I’ve been living outside of Italy for the best part of the last 15 years. I lived in Europe, America, Asia, Australia across 10 different countries. I often wonder: how many times, in my travels abroad, have I come across Italian cuisine… which was not really Italian?
It all typically starts like this: you are exploring a fantastic new city somewhere in the world. You are happy because everything around you is new: the Church, the Mosque, the huge square, the central garden… whatever, really. All of a sudden, a strange feeling gets the best of you and you realize you are actually surrounded by familiar clues. Yes, I mean that ‘Pizza’ sign, that chalkboard with the ‘PASTA SPECIALS’ writings on it, Caffe’ shops everywhere. You get the idea.
At first you may be intrigued, perhaps even happy – then, if you are actually Italian, more and more worried. You come closer to take a look and you discover that the menu list is crowded with:
- absurd meal names;
- dishes that you have never heard of;
- inconceivable combinations of ingredients.
You start shivering, you are afraid. ‘Why am I here?! Is this the Apocalypse?’
I would like to reassure you. Don’t panic, everything is normal: you are a victim of the usual misunderstandings about Italian food, outside of Italy. An almost destabilizing, sometimes traumatic experience that I want to discuss with you today.
So… let’s explore together my list of the 6 most popular culinary mistakes (horror stories!) on “Italian restaurants” menus abroad.
6 things that are WRONG about Italian cuisine abroad
1. Cappuccino anytime of the day
Outside of Italy people go crazy for our cappuccino, that’s just the way it is.
Indeed, people love this drink so much that they decide to sip it quietly after or (worse) during meals. Sacrilege!
Remember: as per the Italian rules, you are allowed to drink cappuccino only at breakfast and NOT with your steak!
I’ll tell you a short story… I was once working in Milan with a bunch of German colleagues and I took one of them for a coffee to the local ‘bar’ (if you are really unaware of the local Italian customs, a ‘bar’ in Italy is what you call a ‘coffee shop’ everywhere else in the world: no alcohol served, just coffee). It was 3pm, the barista clearly expected us to leave quickly after ordering 2 espressos, which he in fact started preparing as soon as we stepped in the place (he didn’t know the guy I was with was German…). I’ll let you imagine the comments (inclusive of swear words) I had to translate when the barista was asked by my German friend to make a “skim cappuccino in a small cup”: a funny episode that still makes me laugh when I think about it!
2. Alfredo Pasta
This is a real mystery to me! This pasta is almost unknown in Italy but very popular in America: in my understanding, it’s a dish based on egg pasta, butter and Parmesan Cheese. It is one of the most common “Italian” dishes in the States, where it’s possible to find even a ready-made seasoning: ‘Alfredo Sauce’ precisely, which can be purchased at the supermarket.
However, “Alfredo Pasta” seems to have indeed its birthplace in Rome, in 1908 when Alfredo Di Lelio, owner of a local trattoria, created this meal allegedly as a ‘pick-me-up’ for his wife who had just given birth to their son Armando. Alfredo Di Lelio somehow had to close that original trattoria, but in 1950 he opened, together with his son Armando (yes, that same child…) “Il Vero Alfredo” restaurant in Rome where they are still, allegedly, serving this type of fettucine.
In summary, Alfredo Pasta may have been a thing in Rome in 1908, but no nonna would know that recipe by heart these days!
3. Spaghetti Bolognaise
That’s another one! We could talk about this for a few weeks, but I would start from the actual preparation of the “bolognaise sauce” in fake Italian restaurants around the world.
Their sauce contains everything but what a ragu should contain! And do not let me start on the serving plate: an ungraceful heap of pasta, evidently cooked for too long, with some red liquid on top (image below!). WHY?
You will be surprised to know that this is the most loved dish by the Brits, who eat something like 670 million portions a year (and counting).
Maybe they should watch this video and start getting an idea… Perhaps Brexit will mix things up!
