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Typical products |
Bergamo offers more than seventy products that are an expression of the land and genuine traditions of the area and which, as such, attract the attention of gourmets. These range from cheeses to wines, polenta flour to mushrooms and cured meats to olive oil, but also include grappas and honey, sweets and vegetables.
In certain cases they are very well-known products, in others they are specialities to be discovered, made by small producers and resellers working together in an area characterised by considerable environmental variety. A kind of treasure hunt in which the final result is excellent food.
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In the past it was cheese and wine that held the record of the most requested products. By no coincidence the Visconti, Lords of Milan, as early as the 13th century requested cheese and fresh cheese to be brought to their court from the Bergamask valleys. In turn Venice allowed large quantities of wine to be exported from the vineyards along the hills that extend from the Adda River to Lake Sebino (Iseo) to the nearby provinces. These age-old events led to the production of quality wine which today has become firmly established. In particular the vineyards producing red and white Valcalepio DOC wine cover an area that is one of the most beautiful and interesting in Italy not only from a historic and artistic point of view but also environmentally. This area extends from the heart of the Calepio Valley, with its castles and exquisite residences, to the area of Almenno, with its exceptional Romanesque buildings. The San Martino Valley is no less interesting and features the famous Benedictine Abbey of Pontida and the Sant’Egidio Abbey in Fontanella. A unique example is the production of Moscato di Scanzo, another excellent quality wine with DOP (Denomination of Protected Origin) certification, which is made in the hills of Scanzorosciate, a small area close to Bergamo. These vineyards probably date back to the Roman era and maybe even earlier to the Etruscans. A wonderful dessert wine, Moscato di Scanzo has an alcohol content of no less than 17% vol. Even the production of cheese plays an import role in appreciating the traditions of the valleys between the Orobie mountains.
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Video: Flavours of Bergamo |
The Brembana Valley has for some time been known for its Branzi and Formai de mut (lit. mountain cheese) cheeses, which are produced on some of the most beautiful mountain pastures of the Lombardy Alps. As a result of transhumance, a local cheese had already become established: Taleggio, which takes its name from the valley where it is made. The connection between cheese and valley is so well rooted that many producers on the plain take this characteristically shaped cheese, also known as “strachì”, to mature in the Taleggio Valley. This valley has recently emerged at the forefront of international gastronomy thanks to the rediscovery of a local cheese: “strachìtunt”, which had almost been completely forgotten and was being produced in small quantities by only one local cheese maker. After being introduced at several international trade fairs, interest grew in this cheese and it received recognition from experts in the field who took it even to New York and Tokyo. In addition to the cheeses of the Taleggio and Brembana valleys, those of the Seriana and Scalve valleys are also well worth tasting. Both these valleys are known for their excellent fresh cheeses and for their flavoursome goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses. The production of olive oil is also an ancient tradition, and this activity has been started again with excellent results along the shores of Lake Sebino to the hills between the vineyards of Valcalepio and Moscato di Scanzo. Another interesting feature of the Bergamask hills and valleys is the presence of excellent mushrooms, particularly in areas where sweet chestnut trees can be found. These are particularly appreciated in exquisite dishes accompanied by polenta, another tradition of which the Bergamask people are masters. Speaking of sweet chestnuts, visitors to Bergamo and Bergamo province in autumn must pay a visit to one of the fairs or festivals. Here they can taste delicious roast chestnuts, together with many other wholesome products, which also appear as an ingredient in the seasonal desserts of many restaurants. A curiosity: smoked chestnuts (“biligòcc”) are a lesser known variation of roast chestnuts, which are still produced in Poscante in the Brembana Valley and the Lujo Valley, a side valley off the Seriana Valley. These are sold at several festivals in the middle of winter.
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Restaurants of the thousand flavours guide |
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