OMG...where do I begin

The differences between Italian and Italian-American cooking can be described as harmony among the items in the dish versus abundance. Italian-American cooking uses far more garlic, tons more sauce, much more cheese and meat. Fewer vegetables are used.

In Italy dishes are not 'loaded' with sauce and the food is lighter...

chances are you'd never see chicken parm on a menu in Italy...nor would you see
spaghetti and meatballs as a main...(unless you were in a restaurant that catered to American's traveling abroad). You'd see dishes that are made with what is in season and locally available...and made that day, like stuffed squash blossoms or wild boar, or fish caught that day

a small dish of pasta usually is served before the main meal

In Italy every region has unique recipes based upon what is plentiful in their part of the country...so you're not going to find the same items all over Italy....you will find pretty much the same items in every Italian-American restaurant all over the USA

In the North there is more cream and butter in the dishes...on the coast, more dishes with fish...in Sicily you'll find a lot of raisins and pine nuts being used

I love Italian, and can’t wait! Also, am glad it’s not *another* hamburger joint.

Bologna in the north has wonderful food and restaurants.

Nailed It!
 

Great post! Grew up in Indiana and thought Chef Boyrdee was real Italian. Thankfully we spent over 20 years in the Air Force and traveled much of the world. We love the Northern Italian style and often make Cannelloni from the recipe we obtained from Ristorante Orsini in Grizzo, IT. It is a family favorite and is the farthest thing from fast food imaginable. No red gravy (sauce) in this recipe and nothing like it so far in ten years of looking around this area.

They use Classico, not Ragu!

Better hope that new restaurant downstairs is not cooking Indian food (which I love). The aromatics can be intense...:icon_wink:

Pizza here: Cheese, more cheese, sauce, more sauce, tons of meat.

Pizza at Andreas in Amalfi, Italia: Fresh made mozzarella sliced thinly and laid on an olive oiled pizza round made with Italian double zero flour. A little salt and then a light spread of sauce made with fresh San Marzano tomatoes. Topped with a bit of fresh Prosciutto de Parma.

You think you know pizza? No way until you go to Italy.

If they can come up with a sauce that doesn’t cause heartburn then I’m in.

Demshires was never deemed for apartments, it’s the upstairs of some of the buildings....smh
Glad they will have new occupants there now...

We love Indian as well������

A close friend of mine when we lived in St. Louis was on a trip to Italy. He and his wife were at a fine restaurant and commented to the waiter how good the food was. The waiter accepted the compliment and then told him that part of the secret was good ingredients. For instance, the waiter said, the prosciutto ham was imported. My friend asked him, ‘imported from where”. The waiter replied, “From St. Louis, Missouri.”

Augustinos
 

Augustinos was an Italian restaurant. There was a New Orleans style restaurant there after Auggies.

Hopefully, some good food.

Always found them a bit chewy when roasted!:icon_wink:

[QUOTE=Carla B;1845416]I get confused. Can you or anyone else on here explain the difference to someone who originally comes from the lone prairie? What is it that makes authentic Italian dishes different?[/QUOTE
Salt, salt and more salt!]