Deciphering the Menu in Italy

If spaghetti and meatballs with a glass of red wine from a straw-covered flask is the closest you've come to authentic Italian cuisine, then a refresher course is in order. In Italy, dishes are usually served on separate plates in a specific order. Here are the main components of a typical Italian menu, in the order they are served:

• l'antipasto, which literally means "before the meal," includes hot and cold appetizers such as crostini (small, thin slices of toasted bread with toppings such as pâté or cheese), bruschetta (bread dipped in olive oil, toasted, and covered with diced tomatoes and basil), and mozzarella in carrozza (fried mozzarella squares)
• Il primo, or "first course," usually consists of pasta, minestrone, risotto, or zuppa (soup)
• Il secondo, or "second course," is the main course—meat, poultry, game, or fish
• Il contorno, or "side dish," may consist of vegetables such as melanzane (eggplant), spinaci (spinach), or insalata mista (mixed salad)
• Il dolce, or "dessert," includes such favorite sweets as tiramisù, torta della nonna (custard shortbread pie), or zabaglione (custard of egg yolks with wine and brandy)