Festivals and Celebrations

As in other regions of Italy, there is an abundance of small local festivals in the north-west of the country, focusing on local produce when it is coming into season and at its peak of freshness. During these festivals, the cooks demonstrate huge inventiveness in using the products in a medley of fabulous recipes. Religious festivals also give an opportunity for cooks to show off their expertise, with a particular focus on feasts and special local foods at Christmas, such as Milanese panettone, soft almond macaroons and chocolate treats from Piedmont. At Easter, too, there are plenty of local delicacies to be found, such as the lovely soft Easter cake, colomba Pasquale (Easter dove), which is made in the city of Pavia.