A Taste of the Sea: Castle, Sanctuary and the House of the Elves in Truccazzano

A medieval village immersed in the greenery of the river landscape of the Parco Adda Nord, where historical and artistic testimonies coexist with those of the peasant life of times gone by in a most pleasant natural setting: this is how Truccazzano presents itself today, a municipality in the Martesana, a few kilometres from Milan. If today this charming place is also a destination for many families for a peaceful Sunday bike ride, the situation was quite different in antiquity: those who came here before us arrived aboard prehistoric canoes, since a vast territory between the Adda and the Serio was covered by Lake Gerundo, a large expanse of salt water. In the lake lived a terrible dragon named Tarantasio who, when hunger struck, would approach the shores and wreak havoc among men, while his suffocating breath fouled the surrounding air.

The dragon, killed — it's not clear whether by the founder of the Visconti family or by Saint Christopher — is remembered by several place names in the area. It seems the lake was still there when, in 1158, Frederick Barbarossa, about to besiege Milan, crossed the Adda with his army at the ford of Corneliano, today a hamlet of Truccazzano. Later Barbarossa returned and for a short period camped in the locality of Roman foundation and seat of a parish church. Among the first stops of our trip is in fact the castle of Corneliano Bertario, built in its oldest parts, such as the square tower on the corner of the square, towards the end of the 1300s, while the rest of the evocative building was built between the 1400s and 1500s.

The medieval village, where we also visit the parish church dating back to the 7th century, every year hosts a historical re-enactment with costumed parades and tournaments. Moving towards the centre of Truccazzano, we discover that the very nearby hamlet of Rezzano is home to an important Sanctuary, already mentioned in a document from 1570. Several years earlier, in fact, there had been a Marian apparition in the surroundings. The ones to see the splendid lady descended from heaven were two poor farmers, to whom the Virgin asked to go to the parish priest and tell him to place a sacred image of her near Rezzano. The priest, at first distrustful, believed the apparition only when the two farmers returned to him holding a dry twig, picked up from the ground by the Madonna, which once given to the priest, blossomed.

In the central square of the village a friendly little yellow sheep, the logo of the Pro Berot Association, attracts us into a fabulous world that the children with us love very much too. It's a sort of museum of peasant life, set up in an 1860 portico with former stables and hayloft, where you can learn about the tools once used in the fields and even learn how a cow is milked. After this lovely tour of local traditions it's a real pleasure to settle at the tables of the nearby Ristorante Da Fosca, on via Lombardia. The welcoming rooms, furnished with style and with that maritime touch that lets you imagine the authentic Mediterranean flavours that will accompany our evening, along with the kindness of the owners, immediately put us at ease. "We believe in the value of the pleasure of good food and conviviality.

For our fish specialities we choose genuine, quality ingredients, also safeguarding the variety of traditional seafood cooking. Good food conveys pleasure, knowledge and well-being", Mrs Fosca tells us, who has run the restaurant for six years together with her husband Antonio, the cook. "As well as dining à la carte, with us you can also have an aperitif at the bar, have lunch at a fixed price or even organise parties and ceremonies with customisable menus", they add. We start with the Fosca starter, which includes five tasty bites including octopus with potatoes, marinated anchovies, salmon, swordfish and smoked tuna from the house, as well as gratinated scallops. On request, raw fish dishes, fish soups and catalanas are also available. We continue with the chitarra pasta with seafood and the spaghetti with clams and mullet bottarga.

Our friends opt instead for the fisherman's risotto, but the linguine with lobster also win fans. We continue with a true house delicacy, the mixed shellfish catalana, while the rest of the group chooses rich mixed fish grills and the mixed fry with vegetables. Finally, we happily give in to the sweet temptation of the homemade desserts, including the tiramisù and the exquisite chocolate salami with almonds. Among the many reasons that will soon make us repeat this lovely outing, for the children there's certainly the visit to the House of the Elves in the former hayloft, while for the grown-ups the food evenings of the Ristorante da Fosca will be irresistible, inviting you on the last Thursday of every month to take a culinary journey through the various Italian regions.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Trattoria Da Fosca Via Lombardia, 13 Truccazzano (MI) Tel.: 02/95838338