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Milan,
The Food:
Panettone - Photo © yuichi.sakuraba
Milan, Milano in Italian, where cooking is done
with butter, gives its name to several dishes: minestrone alla milanese,
a soup of green vegetables, rice and bacon; risotto
alla milanese, rice cooked with saffron; cotoletta
alla milanese, (Milanese Veal Cutlet) a fillet of veal fried
in egg and bread-crumbs with cheese; ossobuco,
a knuckle of veal with the marrow-bone; panettone,
a large fruit cake containing raisins and candied lemon peel. Here the
commonest cheese is again the excellent Gorgonzola. Few wines are
produced, apart from those of Valtellina, Franciacorta or the
Pavia district.
From the 'Michelin Guide to Italy'
A bit of historical curiosity of Lombardia food
If you’ve ever traveled through Lombardy, you may have noticed the dominant presence of the color yellow that’s used in restaurants. This is not coincidence. It’s a custom that dates back to medieval times when the courts would coat their food with gold before serving it to guests. Gold was widely believed to be the remedy for illness and promised good health. Food was also prepared in this fashion for the sake of pure decadence. As gold became increasingly valuable, the Lombardians looked for ways to create the same effect without the cost of using gold. The golden hue of saffron risotto is one reminder of this tradition. From Ilfornaio.com
Specialty Lombardia Food
The famous Risotto alla Milanese gets its golden hue from the precious spice saffron. Legend has it that the dish came about when a Milanese painter decided to gild the risotto served at his wedding banquet with a harmless gold-colored dye. Risotto alla Milanese is traditionally served with ossobuco (braised veal shank).
Traditionally made with raisins and candied citron, or with a rich cream filling, the light, fluffy brioche-like bread called panettone may be tall or short, covered with chocolate or flavored with various liquors, but it’s always a symbol of the Christmas season. With its hallmark domed shape, panettone has graced Christmas tables in Milan, where it is claimed to have been invented, since at least the 15th century is the most famous Christmas Lombardia food. The traditional recipe calls for using nothing but white wheat flour, sugar, top-quality buttricette_panettone.htmer, eggs, and sultana raisins. In order to safeguard tradition and ensure that panettone is made in the time-honored, non-industrial manner, efforts are currently underway to establish guidelines for ingredients and procedures that will serve as the basis for obtaining a special DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) certification from the European Union.
In
Lombardia food cheese is very important: Taleggio cheese
is named for a valley in the province of Bergamo, but it is produced throughout
Lombardia. This soft, creamy cow’s milk cheese, which can be dated
to a thousand years ago, was traditionally ripened in underground caves;
today, it is matured in climate-controlled cellars. Taleggio
has a mild, somewhat acidic flavor, and subtle aroma make it ideal for
many traditional Lombard dishes, but it’s also used in scores of
dishes in other parts of Italy. Because it melts easily, Taleggio
is excellent in omelettes and crepes, or, as the base for
a creamy pasta sauce.
Another traditional Lombardia food is the Mostarda di Cremona, from the inland port city of Cremona on the River Po (and the birthplace of violin master Antonio Stradivarius) consisting of candied fruits, such as cherries, figs, and pears, preserved in a mixture of sugar syrup and white mustard. The result was a tangy condiment that was served with bollito misto, boiled, meat, game, or poultry. Today, Mostarda di Cremona is most produced commercially with stewed fruits instead of candied fruits, and lacks the “heat” of the traditional preparation.
Valtellina, The Cuisine
Valtellina is a land of ancient flavors. The authentic country cuisine
of the Valtellina, like the natural environment in which it originates,is
unique among Lombardia food, as it presents dishes that are greatly appreciated
by the most demanding palates: “pizzoccheri”, “sciatt”,
“polenta taragna”, made with buck wheat flour, “brisaola”
or “bresaola”,
a type of dry salt beef typical of Valtellina, the unsurpassed quality
of which is due to delicate preparation and perfect curing in unique environmental
conditions; “Bitto” cheese, which bears the DOP (protected
denomination of origin) mark and “bisciola”, a rustic cake
containing walnuts, figs and raisins.
Articles on Lombardia food:
Franciacorta
food and wine
Mantova Cuisine
Varese a gastronomic itinerary
Eating out in Italy: Milan and its cuisine
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
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