Gaggiano | Historic Municipality close by Milan and its High Quality Rice

 

Gaggiano, is a historic town located a few kilometers from the south-western borders of Milan crossed by the Naviglio Grande in the heart of a very fertile land that gave rise to the settlement of numerous agricultural farms that represented and represent the agricultural soul of the Milanese hinterland.

This centre close to the second italian metropolis is located in a historical territory that was linked in the Middle Ages to the Boccardi Lordship of Milan and later to the Provost of Lodi and the Dukes Visconti and Sforza before the foreign dominations in Lombardy.

Once you reach the Milanese municipal terms along Via Ludovico il Moro and once you have passed the municipalities of Corsico and Trezzano sul Naviglio, you will take the Via Vigevanese which leads to Pavia territories reaching Gaggiano.

Near the bridge built over the Naviglio Grande you can make a stop to admire the beautiful Sanctuary of Sant'Invenzio, a wonderful Baroque masterpiece of 1620 erected on the remains of a religious building dating back to the twelfth century.

The structure boasts a majestic façade in ochre shades alternating with white, refined pilasters, stuccoes and statues with a large tympanum and an imposing bell tower.

Inside this complex, well known as a pilgrimage destination, you can admire a magnificent fresco of the 400 near the altar depicting the Madonna delle Grazie with Child next to other nineteenth-century works of the Lombard School.

Continuation with Palazzo Venini Uboldi, an elegant 18th century building developed on a three-storey "U" plan, enlivened by fine stuccoes and a very attractive color with turquoise windows and whitish wall while inside was developed a private oratory in 1760 at the request of the owner, the aristocratic Francesco Venini.

Continuation reaching the municipal outskirts to admire Villa Marino, a beautiful country residence of the 1600s built for the Marquis Massimiliano Stampa which was then the home of the Genoese financier Count Tommaso Marino who is said to have murdered his beautiful and young Venetian wife Anna Cornaro in the villa, as well as being known for having ordered the construction of Palazzo Marino,  today's seat of the Municipality of Milan.

Already outside the inhabited center you can reach in the hamlet of Fagnano where the Palazzo Doria-Borromeo-Medici stands. This palace dating back to the 16th century was the residence of the noble families from which it took its current name, a refined building with three turrets that represents a sort of combination between a small castle and a Renaissance noble villa.

Later I recommend to visit a company dedicated to the production of a high quality rice that successfully began its activity in 1860 by developing a large rice field of 1500 hectares in the countryside of Gaggiano and areas adjacent to the territory of the South Milan Agricultural Park.

The cultivation methods take place with plough furrowing, harrowing and rolling which are the first three phases to prepare the soil and then move on to furrowing and sowing, all before the immersion of the seed that will lead to birth, flowering and threshing.

This cereal is handcrafted in the Molino di Sotto farmhouse with the husking of rice and the husking of the grumella that encloses the grain called Lolla, an operation carried out by a hydraulic shovel that produces electricity.

At the end of this process, the rice will acquire a darker hue and a more intense flavour together with a greater nutritional intake, qualities that will guarantee a product that is extremely appreciated on the market.

Analyzing some grains before and after processing, it will be possible to see the molecular change, even slightly, in the rounded shape before processing and at the end of the processing phase with a more elongated profile, ready to be vacuum-packed and labeled.

As for the cooking times of the two types produced, the one with a rounded grain will take 13 minutes while for the rice with an elongated grain it will take 18 minutes.

For lovers of culinary art, the Gaggiano rice is excellent for the preparation of the classic Milanese Risotto, with cheeses or vegetables, excellent with asparagus, Borlotti beans, in broth, ideal for soups and perfect in the preparation of Rice Fritters or Green Rice Cake.

Time for your lunch, I recommend to start a mixed appetizer based on Milan Salami, Bacon and Cacciatorino with pickles and single dishes to choose between Risotto with Ossobuco or Pork ribs with Savoy cabbage.

A visit to Gaggiano is recommended for all those who wish to learn about art and history on the outskirts of Milan and discover an edible product of high value and quality in the gastronomic field.

 

Link - https://www.comune.gaggiano.mi.it/it

 

Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation

Antica Dimora sul Naviglio

Appartamento Roma

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks a lot to read and note.

Chile | National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2035, Essential Activity for the Country

  Chile Southernmost nation in the world, closest to Antarctica stretching along South Americas's western edge with more than 6000 kil...