/ Our magazine / Italy: a country united in diversity
/ Our magazine / Italy: a country united in diversity
The Republic Day, celebrated every year on June 2nd, commemorates the 1946 referendum in which the Italian people chose to become a republic, leaving behind the monarchy and the war. It was a fundamental historical moment, a symbol of freedom, democracy, and civic participation.
But Italy is not just a political nation: it is also a land of cultural diversity, united under the same flag. And nothing tells this variety better than Italian cuisine, which changes ingredients, flavors, and traditions from North to South, while remaining profoundly identity-forming.
On the day of the Republic Day, many Italian families gather for outdoor lunches, picnics, festivals, or family dinners. The traditional dishes often reflect the territory and the season. To emphasize national patriotism, a tricolor touch can be added to the table. Ideally, we can divide Italy into 3 macro-areas to tell some of the specialties of the various regions. Here are some ideas to celebrate this day in the name of good cuisine united under the same flag.
Northern Italy is characterized by a robust, flavorful cuisine often tied to the mountains, the cold climate, and local ingredients such as aged cheeses, butter, polenta, rice, mushrooms, and meats. Here are some examples of regions that create their local identity through their cuisine.
Lombardy:
Risotto alla milanese (intensely yellow with saffron, a symbol of the Milanese tradition), served with peas or green side dishes to evoke the tricolor.
Piedmont:
Vitello tonnato, with mayonnaise and capers, or agnolotti del plin.
Veneto:
BaccalĂ mantecato, risi e bisi (rice and peas), a perfect spring dish for the season.
Central Italy holds a gastronomic heritage rich in peasant tradition, historical culture, and refined simplicity. From the hills of Tuscany to the medieval villages of Umbria, and to the vitality of Rome and the Marches, each region celebrates Republic Day with dishes that tell deep roots and identity pride.
Tuscany:
Pappa al pomodoro, red and fragrant, served with fresh basil and Tuscan croutons.
Lazio:
Saltimbocca alla romana and cacio e pepe, with a tricolor salad of tomato, mozzarella, and arugula.
Umbria and Marche:
Dishes based on legumes, truffle, and fresh pasta like strangozzi or vincisgrassi (a regional variation of lasagna).
Southern Italy is the warm and passionate heart of the peninsula, where cuisine is a form of love and cultural identity. June 2nd, Republic Day, becomes the ideal opportunity to gather families around tables full of Mediterranean aromas, fresh ingredients, and dishes that unite tradition and national pride.
Campania:
Pizza margherita, a symbol of the Italian tricolor: red (tomato), white (mozzarella), green (basil). Or the parmigiana di melanzane.
Puglia:
Orecchiette with cime di rapa, or with sauce and ricotta forte; simple yet tasty dishes, often served with Altamura bread.
Calabria and Sicily:
Tricolor arancine (variant with pesto, mozzarella, and ragĂą), or caponata and pasta alla Norma.
Valuing traditional Italian cuisine means preserving a heritage of knowledge, flavors, and stories that unites the North, the center, and the South. It is in family recipes, in the gestures passed down, in the aromas of our kitchens that the cultural identity of our country is reflected. Savoring these values together today is a way to rediscover ourselves as Italians, both inside and outside the home, in everyday life as well as on festive occasions.
I think that the "cotoletta alla milanese" has been, for the generation from the 80s onwards, the iconic dish that you learned about since you were a child (and also the one that was always chosen in restaurants for all children). There are many other dishes so linked to that city that they have given their name to a dish. Discover here the iconic dishes linked to the cities!
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