November on the lake
As November settles gently on Lake Como, the pace slows, evenings draw in, and the first woodsmoke curls from chimneys as kitchens turn to warmer flavors. The water reflects softer skies, villages glow with autumn lights, and the season invites us indoors to linger over plates that comfort and sustain. It’s a moment when simplicity feels luxurious, when a wheel of cheese, a loaf of bread, and a good bottle of wine become a feast.
This month, we celebrate pecorino, a cheese woven into Italian culinary tradition. Salty, creamy, nutty, and versatile, it is as perfect shaved over bread as it is melted into risotto. Alongside, we suggest a journey into the hills perhaps a day trip to Bergamo Città Alta, where history, shopping, and food traditions combine in one of Italy’s most enchanting medieval towns. And finally, our recipe of the month brings all of November’s coziness together in one dish: a pecorino risotto, rich, warming, and deeply satisfying.
There is simply no picture that will do this beautiful town justice
A Day Trip to Bergamo’s Città Alta
When November brings quieter shores to Lake Como, it’s the perfect time to climb above the waterline and spend a day in the hilltop city of Bergamo. Perched above the plains of Lombardy, Città Alta is a medieval citadel wrapped in six kilometers of UNESCO-listed Venetian walls, its stone streets filled with history, light, and Italian warmth.
Begin your visit with the gentle ride up by funicular, an experience in itself, arriving into an old town built for walking, lingering, and discovery. Between ancient churches, artisan workshops, boutique shops and inviting cafés, Città Alta offers something for every sense.
Here are five of our favourite ways to explore:
Climb the Campanone & explore Piazza Vecchia: At the heart of Città Alta is Piazza Vecchia, framed by the dramatic façade of the Palazzo della Ragione and overlooked by the 52-metre bell-tower known as the “Campanone”. From above you’ll enjoy sweeping views of red roofs, green hills and the plains beyond.
Visit the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore & the Colleoni Chapel: Two of Bergamo’s finest sacred spaces: the richly decorated Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (12th-century structure, sculptural detail, tapestries) and the adjoining Cappella Colleoni, a Renaissance masterpiece built for the condottiero Bartolomeo Colleoni.
Walk the Venetian Walls & panoramic viewpoints: The fortress walls encircle the town and offer some of the best views of the region with the autumn light softening everything to gold and russet. Take the path from Porta Sant’Alessandro and enjoy the calm, the skyline and the scenery.
Shop artisan boutiques & browse food specialities: Via Gombito, Via Bartolomeo Colleoni and their many side-streets are a wonderful distraction and they are home to artisan crafts, cashmere knitwear and local design treasures such as headbands by Evelyne Aymon or fine jewellery from Dessel. For special food souvenirs: look for pecorino cheeses, traditional polenta flour (“bramata”), local wines, and the famed sweet Polenta e Osei at a pastry counter.
Indulge in local cuisine and a panoramic aperitivo: Sit down for a midday meal of the signature pasta dish of Bergamo, Casoncelli alla Bergamasca—meat-filled pasta dressed with butter and sage. Later, at dusk, join locals for an aperitivo in Piazza Vecchia with a glass of Valcalepio wine and chestnuts or polenta snacks. the perfect end to a beautiful day!
Ingredient of the Month: Pecorino Cheese
Pecorino is one of Italy’s oldest cheeses, with roots stretching back to Roman times. Made from sheep’s milk, its character changes with age: pecorino fresco is soft and creamy, perfect for melting; pecorino semi-stagionato offers a nutty, savory bite; while pecorino stagionato, aged for months, develops a sharp intensity that transforms simple dishes into something special.
What makes pecorino a true comfort ingredient is its ability to lift autumn foods. Its salty tang balances sweetness, its creaminess enriches grains and vegetables, and its bite pairs beautifully with fall wines.
Here are four of our favorite ways to enjoy pecorino this month:
Baked Polenta with Pecorino – Layers of soft polenta baked with melted pecorino until bubbling and golden.
Grilled Pecorino with Honey – Slices seared until caramelized, finished with acacia honey, walnuts and a flurry of fresh thyme leaves.
Pecorino-Stuffed Mushrooms – Roasted field mushrooms filled with young pecorino and fresh herbs, topped with a drizzle of aged balsamic is perfect as an aperitivo or a rustic side.
Pecorino Breadsticks – Crisp, golden grissini rolled in pecorino for a savory snack.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Pecorino Risotto
Few dishes embody Italian comfort quite like risotto. Originating in northern Italy, it began as a humble farmer’s dish—rice slowly stirred with broth until creamy, nourishing, and endlessly adaptable to what the season offered. Over time, it became a canvas for refinement, served everywhere from family kitchens to fine dining tables.
At Lake Como Kitchen, we honor that simplicity while elevating it. Our pecorino risotto celebrates the richness of autumn through creamy rice, melted cheese, and just a touch of dry vermouth for brightness. The saltiness of the pecorino deepens with each stir, creating a dish that’s rustic yet elegant, uniting warmth, patience, and care….the perfect expression of November on the lake.
Ingredients (serves 4):
320 g arborio or carnaroli rice
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
50 ml white dry vermouth (dry white wine)
1L hot vegetable or light chicken stock
100 g grated pecorino cheese (young or semi-aged)
30 g unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
50 g aged pecorino cheese, finely grated (if making the Cheese Crisps, if not for shaving on top as garnish)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Pecorino Wafers: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon 1 tablespoon mounds of the grated pecorino onto the tray, flatten to 1 cm thick discs about 5 cm across. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and crisp. Remove and allow to cool completely—they will firm up as they cool.
2. Prepare the base: In a wide pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the shallot over low heat until soft and translucent.
3. Toast the rice: Add the rice and stir for 2–3 minutes until lightly translucent at the edges—this step develops a nutty aroma that forms the foundation of a great risotto.
4. Deglaze: Pour in the vermouth and stir until fully absorbed.
5. Add the stock: Begin adding hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring gently and allowing each addition to absorb before the next. Continue for about 18–20 minutes, until the rice is creamy yet al dente.
6. Finish the risotto: Remove from heat. Stir in the grated pecorino and butter until silky. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let rest for 2 minutes to settle the texture.
7. Plate and garnish: Ladle risotto into warm bowls. Sprinkle the parsley garnish over each serving, then finish with a pecorino wafer perched on top or placed to the side for crunch and presentation (or shave aged pecorino over each serving for a rustic touch).
Why We Love It: This pecorino risotto captures everything we love about November, comforting yet refined, warming yet bright. It’s a dish that feels as perfect for a quiet evening at home as it does for a candlelit dinner shared with friends.
Wine Pairing: If I were to choose one wine pairing for Pecorino Risotto, it would be a Valtellina Superiore Nebbiolo. Known locally as Chiavennasca, grown on the terraced slopes just north of Lake Como, this alpine red offers the perfect balance for pecorino risotto. Its bright acidity and fine tannins cut beautifully through the richness of the cheese, while delicate notes of red berries and mountain herbs echo the freshness of the lemon and parsley garnish.
As November turns the lake inward, there is beauty in the quiet. It’s a time for slow meals, for warmth found in kitchens and around tables, and for remembering that comfort comes in the simplest forms. Whether you are exploring Bergamo’s cobbled streets or savoring a bowl of risotto at home, may this season bring you ease, joy, and plenty of flavor.
See you on the lake,
The Lake Como Kitchen Experience Team