourmet Foods Key Terms

Learn key terms to navigate your way through the world of Italian specialty foods

The popularity of Italian specialty and gourmet foods has been riding high in the United States for decades now. American restaurateurs compete to produce the most authentic and creative Italian-inspired dishes. Luckily, the Internet is a great source of information and recipes on Italian gourmet foods. You just need to acquaint yourself with some of the ingredients most commonly used to prepare those dishes. Here's an overview of key terms related to Italian gourmet foods that can get you started:

 

Arborio rice

Arborio rice is the principal ingredient in the Italian dish, risotto.
Try: Season by Season explains how arborio rice differs in color, shape and appearance from other rice. You'll also find out how arborio rice is able to give Italian risotto its starchy, creamy consistency.

Balsamic vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is an aged, sweet vinegar that comes chiefly from the Modena region of Italy.
Try: To understand how balsamic vinegar gets its sweetness, check out What's Cooking America. Find out how to tell a superior balsamic vinegar from a lesser product and how an authentic balsamic vinegar is made.

Espresso

Espresso is the name for the Italian method of brewing coffee.
Try: Find out what espresso is by reading a piece by Espresso People. You'll learn a short history of espresso, how it got its name and details about the correct brewing method for Italy's special coffee.

Biscotti

The word biscotti has slightly different meanings as used by Italians and Americans. Italians use the term to refer to all cookies. Americans use the term to refer to Italian cookies made by cutting individual slices from a log of already baked cookie dough and then baking these slices again.
Try: Joy of Baking briefly discusses the origin of Biscotti and how the term is used in different countries.

Polenta

Polenta refers to the Italian dish made by cooking corn meal and water to a thick consistency.
Try: If you're looking for a quick description of the cooking method for polenta, check out San Gennaro Foods. You'll also learn about some popular serving suggestions for polenta.

Pesto

Pesto is the Italian pasta sauce produced by pureeing nuts, oil, herbs and cheese.
Try: The discussion of pesto at Reluctant Gourmet gives the origin of the sauce, some popular versions of pesto and suggestions for using it on foods other than pasta.

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