Upon my arrival in Rome, one of the first main cultural differences I noticed was that Italian grocery stores and grocery stores in the United States differ in many ways, including their selection of products, shopping experience, and process of paying for goods. 

During a CEA Pasta Making Class, we learned how to use fresh ingredients to make tagliatelle. 

Firstly, Italian grocery stores typically offer a more specialized selection of products that cater to the Italian palate and cuisine. Italian grocery stores often have an extensive selection of Italian cheeses, cured meats, and pasta, as well as specialty ingredients such as truffles, saffron, and balsamic vinegar. On the other hand, it was abundantly clear that grocery stores in the United States tend to offer a wider variety of products that cater to a more diverse range of tastes and cultures. 

A chef lifts up our class's homemade tagliatelle from the pot. We made this pasta with all fresh ingredients from the local supermarket.  

A freshly made croissant pictured that I purchased from a local supermarket bakery. 

Secondly, the shopping experience in Italian grocery stores is often more personalized and intimate. As a new customer in the store, I was more likely to be greeted by the store owner or staff and offered assistance in finding specific products or recommendations for ingredients to use in a particular recipe I told them I was trying to make. The staff and store owners are very passionate about the quality of ingredients they sell and will often even let you taste certain items, such as olives or cheeses. 

All local gelato, or “ice cream” as Americans call it, is often held in freshly made tubs, which are spun around keeping the product fresh. 

A local restaurant, Su e Gui, makes fresh pasta daily and serves it to students and locals. 

Finally, there are cultural differences that distinguish Italian grocery stores from those in the United States. For example, in Italy, it is common for people to shop for fresh ingredients daily rather than stock up on groceries for a week or more. This leads to a different approach to food preparation and a focus on using high-quality, fresh ingredients. In addition, the role of food in Italian culture is more central than in the United States, with meals often being a time for family and socializing, even at local restaurants.

At the CEA CAPA Rome Center, our professor is educating us on the different types of Italian wines and how they are grown.

I picked up local ingredients for lunch and made a homemade recipe of fresh tomato and olive tapenade toast.  

Many local grocery stores make Italian Nutella cookies daily that locals have with their morning coffee. 

Ultimately, Italian grocery stores and grocery stores in the United States differ in their selection of products, shopping experience, and cultural approach to food. While both types of stores offer a range of products to meet the needs of their customers, the personalized and intimate shopping experience in Italian grocery stores and the cultural emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients set them apart from grocery stores in the United States. 

A beef tagliatelle was a favorite dish I would make with my roommates in my local Italian apartment throughout the week.  

The local grocery store chain, Pewex, had a fresh meat and bakery section shoppers used daily.