Italian Cuisine is a misnomer. There is no definitive Italian cuisine. It is only Neapolitan, Roman, Sardinian, Sicilian, Venetian, Piedmontese, Tuscan, or whatever. Tastes and flavors change every few hundred kilometers to offer you a cornucopia of delights for your taste buds. But certain ingredients are common: add large potions of natural produce of the region. Stir these in earthy flavors. Garnish the marvelous single pasta base with countless types of meat, fine fish, fragrant cheeses and all types of pulses. Add the inimitable formula of flavors and aroma, cooking times and mix all these with passion. Voila -your taste buds sit up and take notice!
Rome
Feast on such specialties as zuppa di pesce (a soup or stew of various fish, cooked in white wine and flavored with herbs), cannelloni (tube-shaped pasta baked with any number of stuffings). Sink your teeth into riso col gamberi (rice with shrimp, peas, and mushrooms, flavored with white wine and garlic), scampi alla griglia (grilled prawns). Tickle your taste buds with quaglie col risotto e tartufi (quail with rice and truffles), lepre alla cacciatore (hare flavored with tomato sauce and herbs). You will be bowled over by the variety and sophistication.Tuscany
The superb local olive oil is the medium- and the soul of Tuscan cooking. It is the base, the flavor, and the health factor in these parts. Myriad tomato-based sauces flavor the typical Tuscan pastas - pappardelle and penne .Taste the succulent yet strong cheeses such as Gorgonzola, fontina, and parmigian that the Tuscans are extremely fond of.Lombardy
Discover the original, world famous cotoletta alla Milanese here. Osso buco does not lag too far behind. Cooked with the shin bone of veal in a sauce and served with rice and peas, it releases its flavors as soon as your molars sink into these. Top it up with Risotto alla Milanese where large helpings of rice are always combined with heaps of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Continue your journey into the core of gastronomic delights with Polenta, a cornmeal mush that's "more than mush,"!Piedmont
Savor the difference here as you sink your teeth into such veritable delights as bagna cauda, garlic, butter, and anchovies that is enjoyed by dipping uncooked fresh vegetables. Even Fonduta packs a tasty punch.Liguria
The Sea rules the region's life and sea- creatures its tables. Delight in the bouillabaisse, a burrida exquisitely flavored with spices. Even pesto, a "mere" sauce made with fresh basil, garlic, cheese, and walnuts and used to dress pasta, fish, and many other dishes ,never fails to beguile your palate. Emilia-Romagna
Swoop into the heart of gastronomic enchantment in the towns of Modena, Parma, Bologna, Ravenna, and Ferrara. Drool over tagliatelle, tortellini, and cappelletti - the specialties here. Relish mortadella, the best-known sausage of the area and the equally famous cotoletta alla Bolognese (veal cutlet fried with a slice of ham or bacon). The famous cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano is a distinctive treat. Campania
The Neapolitan theme has been overdone in the West, turning g up in most tables at every restaurant. Spaghetti with clam sauce, pizzas, and much of the Neapolitan cuisine , however ,taste much better here with fresh flavors most tongues have not yet tasted. Mozzarella, or buffalo cheese, though over done- is still a classic. And don't forget the mixed fish fries, done a golden brown- its a delectable treat every time! Sicily
Like its people, Sicilian cuisine sizzles with strong flavors. A staple of maccheroni con le sarde (spaghetti with pine seeds, fennel, spices, chopped sardines, and olive oil) makes you want for more. Ferret out the delectable fresh Fish and involtini siciliani (rolled meat with a stuffing of egg, ham, and cheese cooked in bread crumbs) among the meat dishes. The ice creams, called gelato could be your parting treat, but the taste stays forever.