4. Creamy Carbonara
This is certainly a favourite of mine, probably because I have a not-so-funny story and a bitter memory linked to it.
When I first moved out of Italy (and I mean, my first ever experience abroad!) I chose London in the UK as my next temporary home. One of the first weekends I was there, I was hanging around Piccadilly Circus with an Italian friend of mine who was also new to living abroad. It was lunchtime and we saw an Italian-sounding restaurant right in front of us so we decided to have a meal there. We were really happy and felt lucky we had found an Italian restaurant with no effort, right there, waiting to serve real Italian food to us…
Real Italian food, outside of Italy, in the middle of a tourist destination. How foolish!
We both ordered a Carbonara which was served to us some 45 seconds later. A whiteish bubble vomit-like, with a dubious consistency and texture, drown in cream and, I’m sure, it must have been a bit smelly.
We gave it a try but after the first mouthful, we decided to call it a meal: we paid the bill and run away from that place.
I can just tell you: that was not a Carbonara, but this is (hint: have a look at my videorecipe)!
That was my first experience with Italian restaurants abroad. I’ll probably write another blog around all the learnings I have accumulated in that field!
5. Pizza
Yes, people from all over the world have also been able to ruin such a simple food. Have you heard of the (in)glorious Pizza Hawaii, with pineapple slices sitting in between shredded mozzarella, on fresh tomato passata? Sounds (and looks) disgusting to me, but it is loved by Americans, Dutch and Australians all over the globe.
What about the Pizza with Barbecue sauce? And the Pepperoni Pizza? Which, please note, it’s not a normal pizza with peppers (‘peperoni’ in Italian means ‘pepper’) but a pizza prepared with an American spicy sausage called, in fact, Pepperoni.
How weird is that?!
A few years ago I was having a pizza at Pizza Am, one of the best pizzerias in Milan, and, being quite early in the day, the place was almost empty with just me and another girl eating. Turned out this girl was a South-African tourist who had ordered a Margherita pizza just to then ask for chili oil, black pepper and… balsamic vinegar!
Pasquale, the owner of that Pizzeria, turned to me and quietly told me: “I’m sorry for that pizza. The only topping left for her to use on it was Nutella!”
6. Garlic bread
Not sure where to start on this one either. Actually, I’m not even sure what garlic bread is, really. I can think of a bruschetta replica gone rogue, where instead of serving a slice a bread with some garlic on top, people decided to create a garlic infuse with a hint of bread.
What a brilliant idea. Not!
Only the smell of this thing would put me off, imagine eating it… as an appetizer!
If you want a simple Italian starter and you’re running out of ideas, just mix some olive oil, a drop of balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper and dip your bread in this quick sauce. How much is this better than smelly garlic bread?!
You heard me
Traditional Italian food is sacred in Italy. Of course, these are just some of the most common ‘incidents’ on Italian cuisine that I experienced outside of the Italic borders: cappuccino anytime, the mythical Alfredo Sauce, the fake bolognaise, the Carbonara with cream, pizza with pineapples, garlic bread.
Did you come across any of those? And did you try the authentic Italian equivalent?
Remember: to get your proper Italian food fix, you just need to browse around my recipes page, because cooking good quality, highly tasty Italian food is way simpler than you think!
© Italian Food Boss
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
The restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the Registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence – section on Historical Activities of Excellence” of the Municipality of Roma Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
IN ITALIANO
STORIA DI ALFREDO DI LELIO, CREATORE DELLE “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), E DELLA SUA TRADIZIONE FAMILIARE PRESSO IL RISTORANTE “IL VERO ALFREDO” (“ALFREDO DI ROMA”) IN PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE A ROMA
Con riferimento al Vostro articolo ho il piacere di raccontarVi la storia di mio nonno Alfredo Di Lelio, inventore delle note “fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”).
