[Tade0]

I think this is more related to the respective climates and local tastes than anything else.

For example I can't for the life of me find any good potatoes, apples or bread in Italy - or anything even remotely sour that isn't wine - apparently it's not something the locals particularly enjoy.

[pibi]

Really? Not apples or bread? We have valleys known only for their unique apples, like the Mela Renetta from Friuli. Don't let me started talking about the apples from Trentino. So, maybe you are talking about apples in the south of Italy. About bread: I see where you are coming from, best breads I eaten are coming from bakeries on the mountains. They just taste so good. But please, remember that bread in Italy is just a support for the main tastes, like the olive oil.

[Tade0]

I've only ever been to the north and what I found is that leavened bread is not a thing there.

As for apples: they're mostly okay but nothing special comparing to the varieties found around the Baltic sea.

Case in point: you can't expect to just walk into any store and find apples suitable for apple pie. Also apple juice exists in one variety and is fairly hard to find.