|
|
Recipes
| Cheeses |
Salami |
Wine | Travel | Italian Food
 Milan, The Food:
Panettone - Photo (c)
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, 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
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 Foods of Lombardia
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. 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.
 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.
The traditional
Mostarda di Cremona,
from the inland port city of Cremona on the River Po (and the birthplace of
violin master Antonio Stradivarius) consisted 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
It is a land of ancient flavors. The authentic country cuisine of the
Valtellina, like the natural environment in which it originates, 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.
Franciacorta
food and wine
Mantova Cuisine
Varese a gastronomic itinerary
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
TangoItalia - Food Wine Travel in Italy - Home
|
