Food

5 Reasons Why Italian Is Your Favorite Kind of Food

The excellent traditional cuisine of sunny Italy astounds everyone with its diversity. Pizzas and pasta have for an extended period gained recognition since these delicacies are simple to prepare. Italian cuisine is very diverse that you can find distinct culinary characteristics.

With Italian foods, being overweight isn’t a matter of concern, since nutritionists all over the world praise Italian food. Besides, a glass of wine accompanies every meal. Below are some of the reasons why there’s arguably no food as excellent as Italian food.

  1. Use of Olive oil

Olive oil which is a renowned antioxidant is used to prepare various Italian dishes and gives traditional taste to food. Olive oil is the source of monounsaturated fat, we all know that these kinds of fat don’t trigger any heart diseases.

  1. Unique taste and flavor

Italian food is prepared using different ingredients which make the food tasty. Some of the common elements used in the serafina restaurant are for instance olives which are very healthy.

Sun-dried tomatoes are ordinary in numerous Italian dishes as well; they are typically marinated in garlic, herbs, and spices used for making pizzas and salads. Due to the unique ingredients, Italian foods have a unique flavor and taste even better the following day. The reason is that flavors collect together as the food sits overnight.

  1. Easy to prepare

Italian foods are simple to make, in Italian cooking, you have all you need, from olive oil, onions, basil, and garlic. Italian foods present with multiple variations; you can begin with any pasta dish. Whichever way you have it, Pasta is a straightforward dish you can ever count on to please.

Spaghetti is a simple dish, and you can always count on it to please. Various forms of pasta can be used for spaghetti, but the basic premise of the recipe does not change. A long fine noodle smeared within a tomato sauce. With the inclusion of tomatoes and or any other excellent vegetables to a sauce, you can transform the taste of it dramatically.

There are no tricks to making great spaghetti; you can add anything the result is extraordinary. The secret is about adding more ingredients, and you have something unique and tasty on the table.

  1. Use of Garlic

Italians prefer to prepare their dishes with garlic, and the versatility that is connected with it makes it the signature of any meal.

Garlic not only adds a unique flavor to food, boosts the immune system but keeps away colds and flu. It promotes blood circulation and aids in digestion, reason why no Italian dish is complete without the use of garlic.

  1. Romano cheese

In case you ask various people about the type of cheese used in Italian dishes, they will say Parmesan. However, that is far from correct; Romano cheese comprises of a stronger pungent flavor as compared to parmesan. Romano cheese is sprayed on salads, bread, and pasta for an exciting, unique Italian flavor.

Sarma-Recipe

10 Traditional Serbian Dishes You Need to Try

Yes, tastes differ. But still, many individuals agree that the repository of tastes and smells of traditional Serbian dishes is very difficult to resist. Serbian dishes are among the most delicious worldwide. All the stunning Karađorđeva steak, the excellent sarma, the crunchy ćevapčići, the delicious komplet lepinja – get a pen because you will need to write down these Serbian recipes.

  1. Cvarci

They are pork crisps produced from fat that is extracted thermally from butter. It is popular during winter, crispy and salty, and it is definitely a meal that you will love at your first bite.

  1. Pljeskavica

It is also known as the Serbian hamburger. It is grilled meat with spices that is served with flatbread types like lepinja or somun. Currently, pljeskavica is famous worldwide. So you can order it in any  Serbian restaurant in Miami. Sounds great?

  1. Kobasice

They are commonly known as Serbian sausages. There are many Serbian sausage variables. Some of them include svargla, kulen, krvavice, srem, and many others. Some of these can be eaten as cold appetizers while others are for frying.

  1. Mladi Sir

Also known as curd or cottage cheese. It is a type of cheese with a neutral taste and low-fat milk, and it goes well with most meat dishes. You can find this in most traditional Serbian food markets.

  1. Ajvar

This type of Serbian cuisine is perfect for groups and families because it includes almost every meal. It has a combination of eggplants, garlic, and red peppers. The Serbian people term this dish as a Serbian salad.

  1. Musaka

This Serbian dish contains meat, and it has several layers. It has layers of potatoes and mixed spices to make it exceptional. It is always excellent when seasoned with salad and a glass of sweet wine. Enjoy it!

