Lombardia
Lombardia is a landlocked, northern Italian region bordering Switzerland. It is Italy’s most populous and wealthiest region, with about one sixth of the country’s population and one fifth of its GDP. The capital city is Milan, a sprawling metropolis and a world fashion and design capital.
The cuisine of Lombardia is best known for two things: dairy and risotto. The province is Italy’s largest producer of milk products, which means lots of butter, cream, and cheese have found their way into the Lombardian kitchen. Several well-known Italian cheeses are produced in Lombardia, including Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Bel Paese, Grana Padano, and Mascarpone.
Throughout history Lombardia was invaded by different powers, such as the Germans and Austrians, which left a lasting influence on its cuisine. This, along with the use of dairy and availability of meats, explains why Lombardian cuisine is much richer than the cuisines of Mediterranean Italy. Butter, rather than olive oil, is used for cooking, and the cuisine is known for its hearty, braised meat dishes. The Lombardian cook has available mushrooms and walnuts from the north of the region, and trout from lakes in the south.
Risotto, one of the legacies of Northern Italian cuisine, originated in Milan in the 16th century, as farmers began to cultivate rice on a large scale in the Po Valley in Piedmont. Risotto highlights both the region’s butter and its Grana Padano cheese.
