Risotto alla Milanese
This internationally-famous Milanese classic is a portion of saffron-flavoured rice covered with osso buco, a kind of stew made from veal shanks braised in white wine, herbs and gremolata, a mixture of garlic, lemon peel and parsley. The dish is believed to have been invented in the year 1574 by a young apprentice responsible for the staining of the window glass for the Duomo di Milano. As a joke, he added the saffron that he was using as a colorant to the rice prepared for his master's wedding. Wedding guests liked the rice so much that the recipe for the dish quickly spread all over the city, and was later transformed into the Risotto alla Milanese as we know it today.

Polenta
Polenta is a traditional northern Italian dish made from boiled cornmeal. Cooked for over an hour in a large copper pot known as a paiolo, it's popular under various names in such countries as Switzerland, Serbia, Argentina and Mexico. In Lombardy, the site of its creation, it's prepared in a variety of ways. Polenta uncia, polenta concia and polenta e gorgonzola are all cooked with various kinds of cheese and butter. Missultin e polenta features fish from Lake Como. Mushrooms, rapini and other vegetables also constitute a frequent addition to the dish. Like the Milanese risotto, polenta is often accompanied by hot osso buco.

Salame di Milano
The name 'salami' derives from the Italian verb 'salare', which means 'to salt.' Salami from Milan is probably the most famous variety of this traditional Italian sausage. It's made from finely minced pork and meat. The secret of its quality lies in the grinding procedure and the resulting perfect blend of ingredients. Depending on the size of a given piece, the sausage is cured for 60 to 120 days. When it's ready, it's characterised by a rich red colour of the interior and a unique sweet flavour. It resembles traditional Hungarian sausage both in taste and appearance.

Negroni Sbagliato
The Negroni is one of Italy's all-time favourite cocktails, consisting of Campari, sweet vermouth and gin. A popular twist on this classic was created in Milan – Negroni Sbagliato, meaning 'the wrong Negroni’. One night, a bartender at the city's Bar Basso was preparing a Negroni for a customer and mistakenly grabbed a bottle of sweet sparkling wine instead of gin. Thus, one of the northerners' favourite cocktails came into being. It's usually served with a lot of ice and an orange slice.