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Culture

Pizza Margherita is the most traditional  pizza in Italy. The Italians have many variations of pizza. Margherita or Naples-Style Pizza is made with three main ingredients, the first one being the buffalo mozzarella which is produced from the milk of Italian Mediterranean buffalo. The dish's origins also points out San Marzano tomatoes, a variety of grape tomatoes grown in Napoli, as an essential ingredient to the dish. Since its inception and spread into different regions and cultures, the dish has added or removed some little aspects of the original culture but still prominently remains the same dish. The Roman people often omitted tomatoes and used onions and olives instead. The French people of the Italian Liguria add anchovies to onions and olives. The dish has various toppings depending on the ingredients available in a particular region and the flavor profile preferred to a culture.  Apart from pizza and pasta, there are other Italian dishes, such as risotto, a typical northern Italian dish that can be cooked in different ways. It is always creamy and rich in cheese. It also includes rice such as the Carnaroli, Arborio, and Vialone varieties cooked slowly in a broth to bring the Italian taste. Gnocchi is also a common Italian dish. It can be described as small, round potato doughs that every Italian region makes differently. 

Location

Our restaurant concept will be based on Naples, Italy which began around 600 BC  and is known for its rich history, culture, art and gastronomy. The historic center of Naples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pizza Margherita is considered to be the classic Neapolitan pizza. While it has come to be a famous dish all over the world, some say its story began in a narrow alley in Naples cesare. According to the popular legend, the Pizza Margherita was invented in 1889 by Raffaele Esposito, chef at Pizzeria Brandi. The pizza was allegedly created in honor of Italy’s unification . Also the three main ingredients – basil, mozzarella, and tomato – are representatives of the red, white, and green of the Italian flag. Naples is located in the Bay of Naples on the west coast of southern Italy. As of 2019, the Naples metropolitan area has a total of approximately three million inhabitants.

Italian peoples can trace their roots back throughout history. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire to the modern day Italian republic, Italian people have always had a strong sense of “campanilismo, which refers to the devotion and pride one has for his or her ancestral region” . In fact, the Italian Raffaelle Esposito of Napoli invented Pizza Margherita during the late 1880s in honor of both the reigning queen of Italy (at the time), Margherita of Savoy, and the unification of Italy. He decided to feature white mozzarella, red tomatoes, and fresh green basil in the dish to represent the national flag and the Italian people. As of 2019, the total population of Italy was 59.82 million people. The dominant religion in Italy is Catholic, and thus many Catholic holidays like Easter and Christmas are celebrated in addition to Italian holidays such as St. Agatha Day. Italians are patient people who enjoy taking the time to smell the roses. Italians, rushing, especially though a meal, is frowned upon. A distinguishing factor specific to the region of Campania which is home to the city of Naples is a prevalent peasant culture due to the large amounts of agriculture in the region.

People

Dining Customs

As the birthplace of pizza, the locals eat pizza often, even daily. It attracts pizza lovers from all over the world to come and taste it. In Italy, the seat of honor is in the middle of each long side of the table. Italians hold the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left, known as the Continental style. Formal meals in Italy consist of multiple distinct courses: antipasto (deli meat, olives, and cheese appetizers), soup, primi (pasta or risotto), cooked vegetables, secondi (meat entrée), salad, fruit, sweets, and a digestif (espresso or a small alcoholic beverage). Italians love a late lunch in the early afternoon, and usually will then serve dinner in the late evenings.

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