When you close your eyes and picture “Italian food,” what comes to mind? For most Americans, it’s a familiar, comforting scene: a red-and-white checkered tablecloth, a basket of garlic bread glistening with butter, and a heaping plate of spaghetti buried under meatballs the size of baseballs, all smothered in a thick, red sauce and a snowstorm of parmesan from a green shaker can.
It’s the food of celebratory family dinners, first dates, and cozy nights in. It’s hearty, satisfying, and, in our collective consciousness, deliciously indulgent.
the food of celebratory family dinners, first dates, and cozy nights in
Author summary: Italian food is comforting and indulgent.