It's the combination of coffee and sugar that makes this Italian dessert the perfect "pick-me-up" after a meal. The name comes from the Treviso dialect, where tiramisu originated in the early 19th century. Now an Italian staple, it consists of layers of sponge cake soaked in coffee and brandy or liqueur with powdered cocoa and mascarpone cheese.

Thanks to its Mediterranean climate, soil quality, and centuries-old winemaking traditions, Italy is the world’s leading producer (and exporter) of wine, responsible for nearly 1.3 billion gallons in 2020 alone. France and Spain, which have similar winemaking conditions, are next on the list, with approximately 1.2 billion gallons and 1.1 billion gallons, respectively.

Traditional balsamic vinegar must be produced in or around Modena, a city in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. The vinegar is made by boiling the juice of white Trebbiano grapes and aging it in wood casks, moving to a smaller cask each year. Each producer has its own secret combination of aging techniques to achieve a particular texture, flavor, and aroma.

The name “gelato” literally means “frozen,” and Florence’s famed Medici family were the first to enjoy the treat during the Renaissance. But what’s the difference between Italian gelato and traditional ice cream? Gelato most often lacks egg yolks and has more milk than cream. It is also churned more slowly, making it more dense and rich than ice cream.

The name orecchiette comes from the Italian words for “little” and “ear.” With one look at this pasta that is traditional to the Puglia region, you'll understand why. The flat, slightly concave discs do indeed resemble tiny ears, and they are a favorite of chefs for their ability to hold a lot of sauce in a little space.

While it’s hard to imagine Italian cuisine without tomatoes, they are not native to Italy. Before the 16th century, pasta was primarily eaten plain and with diners’ hands, not utensils. It was the Spanish conquistadors who brought tomatoes to Europe from the Americas in the mid-1500s, and the ​​earliest recipe for tomato sauce was published in 1694.

We have Sicily to thank for this classic Italian dessert, a deep-fried, tube-shaped shell stuffed with sweet ricotta cream cheese filling. The size and fillings of cannoli (singular version: cannolo, which means “little tube”) vary widely across Sicily, and so do the purported origin stories. But they all trace back to this Mediterranean island, located just off the “toe” of Italy's “boot.”

Antipasti is the traditional appetizer course in a formal Italian dinner. The singular form of the word is “antipasto,” derived from two Latin words that together mean “before the meal.” The course is typically a small portion that whets the appetite for the larger meal to come. Traditional antipasti dishes include a selection of meats, cheeses, bread, and olives.

In 2008, a European court declared that Parmesan cheese is only Parmesan cheese if it comes from the Parma region of Italy, where it was invented in the 13th century. The laws aren't enforced outside of Europe, though, so you'll find plenty of imitators. If you want the real stuff, look for the official name “Parmigiano Reggiano” on the packaging.

Aside from being delicious, Italy's pizza Margherita has patriotic roots. On a visit to Naples in 1889, Queen Margherita di Savoia was presented with a pizza that aimed to celebrate the recent unification of Italy and its flag. Napoli pizza chef Raffaele Esposito used white mozzarella, red tomato sauce, and bright green basil — and named it after the queen.