 GOURMET
FOODS
Duck liver pate' - Photo © Sifu Renka
True gourmets are not snobs. They will taste and judge virtually
any preparation, from the simplest to the most complex, with an
open mind. They are attracted to and by quality and they are not
unduly impressed by price. A cheap food that many might scorn as
fit only for the "poor" may delight the true gourmet, whose sole
criteria are flavor, aroma, texture, color and other "objective"
values. Fortunately, Italy has plenty to offer gourmets. Some
are costly and many others are extremely reasonable.
The white truffles of Alba in Piedmont definitely rank in the
luxury class. They are appreciated for their overpowering yet
extraordinarily delicate aroma. Italians eat them raw, shaved
paper-thin over egg dishes, plain pastas (dressed with butter
and cheese only) and other light foods. They are expensive
because production is highly limited since they grow solely in
the wild and fluctuations in weather conditions can play havoc
with their reproduction and growth.
Italy produces black truffles in greater abundance and in a
wider area so that they are much more affordable. The black
variety is not as odorous as the white and it is usually cooked.
The tubers are processed and shipped to markets worldwide.
Bottarga is the compressed, salted and dried roe of tuna or gray
mullet. Cut in thin slices, it is dressed with olive oil and
lemon juice and consumed as an appetizer.
In recent decades, farmers in northern Italy have begun to
produce goose and duck liver pate' in substantial quality, while
Tuscany, particularly the Chianti zone, is noted for its
crostini, a rustic pate' based on chicken livers and served on
toasted unsalted Tuscan bread.
Italian Gourmet Foods
Bottarga
Miele della Lunigiana DOP
Mostarda di Cremona
Sea Salt
White Truffles
Zafferano de L'Aquila DOP
Zafferano di San Gimignano DOP
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