Milan is different compared to the other Italian cities. It still succeeds in expressing its typical metropolitan food, deep-rooted in the tradition.
Its well-known specialties, such as “cotoletta” and “risotto”, are both golden: the former dredged in egg and bread crumbs, the latter thanks to the saffron powder.
It is believed that these dishes are directly connected to a Renaissance habit that rich people had at that time to cover food with a thin gold leaf. As a matter of fact, they believed that gold had curative properties against heart troubles. Indeed, the origin of risotto with saffron remains between history and legend. According to the legend, risotto was born as a kind of tribute paid by a young artist to his master glass-maker on the occasion of her daughter’s marriage.
Saffron, this is how the young artist was nicknamed, used to add saffron to obtain the "yellow of silver" colour that was used for the stained-glass windows of Milan’s Cathedral (1574). So, in order to” make golden” the food served at the wedding, he sprinkled a little "Crocus Sativus" also on the risotto.
As a matter of fact, the habit of using saffron was introduced by the poor to imitate the lavish noble banquets, using some equivalent that could reproduce golden reflections. Besides, people still argue over its preparation. Does wine has to be used while rice is cooking? If the answer is yes, do we have to use white or red wine? The tradition goes for the latter, taking into consideration that people from the nearby area called Brianza used it in many other typical dishes.
It is easy to notice that here in Milan rice is much used than pasta, and butter than olive oil. Such habits meet the preference for essential dishes, with no frills, to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes which, however, are always in a hurry as typical Milaneses are.
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