Italian cuisine has played an important role in shaping the culture, heritage and traditions of Italy. Even though the country has always been divided on many aspects of life such as politics, environment and language (specific dialects in certain regions), Italian cuisine is a characteristic of Italy that unites not only Italians but also people around the world. I think it's Italian food? How would I define it? What differences/similarities can I see between Italian cuisine and that of my country? Italian cuisine has built a distinguished reputation around the world and is characterized by its simplicity. It was influenced, modified and developed by Italian politics, environment, society and commerce. The Mediterranean region was considered the wheat zone, which is too relevant in Italian cuisine, as it is very subjective to wheat. However, the 18th century introduction of foreign ingredients such as potatoes, peppers and tomatoes shaped modern Italian cuisine. It is very difficult to precisely define Italian cuisine, as Italy can be considered a country filled with a great abundance of diverse cultures and cuisines; but there are many (formerly regional) dishes that have flourished with variations throughout the country. Cheese, coffee and wine are important in Italian cuisine; you only need to look at a Roman bar to truly understand the importance of espresso in Italian culture. In earlier periods, these transformers were seen as the symbol of man leaving the animal kingdom to become civilized (be more advanced), which would explain why the Italians (Romans) adopted it, as the Roman era wanted to s establish itself as the most advanced civilization. ..... middle of paper ...... all myths (Mayan legends and story of Persephone). Man has often pictured himself living outside the boundaries of nature, but nature becomes a conscious alternative model. Culture and biology are important to eating habits, but culture has more influence on what we eat in the modern period, whereas biology was more important in earlier periods. . We can link the transformation to the reversal of the food dynamic, “the danger and fear of excess had replaced the danger and fear of hunger”. In earlier periods, being overweight was considered a sign of wealth and high position in the social hierarchy; the Florentine bourgeoisie referred to this concept as “self popolograsso”. This shows that biology is the most influential: is what we eat influenced more by culture or biology? For what? How ? How and why, what and how we eat can reflect the culture in which we live?