The sweet roses of Isabella d'Este: "Torta delle Rose"

A bouquet made with soft roses of pastry and buttercream, known as "Torta delle Rose" ("Cake of Roses") is one of the signature-dishes in the Mantuan gastronomy.
A story goes about the origins of this delicious dessert: it is said that the cake was first created on the occasion of the marriage of Isabella d'Este and Francesco II Gonzaga.
Although we have not any document, which validates this legend, every pastry-chef in Mantua will tell you that this cake is connected with the Renaissance.

Click here for the recipe (scroll the page down for the English version), or follow this video-recipe:

"Torta di San Biagio": a winter delight halfway between Mantua and Lake Garda.

“Hiersera arrivassimo quì in Capriana, 
per una via sassosa et aspra, 
pure assai dilettevole per la bellissima vista 
di colline et campagne piene d’amandoli, et olivi”.

“Last evening we arrived here, in Cavriana, travelling along a way that was stony and rough, but also delightful for the beautiful view of hills and fields, full of almond and olive trees”.
These words, from a letter written by Isabella d’Este in 1535, describe one of the many visits of the Marchioness to the Lake Garda Hillside.

The letter was sent from Cavriana, a small village on the mantuan hills, close to the Lake. Here Isabella had one of her leisure residences: you can still see the name of Isabella carved on a fireplace architrave in the local museum.

On the hills of Cavriana – today as in the times of Isabella – many almond trees grow, and almonds are the main ingredient of a very special cake, which is cooked every year in Cavriana, on the occasion of the feast of the local patron saint: San Biagio (Saint Blaise).

The "Torta di San Biagio" ("Cake of Saint Blaise") is a tart, stuffed with an almond-filling, and made with a special pastry, which has not eggs, but white wine in. The filling is composed with almonds, eggs, chopped chocolate, anise and sugar. The top of the cake is decorated with a grill made of pastry, cut in lozenges, which shows the interior filling.

Every year, on February 3rd, an enormous "Cake of Saint Blaise" - with more of 3 meters of diameter - is cut on the main square of Cavriana.

Helvetia: a Mantuan dessert with a Swiss name

A strong xenophilia is typical in the Mantuan gastronomic tradition. The historical links between the city and the rest of Europe have left strong marks in the local cooking.

A very good example is the Helvetia cake (also spelled Elvetia or Elvezia). Although 'Helvetia' is the Latin name of Switzerland, this cake is typical of Mantua. The dessert was invented at the end of the XVIII century, by the Putscher family. The Putschers were Swiss pastry-chefs, who moved into Mantua from the Graubünden, the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. As soon as they opened a shop in Mantua, the Putschers created this recipe, mixing the Swiss pastry techniques and the local ingredients (such as butter, almonds and sabayon). And they decided to call this cake "Helvetia", as a tribute of fame to their ancient land.

The Helvetia cake is a dacquoise made with layers of almond-meringue, buttercream and sabayon.

A spoon of Belgium in Mantua: the "Budino Belga"

There are some things you can easily imagine about the "Belgian Pudding": it is soft, it is delicious, it has a great taste of chocolate... but there is one thing you probably can not imagine: it is not Belgian!
The "Budino Belga" or "Dolce Belga" (i.e. "Belgian Pudding" or "Belgian Dessert") is a typical dish of the Mantuan gastronomic tradition, made with cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, chocolate and a glass of cognac.
It is sure it has appeared in Mantua between the 20s and the 30s, but several different versions of the story go about its origin. Maybe it was invented by a belgian pastry chef, who moved in the city. Or maybe it was created for a visit of a Belgian Ambassador. According to the most trustable theory, the recepy was invented by the wife of a Mantuan horse trader, who was dealing for his business with belgian clients (yes: Mantua has a strong connection with horses, since the years of the Gonzaga Family!).
Whatever version of the story you prefer, this is something not to be missed!

The Duke of Mantua appreciated big melons. As today tourists do!

Francesco III Gonzaga appreciated big melons.

Amongst the many vegetables and fruits, who are grown with love in the land of Mantua, the melons (Cucumis melo) are surely the most famous. The flat territory of the province of Mantua perfectly matches the needs of melon plants.
At the time of the Gonzagas, the melons were quite often on the table of the Dukes of Mantua.
On 3rd August 1548, for example, four big, beautiful, juicy melons were sent as presents from the people of the village of Viadana to the Palace of Mantua.
The four pulpy gifts were presented the young Duke, Francesco III Gonzaga, his mother the dowager duchess Margherita Paleologo, and the Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga.
The Duke of Mantua, Francesco III, and his family were great appreciators of the Mantuan melons. And still today melons are often on the tables of Mantuan people, mostly in the summertime.
Want to try them? Visit Mantua and enjoy the fruits of our land!