/ck/ - Food & Cooking

>>5880374
because its not

trust me I work there. shit is mediocre at best

I remember in like 6th grade, during the beginning of the year everyone had to introduce themselves and share something about themselves. Some kid introduced himself, and said "I'm Italian. Well, not completely Italian, more like Olive Garden Italian"

If kids in gradeschool know it's shit-tier, then they're doing something wrong. I'll still go there for the soup/salad/breadsticks occasionally though

Anything is authentic Italian if an Italian person made it or gave the recipe to somebody else.

When corporate bans capers and mandates overcooking pasta, you know it's not Italian.

When the short-ribs come in fully cooked IQF, and taste freezer-burnt when they go out, it's super fucked.

this
>>5880553

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/940944/000092189514002031/ex991dfan14a06297125_091114.pdf?_ga=1.185807534.681777599.1365704014

>>5880575
>stopped salting their water to get extended warranty on the pots
I fucking lol'd.
>burgers, spanish appetizers, etc... italian "humus"
Dear lord.

I meant more in respect to why does it matter?

If people enjoy the food, why should it matter if it's authentic or not? Why do people in the media feel a need to mention it's not authentic in a way implying that only authentic Italian food can taste good?

>>5880579
>stopped salting their water to get extended warranty on the pots
I was glad to hear that.

Did enjoy the part about being confused as to why the vegetable lasagna comes with chicken.

The worst "Italian food" I have ever eaten was at Olive Garden.

The only thing I would even consider eating there is the soup, salad, and breadsticks.

>>5880374
I'll meet you halfway and say it's Italian American.

>>5880575
To help people out because you're a douche and just threw a 260+ page document at us, I would specifically look at page 162.

You're welcome.

>>5880711
>Why do people in the media feel a need to mention it...

Because that's the media's job. They aren't altruistic. They're not there as a public service to give you useful information. They are business. Their purpose is to sell advertising, and to do that they post/broadcast things that get people riled up. Same reason why they post/broadcast silly shit like the top ten reasons why your dog might be gay for justin beiber.

Italian here:
I'm going to base my comment upon a menu from an Omaha restaurant:
http://www.olivegarden.. com/menu-listing/pronto-lunch
Prices are ABSOLUTELY far from anything acceptable: 9 dollars for some fried calamari is beyond the reason.

Breadsticks look like some mini-baguettes, things we never have in a restaurant(maybe a schiacciata or some local bread, but very different).
Lasagna fritta must be pretty good, even if unseen in every Italian kitchen, so as stuffed mushrooms and fonduta of mozzarella(only in Naples you will have a sort of grilled mozzarella, mozzarella in carrozza)

Spicy calabrian wings? What are they?


Oh, something useful: apart from Naples and local kitchens, here NOBODY eats meatballs, it is an American tradtion, trust me.

Tortellini al forno are pretty odd, because the use would have them put in "brodo"(a sort of supper), but just the Bolognese one.

Obviously we don't have sandwiches in restaurants, guys, as we don't have CHICKEN parmesan(Parmesan comes from Parma, and it is done only with eggplants)

What is a zuppa toscana? I live in Florence, but I don't understand.

>>5880767
>here NOBODY eats meatballs, it is an American tradtion, trust me
Beh, IO le mangio.
I'm from Milano, 3d generation, and my family has a traditional recipe for meatballs. You can buy pre-made meatballs in any supermarket, frozen or freshly made. Most recipe books I've read had two or three different recipes for meatballs.

>>5880784
Scusa, ma hai mai visto una polpetta in un ristorante, per caso?

Even my family has a recipe for meatballs, but they obviously are "popular" dishes.

>>5880767
>9 dollars for some fried calamari is beyond the reason.
>9 dollars for fried calamari
OH CHRIST MY WALLET HAS NEVER BEEN HEAVIER
>>5880788
Not the same anon, ma anche dove vivo io mangiamo polpette e devo dire che negli ultimi anni sempre più ristoranti stanno cominciando a proporre polpette, anche se nella maggior parte dei casi sono ricette "sperimentali" o roba strettamente vegetariana, conta che vivo in Sardegna quindi non sto parlando di ricette del luogo visto che non abbiamo una grande tradizione riguardo alla carne a meno che non sia arrosto/stufata.

