Enjoying our first dinner during a group tour of Sicily, we turned to our guide and told him that the meal was excellent.  This being Sicily, the reply was not all that surprising.  “You can steal my money but don’t touch my food,” Alessio remarked.   He followed that remark by claiming: “If lunch or dinner doesn’t have at least five courses, it’s just a snack.” I suspect the largesse ahead of us was a paltry morsel.So yes, food plays an important role in the lifestyle of Italians.  Very important. Portions often approach gargantuan in size.  And growing, harvesting, cooking and eating hold a place of near reverence in their daily lives.