We love traditional comfort food here at Nelly’s Kitchen, so naturally, we love meatballs. Metalballs are a common food that we see everywhere, from Italian restaurants to sub shops. Because they are so common, we don’t think much about them outside of their taste and what dishes we include them in. But there are actually quite a few interesting facts about meatballs, including some that you probably don’t know.
Here are some fun and tasty facts about this traditional comfort food.
You can get meatballs all over the world.
If you look into the traditional cuisine of pretty much any culture worldwide, you’ll find meatballs in one form or another. In the United States, we usually make meatballs in the Italian tradition, but most of us know about Swedish meatballs, too. These are smaller and sweeter than their Italian counterparts, but they are still made with beef or pork. However, you don’t have to venture outside of Western Europe to find meatballs that we would consider weird. In Germany, they make something called Könisberger Klopse using anchovies and salted herrings. We assume that it is an acquired taste.
We have immigrants to thank for today’s meatballs.
Nearly all Italian-American foods changed when Italian immigrants came to America. In Italy, meat was more expensive and harder to get than in America. But once they settled into their new home, they started to adapt their recipes. Because meat was cheaper and easier to get, they made bigger meatballs just because they could. They also used ingredients and foods that their neighbors brought from their own home countries. For example, French baguettes were handy, and so became the natural bread to make what would become the meatball sub.
Some meatballs are teeny-tiny.
Italian meatballs here in America might be huge now, but if you go back to Italy, they are smaller. In fact, they are quite a bit smaller in some regions of Italy. In most places in Italy, a meatball is about the size of a golf ball. However, in the Teramo province of the Abruzzo region, they make teeny-tiny meatballs!
Fresh and Delicious Food from Nelly’s Kitchen
When you’re in search of comfort food made from fresh and quality ingredients, look no further than Nelly’s Kitchen! We have all your favorites, plus a few house specialties. Stop by and give us a try!