Do you have cornbread?
'Mais' — stress on 'MÀIS'. One syllable with a diphthong. Like English 'mice' but with an open 'a'.
Ask in Veneto, Trentino, and Friuli where polenta and corn-based products are part of the culinary tradition. Less common in other regions.
'Pane di mais' = cornbread/corn bread. Made with cornmeal ('farina di mais' or 'farina di polenta'), it is denser and more crumbly than wheat bread. In Northern Italy it is a traditional product linked to the polenta culture of the Po Valley.
Avete pane di farro?
Do you have spelt bread?
'Farro' = spelt — an ancient grain experiencing a major Italian revival
C'è il pane di grano saraceno?
Is there buckwheat bread?
'Grano saraceno' = buckwheat — popular in Alpine regions, naturally gluten-free
Avete pane di kamut?
Do you have Khorasan wheat bread?
'Kamut' is a brand name for Khorasan ancient wheat — popular in organic bakeries
Polenta was the staple food of Northern Italian peasants for centuries — eaten at every meal in some areas of Veneto and Lombardy. The transformation of polenta culture into artisan bread using stone-ground cornmeal is a modern expression of pride in this humble but deeply nutritious tradition.