Genuine gusto

world. Unfortunately, few people other than Italians really get to know how good it is. Outside Italy, the nation’s food is disappointingly mediocre, even if you go to a restaurant that is run by an Italian family.

The difference in quality lies in the insistence on the best quality ingredients, demanded by Italians, while outsiders are relatively indifferent as to what goes into their meal. So long as it’s Italian, it’s okay; not a view shared by Italians.

On the other hand, just walking into any old restaurant in Italy doesn’t add up to a guarantee that you’re going to get the best.

There are a great many tourists visiting Italy who are quite prepared to accept the same old rubbish they get at home – and the Italians are quite prepared to serve it up to them.

Having lived in Italy for three years (sadly no longer), here are my tips on how to get the best out of the native food as a visitor. 1) Have your main meal at midday, when the Italians do. If you want to eat in the evening, go to a pizzeria. 2) Never go into a restaurant less than half full. Be prepared to queue, if necessary. 3) If you walk into a restaurant and hear German or English spoken, leave. 4) If the waiters come out and invite you in, walk on by. Good restaurants don’t need touting. 5) Ditto, if you see printed menus posted in the window. It means they churn out the same old food, day after day. Look for menus chalked on boards, showing variation. 6) If there are no menus at all, even better. The waiter will come and describe what’s available. Of course, you need to speak Italian – or have Italian friends who invite you to their special place – so discreet, you wouldn’t know it was a restaurant. I had that privilege, and the waiter came and sang the menu, in a splendid, creaking tenor.

Buon appetito! Italian food is probably the most popular cuisine in the