Unlike in other countries, in Italy, lunch and dinner constitute a
fundamental cultural moment of the day. Lunch was usually eaten at one’s
leisure, but today it is eaten in a hurry (fast-food) by all those at work
who are forced to start working again after a short break, often allowing
themselves only a quick sandwich on the go.
However, dinner remains the one chance for the whole
family to get together after the working day is over. It is the
opportunity to savour the meal in complete peace and it is still the only
important gastronomic moment of the day. The features of this dinner
correspond relatively to the traditional lunch from years gone by, even
though nowadays it is based around lighter, more digestible foods.
