Fresh and Simple is Better

My husband and I recently took a trip to Italy - namely Rome, Montalcino and Florence. We had a fantastic time, and saw all of the sites. We also ate some amazing food. From pizza to pappardell con cingale to gelato, no matter where we went, we ate like Roman kings.

One of the biggest differences I noticed in the Italian cuisine was that the food was FRESH AND SIMPLE - very few ingredients, and what was used was the top of the top. For example, pizza in Italy is not weighed down with pounds of processed cheese - there, they use fresh mozzarella sparingly, along with house-made tomato sauce and freshly made dough. The difference was noticed immediately.

Another example was the pasta - all made by hand, fresh that day, and in house. Dressed delicately with pesto sauce and cooked al dente, it was a party in my mouth. Even the Caprese salad (tomato & mozzarella) exploded with flavors not usually found at restaurants in the states.

The wine was also different - and never left me feeling "off" the next day. We ended up coming back with 9 bottles that we will enjoy over the next several years.

Of course, the food was enjoyable, but it also inspired me to use these techniques in my own cooking and dining experiences. It seems like oftentimes, restaurants use multiple ingredients to create a flavor - instead of letting the foods speak for themselves. Maybe this is because the ingredients aren't fresh - so why serve it?

While I know that I will have to travel back to Italy to experience this quality of cooking again, I hope to take the lessons I've learned from this trip and search for fresh and simple meals to enjoy.

Two restaurants in the DC area that are known for coming close to an overseas experience include:

Dino in Cleveland Park
Bebo Trattoria in Crystal City