Tastes of THE LAKES
Understand the landscape here and you understand the food. The waters of Lake Como cover 60 square miles to a depth of 1,300 feet, so freshwater fish is naturally going to play a significant role in the local diet. Lake Como has more than 25 types of fish; Lake Garda has 30. Lavarello (a white fish) is the most popular, but other varieties include perch, pike and trout, which are served grilled or fried, with a slice of locally grown lemon.
Yet fish is not the key player.
From the dark, impenetrable waters, the mountains rise sharply to dominate the landscape, and it is from these vertiginous surroundings that Lake Como derives its predominant culinary influence. The Alpine pastures produce excellent cheeses like , , , and , not to mention the innumerable , artisan cheeses, that feature strongly in many local dishes.
