- Food & Wine
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Autumn aromas and flavours
A journey through the authentic local flavours and products that reflect the traditions of Lombardy - from land to table
The crisp sound of the leaves under your feet accompany every walk; the Lombardy countryside is tinged with the colours of autumn and enriched with the season’s typical products.
The last apple varieties are ripening in the orchards, while mushrooms and truffles are harvested in the woods, pumpkins frame the fields, and in the towns, the aroma of roasting chestnuts sparks a convivial feel. From picking to tasting, every product tells a story of tradition and a passion for farming. Ripened cheeses, mostarda (fruit in mustard syrup), and other local specialities are the protagonists of a sensory experience where every taste is part of Lombardy’s food and wine culture.
A pumpkin-based taste of autumn (Mantua)
Forever the symbol of Mantuan cuisine, the pumpkin is the star ingredient of recipes that have formed the history of the area. Sweet, compact pumpkin flesh is enjoyed at its best in tortelli pasta, where it is mixed with amaretti biscuits to create a refined balance, and in warm, creamy soups that heat up the cold autumn evenings. More than just a crop, the Mantuan pumpkin is part of the area’s cultural heritage, linked to farming traditions and festive occasions. Every year, with the Festa delle Lumere, this tradition is experienced in the streets of Mantua: decorated pumpkins become coloured lanterns, and market stalls offer surprising varieties to savour.
Picking chestnuts in the woods (Bergamo, Como, Lecco, Varese)
Picking chestnuts in the woods is an activity that combines tradition with the pleasures of spending a day out in the fresh air. The most charming locations in the area include Via delle Castagne di Zogno in Val Brembana, in the province of Bergamo, which winds its way through trails and villages linked to chestnut growing. Unmissable walks in the Montevecchia Regional Park and the Curone Valley in the province of Lecco, where chestnuts are picked against a background of historic churches, villas and farmhouses. And when you can smell the aroma of roasted chestnuts in the village squares, then the chestnut harvest becomes a celebration. Every year in Brinzio, in the province of Varese, the Festival around the Grà celebrates the traditional chestnut drying technique, with tastings, music, and demonstrations of traditional preserving techniques. Every year, Cernobbio, in the province of Como is lit up by the Castagne, streghe e dintorni festival (Chestnuts, witches and all around), which turning the village into a little theatre, with markets, mulled wine, and tales of legend, to enjoy the Lombardy autumn in every way.
Valtellina’s apples, with cider, festivals and walks (Sondrio)
The Valtellina IGP apple harvest, symbol of an area that brings tradition and quality together, takes place on the slopes of Valtellina, between August and October. Red and Golden Delicious varieties, in particular, are the stars of the autumn, accompanying strolls through the orchards where you can become immersed in a landscape of villages, castles and valleys. In September, the area between Tirano and Sondrio is already busy with the harvest, and the apples are also used to make fresh, sparkling cider that features in special seasonal tastings. These heritage flavours are celebrated at the traditional Apple and Grape Festival, held every autumn at Villa di Tirano for over 40 years. This is an opportunity to experience the Valtellina through its different flavours and authentic landscapes.
Hunting autumn mushrooms (Bergamo, Como, Milan, Monza and Brianza)
In autumn, the woods of Lombardy fill up with people seeking mushrooms. The beeches, chestnuts, conifers and undergrowth fill up with the aromas and colours of different mushroom varieties, ranging from chanterelles to ovoli, honey, and field mushrooms. This is the season when you can hope to find the most sought-after mushroom of them all, the porcino or cep, king of the mushrooms, which grows in the wet woods after the first rains. From Valle Brembana, in the province of Bergamo, where villages and high ground alternate with dense woods, passing through the Valle d’Intelvi and the higher slopes above Lake Como, on to Parco delle Groane, between Saronno and Meda, where the pleasure of finding mushrooms among the roots and fallen leaves, is always a chance in this period. As well as featuring on walks and excursions, mushrooms can be found in the villages and squares of Lombardy with festivals and tastings that perfume the autumn.
Black truffle, protagonist of Oltrepò Pavese (Pavia)
In the hills, the black truffle of Oltrepò Pavese grows among the roots of oak and hazelnut trees, bringing the area an authenticity that is present in every aroma. Walking through the autumn woods means breathing intense perfume, with fallen leaves and paths to accompany you from the vineyards to the tiny villages. Here, the truffle is more than a fruit of the soil, it is a thread that links local flavours and histories together. Truffle harvesting is an experience to stimulate every sense; a journey that culminates in traditional dishes from Pavia. Fragrant local recipes, packed with flavour, transform the truffle into the feature ingredient, enhancing risotto, eggs, meat and cheese, reminding us that every season has its own truly unique flavour.
A gourmet autumn with the cheeses of Lombardy (Bergamo, Sondrio, Lodi)
The aromas of mature cheeses fill the air and accompany the autumn dishes in the valleys of Lombardy. In the area around Bergamo, Toma Alta Valle cheese stands out for its delicate semi-cooked consistency and the intense aroma of local milk, which varies with the seasons. In Morbegno, the Bitto Exhibition is the perfect annual date for discovering the different flavours of Valtellina: from Bitto DOP cheese to Valtellina Casera, every taste tells the story of traditional cheese-making in the mountains. It is a journey into tradition and authenticity, where flavours are passed down through the generations. In the Lodi area, Raspadüra cheese offers a charming ritual in its preparation: the cheesemaker shapes the cheeses by hand, creating fine sheets of cheese to enjoy alone or in food pairings that bring out their full lightness, on risotto, for example, or cured meats and other traditional dishes.
Discovering mostarda cremonese (Cremona)
The sweet, piquant taste of Cremona’s fruit in mustard sauce, is the result of centuries of tradition and a surprising harmony of flavours. Created in the Middle Ages as mustum ardens, a mix that served to preserve fruit over the winter, with time, mostarda has come to symbolise of Lombardy’s gastronomic culture, above all, in Cremona. Made with candied fruit soaked in a sugar syrup flavoured with mustard essence, the popular, unique balance of sweetness and spice in mostarda is perfect to accompany boiled and roast meats, as well as mature cheeses. It is also a surprising pause between dishes on festive tables. It is no coincidence that this iconic Lombardy flavour is celebrated in Cremona with the annual Festival della Mostarda.
