Gastronomy
The local cuisine is influenced by the structure of the territory and can therefore be divided into three main areas: firstly, the area around the lake, which predominates; secondly, the surrounding mountains and valleys, and finally Brianza, shifting between hills and plains.
Obviously, the lake cuisine is based on fish. Its most famous specialities are: “missultitt”, that is fish desiccated in special containers called “misolte”; soused fish, which is first fried and then pickled; crispy fresh water fish and other typical dishes like “risotto con pesce persico” (rice with perch) fillet and smoked trout in oil. On the lake shore, particularly in the area called “Tremezzina”, first quality vegetables like the asparagus from Rogano are grown.
You will also find some olive-groves producing an excellent oil, which now has unfortunately become quite a rarity.
In the valleys around the Lake you will find a “frugal” but genuine cuisine, based on polenta (corn-meal mush), “polenta taragna” (buckwheat mush) and “polenta cunscia” (with a characteristic garlic flavour), both cooked with butter and cheese; farmyard chicken, goat-kids bred mainly in the upper Lake and wild game. In addition, you will find choice trout and plenty of delicious mushrooms.
Everything is under the “home made” banner, from the savoury salami to some typical kinds of cheese like “semuda” or “zincherlin”.
In the part of Brianza that borders on the province of Milan, rich dishes such as “cazeula”, “busecca”, polenta with birds, spiced pork sausages with beans and typical cold cuts like “filzette” (long thin salami) and “cacciatorini” (short salami) prevail.
As to cakes, you can taste a typical pancake called “cotizza”, made with flour, milk, sugar and lemon peel, and the “Resta de Comm”, a sort of oblong panettone containing a well auguring olive branch. The name “Resta” in italian means “Left” and the name of this sweet derives from the fact that, finish eating the cake, a sprig of olive is left. We an’ t forget to mention the tasty Nocciolini di Canzo, crumbly cookies taste hazelnut
As for the wines Como today lack the authentic bottles DOC, but there are some varieties that produces scattered light wine such as the ruby-red Chiaretto Bellagio or characteristic wines of intense fragrance that remember the origines of the territory, the Domasino and above all, some nice “nostranelli” easy to drink, such as those Rogaro of Griante and Carlazzo . In Brianza instead produce the famous dry white Montevecchia, already praised by Maggi and Carlo Porta.
