Sampling Italy's Regional Cuisine

When traveling in Italy, you may be surprised to find that all Italian food is not the same. Each region has its own specialties and sometimes even a particular town or village has a special food. Today we went out for panigacci, a specialty of our area of the Lunigiana. Panigacci, a kind of flat bread made in a terra cotta mold, are still made in the traditional manner in only two small towns, Aulla and Podenzana. Europe for Visitors has more about the traditional panigacci and the Lunigiana Region.

When you're dining out in Italy, ask about regional or local food specialties. The wait staff is usually more than happy to discuss local food with you and it's a great way to get to know Italy. When we worked in Sardinia, the local specialty was [i]formaggio con vermini[/i], a pecorino cheese with live worms. It took a little getting used to but it was really quite good!

Italian Food Resources: Eating Out in Italy | Italy Restaurant Recommendations
Regional Cuisine from About's Italian Cuisine