The cuisine of southern Lazio: introduction

We have tried our best to describe the local cuisine, which a blend of the both the Roman and Neapolitan culinary traditions with the local recipes and ingredients. Much of the local cuisine presents cooking styles and ingredients receiving national recognition of excellence for their typical products and for keeping traditional methods of production. Italy’s incredibly rich and diverse gastronomy means that there is an unthinkable variety of local ingredients and recipes that even most Italians know nothing of. Each region, county or town is home to ingredients and typical products that very from town to town, often from village to village and from season to season, making almost impossible a fair description bringing all of them to the attention of the public.

We are not experts but with our passion for food we have tried our best to describe in details the delicious cuisine of South Pontino and its ancient wines, many of which were already on the tables of ancient Rome. “The main thing to remember about Italian cuisine,” reveals a Florentine chef introducing his cooking courses for foreigners “is that Italian cuisine doesn’t exist. First, because the term cuisine is French, but more important because in my country, thank heaven, we have no uniform way of cooking.” What sets the cooking of Italy apart from that of any other country is the variety of ingredients and spontaneity of the preparation.

In many places within Italy you can find the Mediterranean diet at its purest in extra virgin olive oil with durum wheat pasta, bread, fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit, fish and cheese, and wine from the nearest hillside. But you can also find some of the richest fare of Europe with fresh egg pasta and sauces based on butter and cream, meat pâtés and cold cuts, beef, pork, poultry and game, lush pastries and sweets, and wine lists that carry grand old vintages from regions north and south.

It depends on the time and place, of course, but wherever you dine in Italy expect to be surprised. Said this we have tried our best to describe the rich and interesting local cuisine and some of the traditional ingredients of southern Lazio, an interesting blend of the equally surprising Roman and Neapolitan cuisines (sorry, we meant ‘cucine’, of course!) . Enjoy your virtual journey of discovery in the southern Lazio gastronomy before you come here to enjoy the taste!

And “Buon Appetito”!