W h y I t a l i a n S l o w F o o d C u l t u r e H a s n ’ t F u l l y T a k e n R o o t I n B r i t a i n - a n d S h o u l d I t E v e n T r y ?
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et ’ s face it : we Brits love Italian food , but do we actually get it ? Oh , we ’ re mad for a crispy slice of pizza or a hastily twirled bowl of pesto pasta ( not “ pasta pesto ,” mind ). But the truth is , our version of Italian food is as close to the real thing as a postcard of the Colosseum is to Rome itself . Italian cuisine is supposed to be simple , local , and slow - a slice of life as much as a slice of pizza . And here we are , gleefully drowning our supermarket Margheritas in garlic sauce . Quite nice , ( I might be part of the problem ), but really , what on earth would the Italians say ?
Much of Italian food is famously simple , cucina povera lovingly crafted from ingredients you can practically pluck from the countryside or a neighbour ’ s garden . This is a world where nonna kneads pasta dough for hours , pouring her life force into each gnocco . A place where friends gather in sun-dappled piazzas , sipping grappa and arguing over football scores long past the point of productivity . Its food made the oldfashioned way-no shortcuts , no microwave ping . It is slow not just in speed but in spirit : a lifestyle that respects ingredients , rituals , and shows a wonderfully stubborn refusal to rush . Meanwhile , we in Britain have swapped that charming scene for Friday night takeaways , loaded with the likes of BBQ dipped chicken tikka pizza and garlic mayo “ for dipping .” Italian you say ?
Now , I ’ m not here to knock our love of “ Italian-style ” grub . We ’ re devoted . YouGov reports that Italian food is the most popular international cuisine in Britain , with a cool 91 % of us saying we love it – more than the beloved Chinese and Indian takeaways . But do we love it right ? Because , if you look a little closer , we ’ ve essentially hacked Italian food for the convenience of our “ get it done ” lifestyle .
Sure , there are pockets of “ real ” Italian influence here . Places like E . Pellicci in London give us a taste of the true Italian ethos , mixing British café culture with the warmth of Italian hospitality . And TV chefs , such as the legendary Antonio Carluccio tried to convert us , pleading for a ‘ slow food ’ revolution here , but in spite of this , we listened to his charming accent and watched as he effortlessly whipped up dish after dish while we ordered another BBQ sauce laden Domino ’ s .
And yes , I know what you ’ re thinking : isn ’ t food meant to evolve ? Of course ! Global food culture thrives on a bit of spice from other countries . But I ’ m not sure drowning our pizzas in garlic sauce , as if to mask the dish itself , was quite what Italy had in mind . In the end , we haven ’ t “ stolen ” Italian cuisine ; we ’ ve Anglicised it . And maybe that ’ s all we can do - admire Italian food culture from afar , a dreamy fantasy of rolling hills , slow afternoons , and hand-made pasta that , deep down , we know we ’ ll never have the patience to make ourselves .
So , should we “ fix ” this ? Or just accept that we Brits have taken Italian food , loved it madly , and done it in true British fashion : fast , convenient , and a little bit off-script ? After all , what ’ s life without a little fusionespecially when it comes with extra garlic bread .
Images of handmade pasta Source : Instagram @ pastawithgrandma
By Alfie Hallsworth ( He / Him ) // Third Year ; Italian and Spanish
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