Sugars Sugars are energetic macro-nutrients that provide 3.75kcal per 100g. From a chemical point of view, other synonyms of the term “sugars” are: glucides, glycides, carbohydrates and carbon hydrates . In common language, the noun ” sugar ” is used to indicate a caloric sweetener based on crystallized sucrose (the so-called table sugar ). Simple Sugars: What are they? As regards the nutritional sphere, by inserting the adjective “simple” and/or “soluble”,…
Ciauscolo
What is ciauscolo? The ciauscolo ( ciavuscolo or ciaiuscolo ) is an Italian sausage, typical of the Marche and Umbria regions, which enjoys the recognition of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI, since 2006 in Italy and since 2009 in Europe). Large quantities are produced (600 tons/year) near the Sibillini mountain range, more generally in the provinces of: Terni, Ascoli Piceno,…
Boiled Chestnuts
Chestnuts General information on boiled chestnuts Chestnuts can be eaten fresh, boiled or roasted, or dried and ground into flour . In this article we will talk about boiled chestnuts, one of the most characteristic Italian dishes based on these starchy fruits. Typical of the autumn season, boiled chestnuts are eaten especially at the end of a meal,…
Razor Clams
What are Mantis shrimps are products of sea (and lagoon) fishing known by the alternative names of sea cicada (incorrectly, since the true sea cicada would be the Scyllarus arctus or magnosella), panicles, panicles and mantis shrimps. Mantis shrimps are crustaceans belonging to the Class Malacostraca , Subclass Hoplocarida , family Squillidae, Genus Squilla, Species mantis ; the binomial nomenclature of mantis shrimps is Squilla mantis . NB: mantis shrimps do NOT belong to the…
Cannolicchi: Nutritional Properties and Cooking
What are razor clams Cannolicchio , cappalunga and cannello are the common names of a bivalve mollusc belonging to the Solenidae family and the Solen genus (Species S. marginatus ). In reality there is not just one type of razor clam, but the one we have mentioned is certainly the most widespread. Razor clams are also foods of animal origin that belong to the fundamental food group . Classifiable among fish products , they…
Canestrelli – Sea Scallops
Genera and Species Canestrelli are foods of animal origin that can be classified as fishery products . Also known as sea scallops, they belong to the Phylum of Molluscs , more precisely to the Class of Bivalves (or Lamellibranchs), the same as mussels , clams , cockles , scallops , sea dates and oysters ). There are various types of baskets and unifying the description would represent an unreliable simplification; in fact, beyond the “fairly”…
Squid
Generality Squid are fishery products widely distributed throughout the planet, very similar to squid but classified by modern systematics in a totally different way. There are many genera and species of squid, but the so-called “European” one (despite also being present in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean) is included in the Phylum of Molluscs , Class Cephalopods, Order Teuthida, family Loliginidae, Genus Loligo ,…
Bitto – Cheese
What is Bitto? Bitto is a fatty , cooked and semi-hard Italian summer cheese, produced in Valtellina (Lombardy). It owes its name to the Bitto river, a stream that originates in Gerola Adda and after just 16 km (near Morbegno) flows into the Adda river. The Bitto production area includes various territories in the province of Sondrio (from the Spluga…
Fiorentina – Florentine Steak
What is that The Florentine steak is a typical Italian product, belonging to the 1st food group ; its roots are Tuscan, to be precise, sinking into the Florence area. However, as can be seen by comparing the Florentine steak to other similar preparations (mainly Anglo-Saxon), the doubt arises that one may have led to the birth of the…
Beets
Generality Chard – or more simply chard – are foods of vegetal origin belonging to the group of vegetables . Their edible part consists of the leaves and stems. From a botanical point of view, beets are herbaceous plants belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family, Genus Beta , Species vulgaris ; in practice, chard is a variety of beetroot (called cicla ) identifiable with the binomial nomenclature Beta vulgaris cicla . Beets are vegetal organisms with an annual or biennial…