POLENTA
Polenta is a kind of thick porridge made from maize flour. You can taste it alone or with rabbit meat, like most families usually have it. It is excellent accompanied with roast veal or mushrooms.
There is also a “polenta taragna” version, enriched with melted pieces of local cheese.
CASONCELLI (Casonsèi)
Prepared with fresh pasta and meat filling, they are a real treat for lovers of good food.
The dish was born in order to make use of the leftovers of pork and beef, and it was made even more special by adding amaretti, raisins and lemon zest.
Eat like a local...
CHEESES
Bergamo boasts 9 DOP (certified origin) cheeses, that is formai de mut from the High Brembo Valley, strachitunt from the Taleggio Valley, taleggio, gongorzola, bitto, grana padano, provolona valpadana, quartirolo lombardo, salva cremasco.
Then Slow Food has endorsed AGRI Valtorta and stracchino all'antica (the old way) from the Orobie Valleys.
If you think this is not enough also try branzi, formaggella from the Val di Scalve and Valle Seriana, stracchino del Monte Bronzone and Torta Orobica.
CURED MEATS
Together with cheese, salami is a staple with appetizers or side-dishes in Bergamo. The surroundings have always produced many varieties, such as cotechino, lard, bacon, ham, salami, testina and sausage. Some are certified DOP (Protected Designation of Origin), IGP (Protected Geographical Indication), and PAT (Traditional Craft Product). All of them, but especially the local type of sausage (cotechino) fit well with polenta or fresh bread for a genuine and fast Bergamask sandwich.
STRACCIATELLA ICE CREAM
It was 1961 when Enrico Panattoni, owner of the Marianna Patisserie in Colle Aperto, invented Stracciatella ice cream.
A simple and ingenious idea: dark chocolate in cold ice cream (milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar) solidifies and breaks into flakes of irregular shape. Panattoni did not apply for a patent but his recipe has enjoyed success for over 50 years now.
MINERAL WATER
Bergamo has no shortage of high-quality mineral water sources: the main ones are Sanpellegrino, Bracca, Edelweiss, Pioda, Gaverina, San Carlo Spinone and Primula. In town water from the taps is perfectly drinkable, and more sustainable - of course.
LOCAL BEERS for low-budget slow travellers
In recent years, Bergamo and its province have picked up on a nationwide trend that is increasingly taking hold: the production of homemade beers. There are at least nine micro-breweries in the province: Elav (Comun Nuovo), Endorama (Grassobbio), Maivisto (Sedrina), Maspy (Ponte San Pietro), Orobia (Gorle), Sguaraunda (Pagazzano), Val Cavallina (Endine Gaiano), HopSkin (Curno) and Via Priula (San Pellegrino Terme).
MOSCATO DI SCANZO, for very high-budget travellers
This is the only Bergamask DOCG wine, protected by a Consortium limiting its production to the hills of Scanzorosciate. It is a sweet wine, fragrant, which requires a late harvest.
VALCALEPIO WINE, for high-budget travellers
Bergamo has a deep-rooted tradition of winemaking.
Local favourites are the excellent Valcalepio DOC red and white, marked by the effigy of Colleoni and the Consortium with the same name strictly limiting the areas of wine production ("Land of the Colleoni ") and the type of grapes used (typical" Bergamo").
