Lombardy, explored through its landscape, history, food traditions and local identity. Lombardy is often introduced through two images: the polished energy of Milan and the villas reflected in Lake Como. Both are real, but neither is sufficient. This is Italy’s most populous region and one of its great economic engines, yet its identity was built as much in Alpine valleys, rice fields, dairy pastures, medieval cities, monastic estates and lakeside workshops as in fashion hous

Tortionata di Lodi (Italian Lodi Almond Cake) The tortionata is not a soft cake and it was never meant to be one. It comes out of the oven as a thin golden disc about 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick, hard right through, and you do not cut it. You put it on the table and strike the centre once with the heel of your hand, or the handle of a knife, and it breaks into irregular shards that everybody picks up with their fingers. In Lodi that is simply how the cake is served, and anyone rea