How Is Primo Different From Italian-American Cuisine

As we shadow Primo and Secondo, two brothers that emigrated from Italy to open an Italian restaurant in America, we learn a lot about the differences between Italian and Italian-American cuisine through the many obstacles they face. Primo is a gifted chef, a culinary genius determined not to waste his talent making routine dishes that American customers expect. Secondo is the smooth front man, trying to do anything to keep the restaurant financially afloat.

Italian cuisine is known for its diversity throughout Italy’s different regions and its abundance of difference in taste. However the one thing they all have it common is its simplicity. The first known Italian food writer was a Greek Sicilian named Archestratus and he said, “that flavors
We see this when Primo goes to a market to buy some herbs for the big dinner, but refuses to buy the spices because they seem old. Quality is just as important to Italian cuisine as the location these ingredients come from. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar are two examples of ingredients where location is important. If you look closely on their labels you will see how the very good oils and vinegars are usually 100% from a certain region like Lucca, Siena, or Puglia. The lesser quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars will usually be a mix of different regions, but on the bottle will say, “Bottled in
One line you will never hear a waiter in Italy say is “would you like your dishes as they are ready?” The meal structure consists of 3 or 4 courses usually. During the “ Big Night” we experienced all the courses. Normally an Italian meal is longer than an American meal and can last a few hours. Aperitivo is the start of the meal and usually includes a glass of champagne, sometimes nuts, chesses, sauce dips, and little quiches. Next comes the Antipasto and is comparable to the appetizer. A traditional Italian aperitivo includes a few different sliced meats, cheeses, and vegetable. It is heavier than Antipasto, but is still a starter. The first course comes afterwards and is called Primo. Usually a Primo doesn’t include meat and can be a risotto, gnocchi, or soup. The heartiest course of the meal is the secondo or piatto principale. Normally this course includes different kinds of meat or fish. A contorno or side dish is served with the secondo and usually is a dish of hot or cold vegetables. After getting through the first 3 courses if you are still hungry don’t worry because there is still desert. Il dolce or desert is popular after large nice meals. Frequent desert dishes are tiramisu, gelato, and panna