Food trends

Although the term has been in use for a few years, it seems that experiential dining is finally here to stay. If the recent pandemic made us so accustomed to food delivery that, at some point, a meal did not seem to be an incentive to leave the house anymore, a unique and memorable experience that goes beyond a mere dinner is what we are all craving right now.Already on the rise by the end of last year - with 263% increase of searches for “underwater restaurants” and 109% increase of searches for “dinner theaters” – the experiential dining trend…

Bread, in Italy, is as popular as pasta and pizza. It is the first thing that gets served in restaurants, without even asking for it. We eat bread together with almost any dish except pasta, rice and - of course - dessert, but when a delicious layer of sauce remains on the plate, we can’t help but making scarpetta, that is using a piece of bread to collect it and enjoy it. Even though more than 250 different types of bread are baked all over the country, including regional varieties, not many people know that unleavened bread is the most…

Italian ice cream, commonly known as gelato, is one of the staple foods in summertime.  With fewer calories, less sugar and lower fat content per serving than standard, commercial ice cream, Italian gelato is tasty and filling enough to be the perfect substitute for a lunch on-the-go during a hot and hectic summer day. 7,5 million occurrences of the hashtag #gelato, on the main social media platforms, confirm that the popularity of this Italian excellence is on the raise all over the world. Predictable – one may say – when you combine Italian expertise, top-quality ingredients and a product that…

Sustainable development is becoming more and more important in any kind of business and, in this perspective, the impact of the food sector is strategic. Each year, in the world, 17% of all food produced is wasted. Food is thrown away because it’s either partially consumed or stored inappropriately; sometimes, simply because it’s not nice-looking enough to be shown on the shelves of a grocery store.In addition, there is an array of inedible parts - like the seeds and peel of some fruit and vegetables - that typically end up straight in landfills, where they eventually contribute, together with the…

If you are a fan of Italian foods and a lover of seasonal products, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, in this blog post, we are talking about tomatoes. Bright red, just like a section of our national flag, juicy and tasty, tomatoes are a constant presence on our dining tables during the hottest months of the year. Think of caprese (sliced mozzarella and tomatoes, garnished with basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil), mixed salads, cold pasta salads, vegetarian cous cous, some lovely bruschetta with fresh oregano and plenty of other recipes: there seems no…

Italian cuisine is the world’s most popular. If this means that there are billions of people in any area of the globe who love it, it is also true that the price it pays for popularity entails surrendering to a series of “food crimes” that would make any Italian cringe. Leaving out of the discussion the (in)famous ‘Hawaiian’ pizza (the one with pineapple which, being a fruit, should be eaten at the end of a meal), the most common mistakes reveal a lack of knowledge of what the Italian food culture really is about. If ketchup is widely appreciated as…

In the past few years, the real innovation in the food market has been driven by alternative food options. Although “perfection” is still to be achieved, next-generation plant-based meat, egg and dairy products are becoming more and more competitive with animal products on taste, price and accessibility. Currently valued at USD 14.3 billion, the plant-based food market is expected to reach the value of USD 88.00 billion by 2029. Its fast, high growth rate is mainly due to three reasons: increasing consumer interest in plant-based diets, the rising consciousness for animal rights and the widespread awareness regarding benefits of plant-based…

Fall is foodies’ paradise. While the days growing shorter and the air turning colder call for longer, cozy indoor meals, this season is filled with so many sensational products that every food lover is truly spoilt for choice. The Autumn’s harvest in Italy is a real bounty: pumpkins, chestnuts, pomegranates, cabbages, beetroots…the list is almost endless and it strongly influences our eating habits during this time of the year. Cold pasta salads make room for earthy soups; new ruby wine and fresh extra virgin olive oil become the perfect pairing for casseroles and stews. If we were to crown a…

If you add Italy and food the result is always pasta. Easy-to-prepare, delicious and so versatile that it can be combined with a plethora of other ingredients to create some of the world’s favorite dishes. Funnily enough though, the most famous pasta recipe in the world is not one of those that a visitor would find featured on a menu in any restaurant in Italy: probably because of its history, linked to somebody feeling unwell, or maybe for the abundance of butter which is not very popular in the Mediterranean diet.  Created in 1914 by Alfredo Di Lelio, the owner…

If Fall is the season for harvest, October is its richest month when it comes to fresh fruit. Chestnuts, apples, pomegranates, pears and grapes: in Italy we have such a variety and abundance to suit every taste. Not many people know, though, that this autumnal month is the one that sees also a couple of dried fruits, considered as national excellences, getting ready for consumption: the hazelnut from Piedmont e the pistachio from Sicily. Recognized as the best in the world for its balanced flavor and a good production yield, the Tonda Gentile Trilobata (also known as PGI Piedmont Hazelnut)…

Prosciutto (ham), salame, pancetta: some of the most famous Italian cured meats are made with pork. Real top-quality food, prepared according to ancient methods rooted in our gastronomic tradition. The recent outspread of the African swine fever virus (ASFV), that is causing a severe disease in pigs and wild boars, is significantly impacting their sales. Furthermore, there are numerous countries in the world where the consumption of pork meat is not allowed for religious reasons. When it comes to keep enjoying food excellences though, Italy provides an alternative solution: it is called Bresaola and it is a cured beef from…

After the doom and gloom of the last few months, the deal recently signed by Ukraine and Russia is a beacon of hope for grain exports. The agreement, that allows the resumption of vital grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, is an important diplomatic breakthrough aimed at alleviating the global food crisis sparked by the war. As a matter of fact, so far Russia had blocked maritime access to those ports thus impeding the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to the numerous countries that rely on it. Considering that in normal times Ukraine would export around…