Archive for 'Northwest Italy'

Cassoeula (also known as Cazzuola, Cazzola and Bottaggio) is a typical winter dish composed of cabbage and pork which is popular in Northern Italy and Lombardy, in particular. With a rich, strong flavour, it is the perfect, comforting dish for cold winter months.

There are several accounts of the origins of the dish, as is often the case with Italian specialities. However, one associates it with the celebration of St Anthony the Abbot on January 17th, which coincided with the end of pig slaughtering season. The parts of the pig used in the dish were those that could be immediately used after it was slaughtered and the better cuts were hung to improve the flavour of the meat. Another story states that the dish traces its roots back to 16th century, Spanish-ruled Milan. In this version of the origin story, the dish was taught to a Milanese girl by her Spanish lover, an army officer. She then served it to the noble Milanese family that she worked for and it was extremely well-received, soon gaining recognition and popularity.

Villa del Balbianello is an 18th century villa which is perched precariously and picturesquely over Lake Como. It is now owned by Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (FAI), private, non-profit trust which receives sites of historic, artistic and naturalist value and restores and opens them to the public so that everyone can enjoy them. A popular spot for weddings and tourists, it was built for Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini at the end of the 1700s. The décor which exists today, however, comes from its last owner, the explorer Guido Monzino. It has a rich collection of Chinese, African and pre-Colombian art, precious English and French furniture of the 1700s and a small museum with documents and mementoes of his expeditions.

The Island of Garda – also known as the Isola del Garda, Isola di Garda or Isola Borghese – is the largest island on Lake Garda. It has been inhabited for thousands of years, going back to Roman times. After being used by pirates for years, it came under the control of the monks of St Zeno of Verona. It then shifted hands many times over the years. The current villa, the Villa Borghese-Cavazza, which occupies the island was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is occupied by the Cavazza Counts who inherited the island in 1927 and still live there today.

There are quite a few abandoned, or nearly abandoned, towns in Italy and each has its own particular appeal and unique charms. There is just something fascinating and hauntingly beautiful about places that are crumbling, that nature is taking back and which are devoid of human presence.

One such town is Leri Cavour in the comune of Trino which is located north-east of Turin in Piedmont.

The walls and streets of Milan are home to the work of many famous and unknown Italian and International street artists. You need only know where to look in order to explore the biggest art gallery in the world. Even then, surprises will often await you around corners and hidden almost out of sight. One of the greatest pleasures that the city has to offer is the experience of leisurely strolling her streets while always having something to look at.