Kristina Gill: Italians Do It Better
I’ve often asked myself why Italian food producers don’t get in to the attractive packaging and labels you see in other places, like Waitrose (UK) or Whole Foods (USA). It would take so little for them to conquer the world if only they made that one per cent effort, I think. But then I realize that Italians are right to think they don’t need any special packaging with a special typeface (no matter how simple) to help draw people in to their foods. Nature’s packaging is the simplest there is, and in Italy’s case, nature has rewarded Italy disproportionately with the conditions to grow exemplary almost anything. Having the best primary ingredients ensures that anything you make thereafter will be great.
I don’t condone the pervasive upturned nose at anything that isn’t Italian cuisine because there is a lot of good food in the world that isn’t Italian. But when you come home from a nearby farm or food market in Italy with local foods like these, can you really blame anyone for thinking Italians do it better?