>>5880843
Un fritto misto, comprendente calamari, patatine, finocchi, zucche e gamberi fritti mi costò 8 euro e continua a costarmi 8 euro in qualsiasi punto d'Italia io vada, anon.

You have to remember that a lot of Italian foods are from Asia or taken ingredients from the Americas

>>5880855
Stai scherzando?
Qui un buon fritto misto di pesce costa attorno ai 6/7 Euro e ti parlo di calamari, merluzzetti, gamberi e limone incluso, anche se è vero che vivo in un isola e per di più in una città costiera.

9 dollari per dei calamari fritti è decisamente troppo per me.

>>5880862
E' quello che continuo a dire, anon, io appoggio quel che tu dici.
>>5880858
It may be, but I think that even in the USA there is a shrimp, therefore food shouldn't cost so much.

>>5880869
But the thing is during the time Italians from Italy where getting the the tomato. We were also getting Italian immigrates during that time as well

You have to remember portion sizes and how it includes refillable drinks as well . And by drinks I do not mean mineral water

>>5880869
Scusa Anon, ho frainteso.
>>5880876
I don't quite get what you mean Anon, but regarding drinks consider that in most if not any of the old styled trattorie/pescherie stuff like wine is usually dirt cheap or on the house.
9 dollars sounds like a scam to us Italians in any way you slice it.

It doesn't help that you Americans are not exactly used to that kind of cooking or ingredients so you might find it reasonable, but it truly isn't as I'm sure the calamari are not fresh as the ones I eat in the streets here where I live.

>>5880883
>stuff like wine is usually dirt cheap or on the house.

But you have to remember that in Italy wine is far cheaper than anything else. Not only that but they will only serve you one glass maybe two if you are nice with them

Not only that but you have to consider portion sizes as well

>>5880888
Yeah, that's a sound reasoning.

However, I doubt that they're really giving you the equivalent of 9 dollars in fried calamari, because you'd probably have to eat a lot of those, but again I'm measuring things based on my local standards.

Maybe I should get in touch with a few ItaliAnons here in /ck/ and make a little periodic thread about our cuisine and all the little things regarding ingredients and stuff.

It would be cool.

>>5880897
Why not? I would be very interested. It might be even nice for those who don't know our cousine.

>>5880876
>not mineral water
so you do indeed get free refills on a proper assortment of wines?
or at least beer (depending on the dish and region, that is aslo an acceptable drink to go with italoian food)

>>5880916
Yeah, I'll think about it, I'm tired of seeing threads about fake or distorted Italian cuisine and all the misconceptions that come with those.

It would be good for me too as I'm getting a bit lazy regarding food and cooking lately.

>>5880956
I created it, if it may concerns.

>>5880452
Lol, cheeky bugger. That's pretty funny for such a young kid.

>>5880959
Good job, I'll lurk around while I think of some nice recipes/curiosities to talk about.

>>5880897
As a child of an italian family that lost touch with its roots, and me wanting to reconnect with my roots, I would very much love this.

>>5880374

mfw

Because it's utter shit. Olive Garden is as much Italian as much as Chinese in the US is Chinese food.

On top of it being complete shit, has over 9,000 calories per dish, and uses Polly O cheese on all of its dishes.

The media's issue with Olive Garden is that it is BAD representation of Italian food.

Honestly if you can't figure out that Olive Garden is shit then I don't know why you're even on /ck/

>Picky eater growing up
>Went to any restaurant, ordered pasta with marinara or chicken fingers.
>Realize as an adult that those were honestly the safest choices when going to a chain restaurant.

I haven't had Olive Garden in years, but I don't remember bad things. I don't remember anything good either though.

I always love the idiots who go with the tomatoes were actually form the americas so they are not italian. Like any cuisine in the world is remotely like it was five hundred years ago.