Tips to La Dolce Vita

Tip # 1: Enjoy it... Slowly.

“Great eaters and great sleepers are incapable of anything else that is great.”  ~ Henry IV ~

Italy is a country with a lot of character; it is colorful, romantic, happy, and melancholic all into one. It is not only famous for the delicious food, marvelous wine, the breathless scenery and its ancient cites, but also for the slow-paced lifestyle. Even visitors can easily get sucked into the leisurely attitude as soon as they land on Italian soil. Laziness, can, in fact, be contagious. Store hours include an almost mandatory three hour break for lunchtime; by law, four weeks of vacation time must be guaranteed to all employees; and as if to punctuate the point, Italians are very bad at multitasking. Taking our time to enjoy our daily activities is part of our culture. So here is my first tip: Occasionally set your watch on Italian time, and learn to take small steps, little bites, deep breaths, give long kisses, and truly enjoy all the flavors of life.

Tip # 2: Meet your new best friends: 

Garlic, onion, & pepper.

“Most of the food allergies die under garlic and onion.” ~Martin H. Fischer

Italian cuisine is based on a following notion: A few key ingredients are all that is needed to turn very simple foods into fabulous dishes. Garlic, onions, and pepper are certainly on my magic ingredients list. In the case of these particular foods, it even goes beyond their unique taste: They also have incredible health benefits. Garlic and onions help to lower blood pressure, fight infections, and reduce the risk of blood clots and certain cancers.
Pepper, which contains capsaicin, helps reduce respiratory illnesses. Buy them fresh to preserve all their original compounds (using dehydrated and powdered garlic is officially cheating from now on). Please, indulge! 

Tip # 3: Do you really know how to cook pasta?

“No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention.”
~ Christopher Morley ~

Pasta is the chore of Italian cuisine. Thus, it is essential that I share in detail the proper way to cook it:

1. Fill a large stockpot with water.
2. Cover the pot.
3. Bring the water to boiling, cooking at high heat.
4. When the water is boiling, add a handful of sea salt.
5. Slowly add the pasta to the boiling water.
6. Lower the heat if necessary so the water doesn't overflow.
7. Cook for about 10 minutes, depending on the kind of pasta (check the package directions)
8. Like every dish, the only way to tell if the pasta is cooked is to taste it. It should be 'al dente' - if it is too hard to bite it needs to cook a little longer.
9. Empty the entire pot of pasta into a strainer and shake off excess water.
10. Do not rinse. Place in a large bowl and add the sauce. 

Buon Appetito!