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Here are today’s five thing to know about Italian Food:

1.  It was not until the 1700’s that tomatoes were first found in Italian dishes.
2. The ‘essential’ ingredients in Italian food include: olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, mozzarella, ricotta, parmigiana, capers, tomatoes, sausage and of course pasta
3. An average Italian meal is divided in two parts, primo piatto & secondo piatto; the primo include a pasta or risotto; the secondi  includes any meat and fish meals, complemented by a contorno, a side dish of vegetables.
4. The Italian dessert, Tiramisu, (ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with mascarpone cheese and egg yolks then flavored with liquor and cocoa) roughly translates to “pick-me-up.”  Did you know that this dessert did not appear until the late 1960’s and in the U.S. by the early 1980’s.
5. Italians prefer their pasta cooked ‘al dente’  literally meaning “to the tooth.” The pasta should be a bit firm, offering some resistance to the tooth, but tender.

Daily Quote: 

“You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.” ~ Yogi Berra

Today’s Pinterest Board : Foodimentary

Today’s Food History

• 1837 Riot in New York over high price of flour

• 1933 The House of Commons defeated a bill that would have prohibited the sale of alcohol in the U.K.

• 1967 The Beatles single ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ is released.

• 2000 The last original ‘Peanuts’ comic strip is published.