Lombardy isn't just Milan: the whole region is appealing.

Hey little one! There’s more to Italy than just Milan!
Sure, Milan is the regional capital and has many merits as a city, but in Lombardy there are 11 other provinces, and an endless amount of locally sourced products from Lombardy.
This does not take away from the other regions; Italy is a wonderful country for this reason as well. Every region, province, and municipality in Italy boasts its own typical and artisanal products... and we at Spaghetti&Mandolino have them all!
Modesty aside, let’s focus on Lombardy.

The Gourmand's Journey in Lombardy

Since we can’t travel physically right now, let me take you on a mental journey through Lombardy! Just to be safe, bring a picnic basket or one of those bundles tied to a stick, like in the best cartoons. I tell you this because we’ll be seeing so many delicious things that you’ll want to stock up.

Let’s start with a riddle: what is that cheese that is so good, creamy, and has green stripes? This one was easy. I’m obviously talking about Gorgonzola! Our journey begins with it. A unique product, its production today is located in a very extensive area of Lombardy, involving the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Milan, Monza, Pavia, and Varese. This cheese is truly ancient, in fact, it seems to have originated in the town of the same name on the outskirts of Milan in the year 879, although perhaps it wasn’t quite the same as the one we taste today. It had a slow diffusion, but then gained international success in the early 1900s. Are you ready to move on to another product, or are you already getting hungry? If it's the latter, you could try the creamy Gorgonzola DOP sweet spoonable from our selection.

After this initial virtual visit, we can move on to products that originated right in the capital of Lombardy. It’s true, I said Lombardy doesn't just mean Milan, but let’s give Caesar what belongs to Caesar. In Milan, el panetùt is born! This cake (if you didn’t guess, we’re talking about panettone) is now present on all tables at Christmas, and it is precisely at Christmas that, according to legend, it was created for the first time! The most famous story suggests that panettone was born at the court of Ludovico Maria Sforza, known as the Moor, lord of Milan in the distant 15th century.
Let’s go back in time for a moment and imagine the scene: it’s Christmas Eve, the official cook of the Sforza family is tasked with preparing a lavish banquet, but accidentally burns the dessert prepared for the occasion (if you have a vivid imagination, you can even hear what he says). Desperate, in comes Toni, the kitchen servant, who decides to use a piece of yeast he had reserved for Christmas and mix it with whatever remains in the court pantry—flour, eggs, raisins, candied fruits, and sugar. Thus, he obtains a particularly fluffy dough. The cook, exhausted, has no other choice but to present this improvised dessert at the table, after which he hides behind a curtain to spy on the diners' reactions.
Plot twist: everyone is delighted, and Ludovico the Moor wants to know the name of this delicacy, so the cook reveals the secret: "L’è 'l pan del Toni." From then on, it’s known as "pane di Toni", meaning panettone. Of course, there are no reliable sources to confirm what is narrated in the legend, but it’s a very entertaining story.

In addition to panettone, Milan boasts other products such as Colomba and Salame Milano.

Now let’s move east, entering the lands between Lecco and Bergamo, where the Val Taleggio lies. And which cheese is born in this enchanting valley? How did you guess? The Taleggio DOP is a soft cheese, also with ancient origins.
Equally noteworthy is the rare Pannerone di Lodi, a true specialty protected by the Slow Food Presidia since 2003. It stands out from other Italian cheeses because it is not subjected to any salting treatment and has high maturation temperatures. Its name comes from "panèra", which in the Lodi dialect means cream, given the exclusive use of whole milk rich in cream.

Open the basket and add some Bresaola della Valtellina, the flagship product from the province of Sondrio.

Now let’s move to Lake Garda to enjoy some fresh air, specifically in Tremosine in the beating heart of the Alto Garda Bresciano Park, where Lombardy’s tradition is concentrated in the Formaggella di Tremosine. This cheese is semi-fat, with short or medium maturation and a semi-hard paste: a feast of flavors, thrilling! Absolutely worth trying.
Let's linger a bit longer in Brescia to savor another cheese, the typical Bagoss produced in the area of Bagolino, in the Brescia mountains, characterized by its vibrant yellow color due to the presence of saffron in the paste. Speaking of Brescia, I cannot fail to mention two famous wines, indeed world-renowned, that need no introduction: Franciacorta and Lugana.

To conclude this adventurous journey discovering Lombard traditions, we must head to the southeastern tip of the region, the province of Mantua! Mantova is the province where the products are filled with peasant tradition and have influences from neighboring regions, especially Emilia Romagna.
The mantuan top 5 consists of: Lambrusco, the sparkling red wine that together with crispy ciccioli is the winning combination for mantuan aperitifs; Sbrisolona, the typical cake that is not cut but broken with a punch and soaked with grappa!
The Mostarda Mantovana di mele cotogne is exceptional when paired with aged cheeses with a grainy paste.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we have the salamino cacciatore, which gets its name from the ancient tradition of hunters who would bring these small, flavorful, and highly energetic rations in their satchels. Would you want to carry a salamino cacciatore in your satchel?

And taaaa-da, here we are at the end of our Lombard journey. Did I convince you? I believe I have given you enough material to show you that each province in this region has its unique and simultaneously traditional products. Now that your imaginary travel bundle is full, you can indulge in the cart at Spaghetti&Mandolino! Safe travels!

Sara Bettoni