Eating Habits of Italians vs. Americans

 I belong to a cooking forum on the internet.  The majority of people who write or make comments live in the USA.  I have lived in Italy for 14 years and over this time I have realised the huge differences between the majority of Italians and many Americans.  I won't estimate the latter but I think, maybe a lot of them.   Cooking and devouring what is set before us has become more important than in the past.  Cooking channels, Cooking contests, Youtube recipes, info on where to eat where to go, and even eating challenges like Man Versus Food are popular.

Let's start with the Italians.  If you sit in a restaurant here you will see their plates with a small serving of one item.  The menu offers  3 courses, but I usually see Italians ordering only 2 of the offerings.  Their main course will not feature many items on the one dish and also items not touching.  You will never see a plate of pasta, with some cooked vegetable next to it, nor will you see meat, potatoes, and vegetables together on a plate.  Vegetables are ordered as a side dish and will come that way.  Many times vegetables will not be found on the menu, but the waiter will tell you there are some offerings of some cooked vegetables.  Spinach is a big item here, while you would never find it offered in America.  Roasted potatoes are popular but mashed potatoes are harder to find.  

America is a different story.  I grew up sitting down to a plate that had 3 or 4 items, including a salad on your plate.  I can remember buffet type restaurants where you are in line, your plate in hand and you are wondering how you are going to manage to place your items offered, much like a kind of food obstacle course.  Buffet lines are few here in Italy.  If there is a line, there will be a server placing your choice on a plate that you are NOT holding.  

Americans prefer to have the control.  Hence we come to the point of this posting.  For many Americans eating has become more like a challenge, a conquering moment, a situation where one feels a sense of winning when the plate is empty.

Let me suggest you take a look at recent photos of food creations to further demonstrate my take on this.  A warning should be made that some of you might start to get a bit hungry.  

Starting with the American creations.

Salad is nice touch

Impossible to bite!

Smaller but still a challenge to bite.

Helicopter bacon design

Another challenge

That should be enough evidence.   One needs a large mouth to even begin.  Even figuring out how to eat them without dropping parts onto your lap or  down your chin, you need strategy.

And now for the Italian presentations.  Here is a plate of the mentioned spinach.

Spinach for two people to share.

Pasta Plate (Appetizer)

 

Portions are smaller in Italy.  Ketchup on fries?  Just ask for ketchup and usually this is what you receive.  I am guilty of needing more.  

I wonder how long it will be when these differences in eating will change in Italy.  Maybe it is a lot better for them to not have a need to conquer their plate of food.

You have noted that 2 paragraphs above had huge print.  Google has done it to me again!  I can't figure out what happened, or how to fix, and so I just give up!  It always happens near the end, which is kind of a joke on me.  Oh well!

This has been a short blog posting.  I hope you find this one a bit humerous.  

 I wish you all a happy weekend. Ciao!