Traditional and authentic Italian food has become famous all over the world, particularly its pasta based dishes and the use of cheese. The food is mostly combined with sauces, cured meats and antipastos. Italian gourmet food often includes a variety of exquisite cheeses which help produce filling and satisfying dishes and such food is the full flavour expression of the rich history of Italy. Most non-Italians, find this kind of cuisine restricted to the many special dishes that they have become famous for world wide, especially spaghetti and pizza. People tend to assume that the traditional food of this country is all pretty much alike and that there is no such variety in the Italian way of cooking. The truth however is quite the opposite as the cuisine in its entirety is extremely rich and varied.

There are so many recipes which can be found for just pasta. This is a great example of the options in cooking Italian recipes. Meals such as spaghetti and risotto are extremely popular because they are easy to prepare, and offer virtual ready meals for the cook. Pasta happens to be the most popular food item in Italy. Any pasta base can be accented with an unlimited number of additions including sausage, chicken, red and green peppers, fish and a wide variety of other vegetables and meats that create an authentic dish.

However an Italian cooking recipe isn’t just about sticking to pasta recipes and pizza. Its got a long way to go. Find starters such as cured meat and cheeses with fresh vegetables and special Ciabatta bread. Superb salads, beautiful, fresh breads and delicious puddings add on to the rest of the exquisite menus. Roast fillet of salmon served with braised lentils, green beans and a mustard dressing, braised lamb shank served with sage potato puree in a rich tomato sauce, prawns cooked in a tomato sauce with fresh garden peas served with bread. These are just some of the delicious meals on offer.

Wine can be an essential ingredient. It can enhance the meal, not only by drinking it with the meal, but as an integral part of the food itself. The French cooking sauces, beurre rouge, and beurre blanc both contain wine. Both French and Chinese cooking make use of wine as an ingredient, as well as many other types of cooking. Wine can be used as an ingredient in sauces, soups, marinades, and more. It combines well with other flavors and ingredients, such as vinegar, fish paste, soy sauce, and many others.

Although there are many wonderful spices and seasonings available throughout the culinary cosmos, there is truly nothing that intensifies and enhances the flavor of food as much as wine does. Apart from the virtues of taste that we all enjoy, wine releases flavors in food that are unique. However, there are some things to watch for while cooking with it, and none of them involve drinking too much or finding someone to drive you home.

Probably the most important rule of thumb is never to cook with a wine you would not drink. Most cooking wines on the market today are truly terrible, and as such can only add a terrible flavor to whatever you are preparing. If it tastes like vinegar in the bottle, it will introduce the same flavor to your casserole. (Consider that old expression about quacking like a duck, walking like a duck and looking like a duck.) Buy a nice bottle (not too cheap and not too costly) and always be aware that whatever flavor the wine has will be transported to your dish.

It’s also important to know that when wine is used as flavoring it should simmer with the recipe because it takes time for the flavor to take hold. You should also wait about ten minutes after adding an initial dose and taste before adding any more. The flavor of any wine can overpower the best of dishes quite easily. If added late in the cooking process, it can also impart a harsh taste. Also, do not use aluminum or cast-iron pans when cooking anything with wine. Stick with enamel and other non-reactive cookware. Generally speaking, when a recipe calls for water, it can be replaced with the same amount of wine. A tablespoon or two can also enhance the flavors of gravies, oils and marinades.

Red or white is the eternal question revolving around the wine mulberry bush. Some say red wine with meat and white with fish and some say, well, other things. Don’t worry about what others say or about what tradition dictates is proper and fitting for this time of year. Let your own tastebuds be your guide.