There is a popular generalization about Italian cooking that assigns butter to the north, olive oil to the south, and lard to the middle regions of the country, but this doesn’t begin to do justice to its complexity. The generalization, I was told, had to do with an earlier time, before refrigeration, when it was more difficult to keep and work with butter in the southern regions. Differences in Italy’s regional cuisines might also be traced to geography or political differences since its geography includes alpine, maritime, and even desert regions and the country wasn’t unified politically until 1861. Whatever the reasons, this small country has an incredible diversity of culinary styles from German- influenced food in the Tirol to the food of Rome’s Jewish ghetto and the savory African influences of Sicily. A quick visit isn’t likely to raise your awareness of those vast differences in Italian food cultures either. One might be disappointed if that visit is to Tuscany where every menu looks identical and the bread is bland because it’s made without salt. On the other hand, in Emilia-Romagna dishes up the staples of world-famous Italian products – prosciutto from Parma, parmesan cheese from Reggiano and balsamic vinegar from Modena. A culinary journey through Italy is varied and tasty.  I thought I knew something about Italian food; after all I once owned and ran a small Italian bistro. But, it turns out I didn’t know anything about Roman cuisine until my current stay in Rome. I wasn’t aware, for instance, that lightly fried vegetables – squash blossoms, cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini – are a common antipasto offering. In addition, I had no clue as to the influence of Rome’s Jewish ghetto on its cuisine. Since M and I arrived, fried artichokes with their delicate, crunchy texture and carmelized sweetness have become one of our favorite side dishes at dinner. read more