Food. Mangia. Cibo e vino. Pasta. Sauce. Meatballs. Bread. Mortadella. Mozarella. Tiramisu. As Italian Americans, these things mean something to us. If it were simply that they are tasty items to consume, they would not exert the power they have, not only us, but on the wider American culture.
Many people find McDonald's offers tasty items to consume as well, but McDonald's isn't lauded in thousands of cookbooks, television shows, and movies, the way Italian cooking is.