Italian food misconceptions

I will briefly clarify some typical mistakes and misinterpretations of Italian cuisine all around the world.

- The Italian soda is definitely something that has been made up in the States.

- The American "Italian dressing" is another myth to bust. The original Italian dressing is simply extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. You'll find all of these ingredients on the tables of every Italian restaurant, so that anybody can make his/her own dressing.

- In Italy peperoni (yes, with one 'p') means peppers, while salame piccante means pepperoni.

- Italians do not use lots of garlic (especially garlic powder on the pizza) as is commonly thought in the USA. Italians do use garlic alright, but in reasonable proportions.

- Pasta Alfredo, Alfredo Sauce or, Salsa Alfredo, is more of a myth than a reality and you are not going to find it in any real Italian recipe books. There is a restaurant in Rome which makes the original fettuccine Alfredo, but that is made with butter and Parmesan cheese. The only product that somehow resembles Salsa Alfredo (Alfredo Sauce) is called panna (which is a thicker version of whipping cream). I suggest you do not ask for Alfredo Sauce when you are in a restaurant because the vast majority of the people will not know what you are talking about.

- Last but not least: you won’t find macaroni and cheese anywhere in Italy. What you’ll find is maccheroni which is one of the hundreds of types of (short) pasta.