Today Italian cuisine is famous around the world for its richness and diversity. Although many people associate Italian food with a few standard dishes like pizza and spaghetti Bolognese, there is actually tremendous diversity among the various regional cuisines of Italy. The regional cooking depends on a number of factors, not only as to what ingredients are most abundant each region, but also historical factors. The recipes of Northern and Southern Italian dishes are quite different and use different methods of cooking. Pasta and olive oil are considered the characteristics of southern Italian food, while northern food focuses on rice and butter. Italian food is all about combinations of delicious local flavours, a simple sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan.