Taste, it is both a noun and a verb, it refers to the act of food coming into contact with the tongue as well as the sensation that is perceived when that contact is made. Most recently, taste has come to mean a number one ranking for the cuisine I have known and loved, my entire life.
Italian cuisine was recently ranked the greatest globally by Taste Atlas. For those who may be unfamiliar, Taste Atlas is an experiential travel guide for traditional food that collates authentic recipes, food critic reviews, and research articles about popular ingredients and dishes. Taste Atlas, unlike Michelin and Trip Advisor, places emphasis on preserving traditional recipes and promoting authentic restaurants and source ingredients. Each year since its inception in 2018, the site hands out a series of awards including “Best Cuisine”. The 2022 awards crowned Italian Cuisine as the best in the world.
This comes as no surprise to those of us with Italian roots who embrace the traditional dishes that grace our tables. From a personal standpoint, as someone who spends quite a bit of time researching and writing about the classic fare of the Bel Paese, not to mention, educating myself on True Italian Taste and the authenticity of foods and flavours, I couldn’t be happier about this recognition.
Several categories were ranked within the overarching award of best cuisine. Here are some of the groupings for those various foods (and beverages) that garnered the Italian peninsula its prize (I’ve listed the Top 5 in each):
Most Popular Italian Dishes:
- Pizza (Margherita)
- Risotto (Milanese)
- Tagliatelle al ragu’ alla Bolognese
- Pasta Carbonara
- Ravioli
Most Popular Italian Food Products:
- Spaghetti
- Mozzarella
- Lasagne
- Ricotta
- Maccheroni
Most Popular Italian Drinks:
- Espresso
- Cappuccino (just remember not to drink after 11am)
- Amaro
- Grappa
- Amaretto
Most Popular Italian Desserts:
- Tiramisu’
- Torrone
- Panna Cotta
- Cannoli
- Granita
There are many more lists in addition to these which you can learn about by visiting the Taste Atlas site.
Now that I’ve shared with you some of the culinary guide’s findings, I’d like to dish, on why (apart from being Italian) I adore this cuisine:
Quality is King – even if a dish only contains a handful of ingredients, their quality must shine which in turn enhances flavour and aroma.
Simplicity – quality goes hand in hand with simplicity. Some of the finest dishes are the most unpretentious and uncomplicated; take for example a classic Cacio e Pepe, a decadent pasta course made with two key ingredients, Pecorino Romano and black pepper or a Margherita Pizza, San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala and basil. Simplicity also tends to be found in preparation methods, all a Bistecca Fiorentina needs is a few minutes over the coals, pizza takes roughly 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven and pasta, a nice rolling boil of water. There is even little complexity in making dough or pasta from scratch.
Innovation and Creativity – many of the plates I prize are the ones born out of the creativity of the Cucina Povera. Hearty minestrone flavoured with Parmigiano rinds, pasta topped with breadcrumbs as the poor man’s Parmigiano, spicy spreadable salumi made from offcuts and remnants. These and many more came from the no waste philosophy meaning that consumption was key as were the innovative foods and techniques born from that philosophy.
Storied and slow – perhaps what appeals to me the most are the tales that accompany the tastes. Dishes that date back centuries, superstitions and mythology that dictate methodology, their etymology and above all emotional connections. Italian food is also very much about the act of eating. It is an art that is to be savoured and enjoyed, not rushed. It is about slowing down and taking the time (even in the middle of the day) to gather around a table to break bread and converse.
Thank you, Taste Atlas, for sharing with the rest of the globe, what my taste buds (and heart) has always known to be true, that my cultural cuisine is truly world class and award-winning. Buon Appetito!
