Traditions in Regional Italian Food Culture

The Northern Italian Region of Lombardia
By Chris De Santis
photos by Chris De Santis

Flying over the snow-covered Alps we enter Italian airspace. The majesty of the Alps gives way to the lush green of the Po River valley. The sun reflects off the many lakes of Northern Italy’s hill country – and so the culinary journey to the northern region of Lombardia begins as we land in Milano, its capital.

Milan is a cosmopolitan city and has been for most of its history. Its cuisine reflects more of its culinary history than the provincial food culture of the rest of the region. In most restaurants you will find many recipes with Spanish, Swiss and Venetian influences prepared along with local dishes.

In addition to the cuisine having many different historical and geographical influences, seasonal influences also play a part in the preparation of certain dishes. The Spanish influenced Cassoeulla – various cuts of pork (shoulder, butt, rind, and yes feet) – for example, would typically be a winter dish. The story goes that this pork “stew” cooked with Savoy cabbage, carrot, celery and onion was taught to a Milanese peasant girl during the Spanish rule of Milan. The girl went on to work for a family of nobility and made the dish for them. The Cassoeulla was immediately liked by the family and became one of the most popular dishes in the Lombard capital.

Another of the most popular Milanese dishes is Ossobuco. This dish of braised flour-dredged veal shanks in butter and white wine most likely originated in farmhouses outside of Milan in the late nineteenth century. It is believed that tomatoes were added to the recipe by Milanese chefs in osterie, small neighborhood restaurants that catered to locals but not often to travelers. Ossobuco will most likely be served with Rissoto Milanese and topped with a wonderful fresh gremolada – a combination of garlic, lemon zest, parsley and anchovies.

The Po River Valley which cuts through the northern regions of Italy, flowing east out of the Alps to deltas on the Adriatic Sea, crosses Lombardia just south of Milan. The majority of rice used throughout Italy and Europe grows in the Po River valleys of Lombardia.

Risotto is the traditional method of preparing rice in Lombardia and throughout the regions of northern Italy. I like to use Arborio rice for my preparation of Risotto Milanese and would like to share this Lombardian food cultural tradition with you.

Our culinary journey through Lombardia continues by train from Milano Centrale Statione north to Lake Como. Lake Como is representative of the century old lakes created from the crystal clear runoff rivers and streams of the melting snowcaps of the Alps. From the train station in Como S. Giovanna we bus north to Mezzegra on the west central shore of Lake Como.

It’s an interesting bus ride. The route is local, it’s raining, and although we have learned to travel light when taking trains, we still have two fairly large suitcases. It’s about 3 PM, just in time to catch the standing-room-only bus filled with students on their way home from school. As the bus nears the stop, the doors open and the bus driver eyes Mary and me and our suitcases, smiles, and shakes his head. I’m sure the under-carriage luggage storage area hasn’t been opened in ages. The driver actually exits the bus and loads our luggage after wrestling with the rusted lock and hinges for a few minutes. Finally he looks up and says something like, “Lei le persone sono pazzo,” which I loosely translate to “you people are crazy.”

Although I always include a traditional recipe in my demonstration classes from the big cities of the regions of Italy, and have demonstrated the preparation of Ossobuco with Risotto Milanese, I stress that the true food culture of a region is captured on the tables of the houses and restaurants of the countryside.

The lake country is no exception to my rule. In the small restaurants along the steep alleys of the shoreline villages of Lake Como we dine on the rich culinary traditions of the region of Lombardia. Wonderful lake Perch, wrapped in prosciutto, pan fried and served over risotto. Fresh-caught mountain-stream trout stuffed with local sausage and served with “riso e trigoni,” rice with water chestnuts.

From the land, in the cultural traditions of the northern most provinces of the region fowl is prepared in clay-pot stews with cabbage, leek and other cold climate vegetables, over polenta (cooked corn meal). In the traditions of the food culture of Switzerland, Lombardia’s neighbor to the north, come soups of cheese, egg and croutons. Pasta made with buckwheat flour accompanies hunter-style, alla cacciatore, slow-cooked wild duck and hare.

Yes, the gastronomical delights of the city sometimes steal the show, but ingredients from the mountains and lakes, geographical locations and its rich history characterize the region’s true food culture of the varied cuisine of Lombardia.

Until next time, ciao.

Copyright © 2011, Chris De Santis. All Rights Reserved