Una vera Italiana in 6 steps

I’m in Turin today. For the first time. The rest of Italy holds little secret for me. I’ve been to Bologna via Verona past Venice, around Rome, Naples and deep into Puglia. Name it, and I’ve been there. In love with the food, the fashion, the people. We even lived in Rome for six months. On the Vespa along the Tiber (Tevere), to the local gym to move the pasta off the hips, and then dining with the brothers of Trattoria Monti. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.

Tourists often slip up here and there, and because I’ve done plenty of research in the field, I’m sharing the How To’s of becoming an Italian.

 Pronounce every letter

No-one expects you to speak fluent Italian, but a few words can easily be learned by heart. Remember that every letter gets attention. Grazie is not pronounced ‘gra-tsie’ but rather ‘gra-zi-juh’.

Stand at the bar

The very best coffee for a dime. You order it at the bar and then stay there. Not cosy enough? Actually it is, because you have a chat with the barista and the locals. It is most common to pay upfront at the cashier. Perhaps a strange idea for us, because you need to know up front what you ‘want’, but it does makes things easier. You go to the barista with the receipt and they make it for you. Don’t forget to leave a few coins on the bar. Not too many, that’s offensive. A coffee usually costs 85 cent, and I leave 1 euro.

order properly

Please don’t day ‘espresso’, rather ‘caffè’. Espresso is the way the water is blasted through the machine. Caffè = espresso, Macchiato = espresso with a dash of milk foam, Latte macchiato = espresso with lots of milk, Americano or Lungo = the same as a Dutch coffee. Cappuccino is the same as here. In some areas in Italy, the cappuccino is served with a shot of cacao. If that’s not your thing, say; senza cacao (ca-ca-ow) per favore (per fa-vo-ré).

Ketchup ban

There are quite a few tourists (especially Americans but also some Dutch) that ask for Ketchup with their food. You can not offend an Italian cook more. Oil, Vinegar, salt and pepper all fine. But you need to be in a different country for ketchup.

 cutlery-etiquette

Spaghetti (please don’t say spa-gggetti but rather spa-ketti with a hard ‘k’) should not be cut. Officially you should twist your fork on your plate and move your hand to your mouth. If that proves too difficult then twist your fork on your spoon and try the same. Still struggling? Order penne, orecchiette or macaroni.

Drink in moderation

An aperitief with lunch is quite normal. Just like a Prosecco before dinner. Once you reach the table you shouldn’t have more than one glass of white or red. And perhaps a ‘push caffè’ after dessert. Limoncello is an option, but real Italians drink ‘un amaro’; a bitter liqueur that, how do I say this politely, gives your digestion a whip in the right direction.