Marchi's Restaurant

Panettone is a popular restaurant holiday dessert. An export of Milan, it is a sweetbread shaped like a cupola that takes three days to proof, and has citron, raisins, candied fruits, or chocolate sprinkled throughout for a unique experience.

Are you particularly fond of the rich cream sauces prevalent in some forms of Italian cuisine? You can thank the German and French influence on northern Italy for infusing dairy into the regional cuisine.

Did you know that traditional Italian chefs prefer to create dishes with seasonally fresh ingredients? This means they avoid cooking with strawberries available through technological means instead of by nature.

During an economic crisis in the 1600s, pasta became the preferred food of the people. While meat and produce imports became too expensive for the common man to afford, flour was in plentiful supply, becoming an obvious filling food alternative.

Americans eat 1.3 million pounds of pasta each year. Line up all that pasta in 16-oz. spaghetti packages, and it would circle the Earth nearly nine times.

Italian restaurants are some of the most versatile dining establishments. The food and atmosphere can easily accommodate large gatherings of families and friends, as well as romantic and intimate dinners for two.

When it comes to American-made lasagna, chefs typically prefer rippled noodles, much like they do in southern Italy. However, Northern Italians prefer flat noodles when making the dish.

The pasta term 'al dente' can be translated as to the tooth. This term refers to the fact that, when cooked, the pasta should offer some resistance to the tooth while still being tender.

Friendship, romance, and the enjoyment of all that is good in life are at the heart of Italian cuisine. Its preparation and presentation encourages conversation and sharing, and enhances the joy we get when we dining with friends and family.

One reason Italian cooking is different in America is the greater availability of meat. In the past, Italians only ate meat a few times a month due to scarcity. Thanks to the large farms found in America, meat quickly became expected in Italian dishes served in America.

Italian cuisine, just like other Mediterranean cuisines, is considered healthy. This is primarily because the diet is plant-based in nature, with a heavy emphasis on vegetables (including tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplants), grains, seeds, beans, and olive oil.

Did you know Alfredo sauce is a completely American invention? However, Italians do have something a bit similar known as four-cheese sauce.

The cheese most identified with Italian cooking is mozzarella, a spun paste cheese. Although today it's is served in different types, shapes, and qualities, the finest mozzarella is obtained from buffalo milk (mozzarella di bufala).