There are unwritten rules that those who live here would never break and many of these concern food and cooking, two topics that quickly heat up the spirits of Italians.
Although in the eyes of foreign tourists or expats who live in Italy they are real oddities, such rules are followed religiously by Italians without even knowing why.
1. The first rule is that cappuccino is a breakfast drink; Italians rarely order it at any other time of the day and, above all, never after midday. Perfect to accompany the classic Italian sweet breakfast, seeing cappuccino ordered as an after-dinner drink is a blow to the heart.
2. Except for breakfast, there is no need to sit down to drink a coffee. During their break, after lunch, in the mid-afternoon, Italians go to the bar and order a coffee at the counter. An espresso, of course. In less than five minutes this little ritual is concluded, just enough time for a chat with the barista.
3. Italians have been (and still are) a rather superstitious people. Although grandmothers' beliefs have less and less influence among the younger ones, there is still one thing that everyone agrees on. Birthday greetings are not to be made in advance, it brings bad luck.
4. Italians are obsessed with food and this obsession passes from generation to generation, becoming a real cultural trait. That's why one of the ways our mothers and grandmothers show affection is to cook for us. But if mothers can still be managed, grandmothers should never be contradicted and if they offer you food you have to eat it, even if you are full. Also because, the truth is that they will not take no for an answer and will find all the possible alternatives to make you take another bite.
5. It may seem more practical, but for Italians breaking spaghetti before putting them in the pot is like blasphemy just like cutting spaghetti with a knife before eating it, or helping yourself with a spoon to bring it to your mouth. Spaghetti must remain as they are, they must be rolled on the plate using only a fork and eaten as they are.
6. When toasting in Italy, you say salute (health) and look at people in the eyes. It is not a custom that is unique to Italy and its origins date back to the Middle Ages. At the time, it was a sign of dishonesty to look away during a toast.
7. On pasta with fish or seafood, as well as on risotto or any other fish-based dish, you should never add grated parmesan cheese or any other type of cheese. The reason is that the strong flavor of parmesan contrasts with the delicate flavor of fish covering it.
Never put parmesan cheese on fish sauce pasta
8. Not related to food but in Italy, there is an ancient (and unfortunately still popular) belief that being exposed to cold drafts could cause illness, especially if the body is sweaty or wet.
This belief is still very widespread in Italy but modern medical science is clear: draft does not exist as a direct cause of illness.
In fact, there are no studies that demonstrate a correlation between exposure to drafts and the onset of specific symptoms. It is therefore an ‘imaginary disease’ that persists only because of cultural beliefs and superstitions.
Although ‘the draft’ is not a real illness, here some people attribute a series of symptoms to it, often associated with colds and flu but also sore throat, sneezing, headache and even muscle aches.
It is important to emphasize that these symptoms are not caused by draft, but rather by viruses and bacteria and the cold air has nothing to do with them and neither does the open window when we are sweaty.
