We’ve always wanted to travel to Italy to experience the delicious pasta and pizza in the region where it originated. And yet, Italy’s food has much more to it than the usual dishes we immediately think of. In fact, over the past 150 years, the traditional food of Italy has evolved as much as the country has.
Through intense research and effort, Chef Ettore Bocchia, of the restaurant Mistral, in the Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, has curated a meal showcasing the best of Italy’s cuisine for all to try. Here is what the menu of the multi-course looks like.
Course 1
Our first dish begins with a plate of eel that is filled with a delicate duck foie gras, served with a tomato jam and a sweet, mulled wine sauce. Inspired by the wealthy aristocrats of the 1890s, this first dish definitely sets the mood for the meal.
Course 2
Seafood is the main focus of the second dish and represents the 1920s with raw squid cut into long strips, shrimp, and cuttlefish, all mixed together in a garlic sauce.
Course 3
The Second World War changed the way people splurged on food. Because of this, the third dish features fried frog legs and escargot, as an ode to the “fancy alternative” people could afford to eat in the 1940s.
Course 4
The next dish, inspired by the 1960s and Italy’s economic success during industrialization, is a plate of cooked rabbit in a consommé jelly and green sauce.
Course 5
The sweet pumpkin broth served with white truffle meringue represents the 2000s and the molecular gastronomy introduced in Italy at the time.
Course 6
Finally, modern day brings a deliciously rich lobster tail, served in its own bisque, and is the perfect way to end the meal.
It’s clear that Chef Bocchia put in effort and care to make this meal both accurate and inspiring. Its more than just a meal—it’s an experience. If you’re a foodie with an extra $250 in your pocket to spend on a multiple course meal, this is definitely the one to make a reservation for. This course is available from April 1, 2023, but booking is open now!