Alfredo Di Lelio, nato nel settembre del 1883 a Roma in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, cominciò a lavorare fin da ragazzo nella piccola trattoria aperta da sua madre Angelina in Piazza Rosa, un piccolo slargo (scomparso intorno al 1910) che esisteva prima della costruzione della Galleria Colonna (ora Galleria Sordi).
Il 1908 fu un anno indimenticabile per Alfredo Di Lelio: nacque, infatti, suo figlio Armando e videro contemporaneamente la luce in tale trattoria di Piazza Rosa le sue “fettuccine”, divenute poi famose in tutto il mondo. Questa trattoria è “the birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
Alfredo Di Lelio inventò le sue “fettuccine” per dare un ricostituente naturale, a base di burro e parmigiano, a sua moglie (e mia nonna) Ines, prostrata in seguito al parto del suo primogenito (mio padre Armando). Il piatto delle “fettuccine” fu un successo familiare prima ancora di diventare il piatto che rese noto e popolare Alfredo Di Lelio, personaggio con “i baffi all’Umberto” ed i calli alle mani a forza di mischiare le sue “fettuccine” davanti ai clienti sempre più numerosi.
Nel 1914, a seguito della chiusura di detta trattoria per la scomparsa di Piazza Rosa dovuta alla costruzione della Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decise di aprire a Roma il suo ristorante “Alfredo” che gestì fino al 1943, per poi cedere l’attività a terzi estranei alla sua famiglia.
Ma l’assenza dalla scena gastronomica di Alfredo Di Lelio fu del tutto transitoria. Infatti nel 1950 riprese il controllo della sua tradizione familiare ed aprì, insieme al figlio Armando, il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” (noto all’estero anche come “Alfredo di Roma”) in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 (cfr. il sito web di Il Vero Alfredo).
Con l’avvio del nuovo ristorante Alfredo Di Lelio ottenne un forte successo di pubblico e di clienti negli anni della “dolce vita”. Successo, che, tuttora, richiama nel ristorante un flusso continuo di turisti da ogni parte del mondo per assaggiare le famose “fettuccine all’Alfredo” al doppio burro da me servite, con l’impegno di continuare nel tempo la tradizione familiare dei miei cari maestri, nonno Alfredo, mio padre Armando e mio fratello Alfredo. In particolare le fettuccine sono servite ai clienti con 2 “posate d’oro”: una forchetta ed un cucchiaio d’oro regalati nel 1927 ad Alfredo dai due noti attori americani M. Pickford e D. Fairbanks (in segno di gratitudine per l’ospitalità).
Desidero precisare che altri ristoranti “Alfredo” a Roma non appartengono e sono fuori dal mio brand di famiglia.
Vi informo che il Ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” è presente nell’Albo dei “Negozi Storici di Eccellenza – sezione Attività Storiche di Eccellenza” del Comune di Roma Capitale.
Grata per la Vostra attenzione ed ospitalità nel Vostro interessante blog, cordiali saluti
Ines Di Lelio
Ciao Ines, thanks for writing in! I’m glad what I wrote is in line with your story – that’s excellent. I’ll have to try your Fettucine Alfredo next time I’m in Rome.
Ciao!
As a newcomer to your site the story of Alfredo Sauce caught my eye? Many years ago I received a cook book written by Theodora FitzGibbon, titled “A Taste of Rome,” published 1975 (First American Edition.) The book contains many fabulous recipes and awesome photos of 1800’s Rome.
On page 12 is a recipe for Fettuccine Al Doppio Burro. FitzGibbon states, ” The simple but good method of serving noodles that made the fortune of Alfredo, the Roman restaurateur. ”
The recipe describes a process of gently combining cooked pasta with butter, cream, Parmesan, nutmeg and pepper! Spectacular.
The circle remains unbroken, love your site.
Ciao
Many thanks for your comment! Yes, fettuccine al burro are basically the Alfredo recipe. I’m glad you liked the website! Ciao e grazie! I hope you liked the videorecipes on youtube too!