Meals in Italy
Breakfast/Prima Colazione
Brioche (also called cornetto): Typically eaten at breakfast with a cappuccino. Brioche is like a croissant but with sweeter pastry. You can have them empty (vuoto) or filled with marmalade (marmalata), chocolate (cioccolato), fruits of the forest (frutti di bosco) and other fillings…
Lunch/Pranzo
Lunch can be anything from a Panino (a sandwich that can contain salami, tomatoes, cheese etc) to a slice of pizza or a sit-down meal of anything from lasagne to melanzane alla parmigiana (aubergine baked with basil, garlic and parmesan cheese) and more.
Merenda
Merenda is a snack – something in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon like coffee and a cake.
Evening Meal/Dinner/ Cena
The evening meal can consist of a wide variety of courses. You can have them all or just one or two.
Antipasto
An antipasto is an appetiser. It’s often a shared dish but not always! Examples can be Bruschetta, some cold cuts or maybe soup
Primo
A primo is a first course which could be Lasagne, Spaghetti alla Vongole (spaghetti with clams), risotto or some other pasta dish.
Secondo
The secondo is the main dish which is often a protein-based one – so typically fish, pork, chicken, veal, lamb, wild boar or rabbit. You will often order vegetables seperately and this is called a contorno (side dish).
Dolci
This is the desert which can be ice-cream (gelato), tiramisu or any of the other wonderful deserts available.
Digestivo and Caffe’
The final course to the meal is digestivo drink (grappa, genepi or limoncello for example) followed by a coffee. A typical post-meal coffee would be an Espresso
Being in the mountains, you’ll find Sauze d’Oulx as well as having typical Italian dishes, also has dishes you tend to find in alpine areas of Italy and France.
For special dietary requirements it’s always worth contacting the restaurant beforehand
COFFEE
Choose your perfect Italian coffee
Coffee Culture in Italy
Espresso
Usually ordered as simply ‘un caffè’, the original strong shot of coffee
Usually ordered as simply ‘un caffè’, the original strong shot of coffee
Cappuccino
Equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk
Latte Macchiato
Steamed milk “marked” with a splash of espresso
Caffè Macchiato
Espresso with more steamed milk and less foam
Caffè Corretto
Literally translated to “corrected coffee,” this drink features espresso with a splash of alcohol, such as grappa or sambuca
Caffè Americano
Espresso diluted with hot water
Caffè Lungo
This “long coffee” comprises espresso with a splash of hot water but is stronger than the americano
Caffè latte
Espresso with more steamed milk and less foam
Caffè Decaffeinato
To order a decaffeinated coffee just ask for any of the above with ‘decaffeinato’ – or ‘dec’ (pron: dek) at the end e.g. Caffè Americano Dec
WINE
Italian Red & White Wines
Piemonte Red & White Wines
Piemonte Wines – Reds
There’s a large assortment of wonderful red wines from the Piemonte region in Sauze d’Oulx. Here are a few of the main types.
Barolo
The king of Piemonte wines, rich, full-bodied and delicious.
Barbaresco
Similar to Barolo, equally rich and full-bodied.
Nebbiolo
Similar to Barolo, equally rich and full-bodied.
Barbera
Full of cherry flavours, soft and rounded.
Dolcetto
Fruity and usually dry with low acidity. Often compared to Beaujolais.
Grignolino
Light coloured wines and rosés with very fruity aromas, strong acidity and tannins.
Piemonte Wines – Whites
Gavi
A dry white with pronounced acidity.
Cortese
Gavi (above) is made from the Cortese grape. Cortese wines tend to be medium bodied with notes of limes and greengage.
Arneis
Dry to medium-dry, with a rich texture.
Erbaluce
Erbaluce tends to be dry with noticeable acidity. There are also sweet versions. Apple aromas.
Moscato
Often known as a sweet desert wine, Moscato also comes in light and dry, slightly sweet and sparkling plus low-alcohol varieties.
Asti Spumante
Made from the Moscato grape (above), sweet and sparkling. Moscato d’Asti is less sparkling and has a lower alcohol content.