  1. Sarma

They are commonly known as the Serbian cabbage rolls. It might be the sovereign dish of the Serbian cuisine! It includes minced meat that is spiced up and rolled in cabbage leaves that are sour. The origin of this exceptional dish is from way back during the Ottoman kingdom, and the popularity of this dish is still high even today.

  1. Karađorđeva šnicla

The dish has its origin from the Serbian prince Karadjordje and signifies an actual royal meal. Šnicla can be pork or beefsteak that is stuffed and rolled with kajmak then breaded and fried. You need to include this Serbian dish in your must try list while in Miami.

  1. Kajmak

This traditional Serbian dish is best made in private households and can always be found at the Serbian food markets. It is made from unhomogenized and unpasteurized milk like various other types of new and unripe cheese. It is excellent when served together with meat dishes, but you can also eat it with a flatbread or by itself.

  1. Ćevapi

It is one of the most typical Serbian dishes for the people of the Balkan tribe. There are various recipes for this meal, but the outcome is similar. It is a meal of grilled minced meat that can be served with a flatbread, and it is best with kajmak and chopped onions on the side.

When talking about traditional Serbian dishes, we think of it as a souvenir from our ancestors. Tourists fall in love with the cuisines at first bite. The cooking presents various textures and tastes, which makes it unique. We hope this guide on Serbian dishes is helpful. Enjoy your meal!

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3 Mediterranean Foods You Must Try

Mediterranean foods are known around the world. They bring a tasty and beautiful experience to each person’s table. With the fresh veggies and the various meats, they bring a healthy and beneficial cuisine to the world of cooking. If you have yet to try Mediterranean foods then try the top three that we have listed below to have an experience that is worth having. Your pallet will thank you after you are done with the meal. Here are the top three easy to make Mediterranean dishes that are popular today.

Meat Pistachio

Meat Pistachio is exceptional when perfected in the kitchen. You will feel as if you are in the Mediterranean while you indulge with this dish. Numerous recipes can be made; however, there are some fantastic Mediterranean restaurants that have introduced this dish on their menus that are incredible. Try one next time you are there, you will not be disappointed.

The dish is made with a variety of meats and topped or cooked with pistachio to add a texture that is a perfect addition to the cuisine. You can make the dish at home and give your family a delicious new entrée that might make you want to travel to Greece, or you can experience this style of dish at a restaurant to open your mind to new ideas of Mediterranean foods. You will fall in love with the first bite.

Feta Shrimp Skillet

The Feta Shrimp Skillet is extremely popular in Greece. It is made all the time for the locals, so why not try the dish at your home. You will have an experience that you will not forget. This dish is made on a skillet. It includes ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, white wine, shrimp, feta cheese, oregano, and parsley.

Feta-Shrimp-Skillet

There are a few different variations that you can add or take away to make this dish, but as a whole, it will be a tasty memory. Sprinkle a little crushed red pepper to give it a bite to the cuisine. Try out a few different recipes to find the best one you like, and then invite you friends and family over to experience Greece in your own home.

Baked Red Lentil Falafel Salad

This dish is perfect for a side entrée or even as a main course. It is a healthy dish that has many benefits. Using greens in your meals always makes dinners more delectable and this dish will be the perfect add on to any main course that you are looking to achieve. It is simple to make, with just a few ingredients of lettuce, red lentils, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, sesame paste, and chickpeas. There are additional recipes that you can use to enhance the dish; however, it tastes great no matter how it is made. Try this dish for a healthy alternative to your normal salad and see that you will continue to use it over and over again.

In conclusion, Mediterranean foods can be a new concept to some, but once you try them, you will not be disappointed. They bring a variety of styles and ingredients to each person’s dinner table that can take you away to another world. Your friends and family will be waiting impatiently when you tell them what you are making. Experience it one time and you will want to create more and more Mediterranean dishes in the future.

Why Local Restaurants Are Better Than Chain Restaurants

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Why Local Restaurants Are Better Than Chain Restaurants

If you live in a big city, you are familiar with the term eating on the go. Fortunately for people that are in a rush, there is an abundance of establishments that offer food that one can just walk in pick up and be out in less than 5 minutes. While this is precisely what some people are looking for, we can slowly see that local restaurants are slowly losing their place in the food service industry due to being out competition by the chains. That can be for a variety of factors, but the two most common reasons are that the chain restaurants are cheaper and that they prepare food faster.

