Italian Seasoning

Journey to the land of pizza, pasta, and wine, and experience the charm of world-renowned Italian cuisine. Its simple yet exquisitely balanced flavors come from Italian Seasoning, a blend of local herbs with a unique aroma and taste. Today, Rimping Supermarket invites you to discover this essential seasoning that enhances Italian dishes.

Roots in Ancient Rome: Herbs in Early Cookbooks

The story of Italian Seasoning dates back to Ancient Rome, where culinary culture was influenced by the Mediterranean. Historically, Romans frequently used a variety of herbs in their cooking.

One of the oldest Roman cookbooks, De Re Coquinaria, written by Apicius and dating back to the 1st century, contains numerous recipes that utilize herbs as ingredients. This demonstrates the Romans' profound understanding of how to use herbs in cooking.

During the Middle Ages, Italian culinary approaches further developed, influenced by trade routes that brought spices and herbs from the Middle East. Monasteries played a crucial role in cultivating and preserving herbs, as monks often used them in cooking and to prepare beverages that aided digestion.

From Italy to America: The Birth of Blended Italian Seasoning

In the 19th century, the concept of a blended herb mix called Italian Seasoning first emerged in America, rather than Italy. This period saw a large number of Italian immigrants moving to America, leading to a rise in the popularity of Italian-American cuisine.

Italian immigrants brought their culinary culture with them. They introduced various foods, herbs, and spices to Americans, which gained significant popularity. Subsequently, they created Italian Seasoning to make cooking easier for Americans, eliminating the need for various fresh herbs at home.

Generally, Italian Seasoning typically consists of dried herbs such as oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, and bay leaf.

However, it's interesting to note that while Italian Seasoning is widely used in American kitchens and globally, Italian chefs prefer using fresh herbs. In Italy, fresh herbs are readily available, and most Italian cooking emphasizes using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Italian Seasoning in Modern Kitchens: Versatility for Perfect Flavors

Today, Italian Seasoning is an essential part of many households' culinary practices. Its versatility allows it to season a wide array of dishes, such as enhancing the flavor of sauces, soups, salad dressings, pasta, spaghetti, pizza, lasagna, or sprinkling it on meats before baking, grilling, or stir-frying.