Seven Italian sayings about food

 

You cannot think about Italy without thinking about food. Italians and food are strongly interrelated.

In Italy, home cooking is still a well-grounded tradition and the research of good natural ingredients almost a pleasure.

Italians usually learn how to cook basic Italian dishes when they’re young whether they’re interested in learning how to cook or not. Indeed, even just watching their mothers cooking at home, they learn how to mix ingredients, cooking times, etc.

So, it’s no surprise that even the Italian language gives a lot of importance to food. In fact, you can find many Italian sayings about food.

Today, we’ll learn some of the most common Italian sayings about food.

LISCIO COME L’OLIO

Andare or filare liscio come l’olio is an Italian idiom concerning food that literally means to go smooth as oil.

Its real meaning, instead, is that a situation solved without any problem.

Example:

“Com’è andata?” “E’ andato/filato tutto liscio come l’olio”
“How did it go?” “Everything went smoothly”

PIENO COME UN UOVO

Here’s an Italian idiom concerning eggs. Essere pieno come un uovo literally means to be full as an egg.

This is an expression that you usually use when you’ve eaten too much, obviously implying that you can’t eat any other food.
 
Example:

“Vuoi ancora un po’ di lasagne?” “No, grazie, sono veramente pieno come un uovo”
“Do you want some more lasagna?” “No, thank you, I’m really stuffed”

AVERE LE FETTE DI SALAME SUGLI OCCHI

Here’s another interesting Italian idiom about food. Avere le fette di salame sugli occhi literally means to have slices of salami on your eyes.

Actually, it means that a person can’t see the truth, even if it’s in front of his/her own eyes.

Example: 

Ma che hai le fette di salame sugli occhi? Non hai ancora capito che ti mette le corna?
Are you blind? Haven’t you realized yet that he’s cheating on you?

ROSSO COME UN PEPERONE

This is one of the most common Italian sayings about food. Literally essere or diventare rosso come un peperone means to be or to become red like a pepper.

Idiomatically, it means that a person has become really red on his face. It can be referred either to blushing or to sunburn.

Example:

Quando ha incontrato Julia Roberts ha smesso di parlare ed è diventato rosso come un peperone
When he met Julia Roberts, he stopped talking and blushed

ESSERE RIGIDO COME UN BACCALA’

This is an Italian idiom involving a fish, baccalà. Essere rigido come un baccalà, literally to be as stiff as a salted codfish, means to look stiff, usually when you’re not confortable in a situation.

Example:

Cerca di rilassarti! Sei rigido come un baccalà!
Try to relax a bit! You’re as stiff as a stick!

AVERE LE MANI DI PASTAFROLLA

Avere le mani di pastafrolla literally means to have shortcrust pastry hands. Idiomatically, it means to be clumsy or to be unable to hold something in your hands without dropping it.

Example:

Oggi ho già fatto cadere una tazzina e un uovo: ho proprio le mani di pastafrolla!
Today I already dropped a cup and an egg: I’m really clumsy!

ESSERE ALLA FRUTTA

The last Italian idiom about food for today is essere alla frutta. This expression literally means to have come to the fruit – that’s usually the end of an Italian meal.

This expression, however, can have different meanings. It can mean to be at the lowest possible level, meaning that you’ve reached the end, nothing can be worse than that. It can also mean to be without strength or energy.

Be aware that this expression in Italian usually carries a negative meaning. It’s also very used when talking about politics and economics.

Examples:

L’anno scolastico è appena iniziato ma io sono già alla frutta
School is just started but I’m already dead tired

Se vincono i sì a questo referendum siamo proprio alla frutta
If the yesses win this referendum, we’re at the lowest possible level

Did you already know these seven Italian sayings about food? Are there similar idioms in your language?

---

Credits

Original image by romanov