However, just because chain restaurants have those two things going for them, does not mean they are a better choice for you!

More likely than not, the chain restaurants are a worse choice!

Here are a couple of reasons why local restaurants are a better choice for you and your family over the chain restaurants.

– The quality of the food

The quality of the foodFood quality in local restaurants is miles above the chains. Usually, you can pick up something tasty in the chain ones, but they have a limited offer, as their menu items are the same wherever you go, and so they don’t order the best of the best when it comes to meat products. Additionally, most of the local restaurants don’t freeze their food for many months as they order from the local market. For this reason, they have a better menu, and better over quality. Remember a burger can never be better than the T-bone steak prepared with love and experience.

– The service

Another thing that you can spot in the local restaurants is the way service is being handled. When it comes to customer complaints every response is genuine, and they do tend to take care of any issues with the best ability they can, but when we talk about chain restaurant responses, all of them are scripted as every employee is required to answer the same, and they never go the extra mile to make you feel welcomed. Due to that tightly knitted group mentality, you have in the local environment you also think that their ambiance is more pleasant. Whenever you go out to eat in a local restaurant you will want to come again, and you will probably well like a part of a big family, while in the chains it’s all about not being hungry in the next 20 minutes and the dining experience is completely forgettable.

– You are not in a hurry

You are not in a hurryEating has become this task that must be performed in order for us to continue doing other things. The sad part is if you place your meal time on this track your body will soon show increasing signs of wear and tear and will not be healthy or feel healthy. Meal times should be a calm period where you can relax and turn off your brain from the busy world and focus on other things, like talking or reading the newspaper.

The local restaurants just have that vibe where everyone who came to eat is not in a rush, while in the chain restaurants you can feel like you have to eat fast so that others can sit where you are sitting, thereby becoming anxious while you eat. Which is highly undesirable during meal time.

Drinking

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Eating and Drinking Etiquette In High-end Restaurants and Bars

Ever wanted to go to that high-end restaurant where you have to make reservations months in advance and you never could? Until you got lucky and either got invited by somebody else or you finally landed that reservation and can now hope to enjoy the service and menu that they provide in their establishment.

However, if you wanted to become part of the usual’s that sit there almost every day, then you would have to have some different habits than you usually have in your chain restaurants. The fact of the matter is that chain restaurants have automatic responses for dealing with certain situations, and their philosophy of running the said restaurants are always the same. The high-end restaurants and bars will have their unique service and will deal with any issues in their own way. So, how can you fit in right the first day, well that’s easy, we will explain some eating and drinking etiquette, so you don’t come off as a snob or as a simpleton.

– Dress for the occasion

restaurant or barThe first impression you leave is when you enter the establishment. If you have booked a dinner or a late evening drink you can’t come with shorts and a t-shirt to a high-end restaurant or bar. Dress for the occasion and don’t overdress as people easily go from one end to the other, which is as bad as doing nothing. If you are wondering what kind of attire is considered ok in the restaurant, you can do some research online as there will probably be enough reviews from other visitors. This brings us to the next part

– Be polite

While you could get away with a certain behavior in small restaurants or in chain bars, here it’s not expected of you to be a show off when it comes to being rude. If you consider something to be below your desired level, ask for the waiter and explain in a lower tone exactly what your issue is. Making a big spectacle in a high-end restaurant will not only bring in judgmental stares from the rest of the guests, but it will usually lead to you being asked to leave the establishment.

– Don’t be afraid to ask

High-end restaurants don’t have issues when their guests are interested in knowing what they are eating and how it is prepared. Every waiter should be educated enough about the ins and outs of the restaurant so that he can answer any and all your questions. So, don’t be scared to ask as you won’t come off as a snob just because you want to get all the information about a particular dish before you order it.

– Have a favorite wine before you visit

As they are thousands of wines on the market today, it’s tough to have them all stocked inside all the restaurants all over the country. However, a good waiter will know what comes close to your taste if you can give him the name of several wines you enjoy drinking. Learn what kind of wines you prefer before you order a bottle, as you can only return opened bottles that have a bad smell of mildew.