Only in Italy: 4 Hyper Local Specialities You Literally Cant Find Anywhere Else
From a secret Sardinian pasta made only in one small village 20 miles from civilization, to a cocktail you can only drink at one bar in the entire world. We explore some of Italy's rarest, and most hyper local specialities that you literally have to visit in order to taste.
Lavorato Secco - Camparino in Galleria, Milano
Camparino in Gelleria is embedded into the fabric of the city of Milano. Located at the corner of the entrance to the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele next to the Duomo, this legendary bar was founded in 1915 by Davide Campari, of the Camapri liquor brand. Upon entering the historic lobby with its daunting wooden bar, intricately tiled walls, and white tuxedo clad barmen stirring cocktails infront of a mirrored shelf of campari bottles, there are a few things you could order.
Maybe a negroni, or camapri spritz perhaps. But what those in the know come here for is something even mroe special, something that needs not even grace the menu anymore due to its legendary status which has been passed down from patron to patron. We're talking about the "lavorato secco." Made with equal parts rababardo zucca, the obligatory campari, zucca herboris amaro centerbe, and a spalsh of seltzer, this cocktail is unqiue for one specific reason. Zucca herboris amaro centerbe is a liquor that is made specifically and exclusively for Camparino in Galleria, meaning you literally cannot have this cocktail anywhere else in the world. Oh, and it's also delicious.
Jambon de Bosses - Saint Rhémys-en-Bosses, Valle d'Aosta
Tucked up into the very north-western corner of Italy, on the border of Switzerland and France, lies the mountainous region of Valle d'Aosta. This little region in the Alps is relatively unknown by most, but boasts a very special yet extremely rare type of ham, only produced there, that warrents a trip to the Alps just to taste it. 1600 meters above sea level, in a little village of less than 400 people named Saint Rhémy-en-Bosses, they have been making "jambon bosses" the same way since
atleast the 1300s. This cured ham, similar in look to traditional prosciutto, is dry salted and seasoned with local herbs and spices such as juniper, sage, pepper, and rosemary, and air cured in dark wooden barns lined with hay. The result, when thinly sliced, is a deliciously luscious, sightly salty cured ham with alpine aromas and delicate yet complex flavors. In order to make sure the ham is a true DOP jambon bosses from Saint Rhémy, the outer skin msut be burned with a special brand that denotes it's authenticity. If you are anywhere near the Alps, make sure to make the pilgramige to this little village to taste the jambon for yourself.
The Original Modica Chocolate - Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, Modica, Sicily
Considered the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto has been producing chocolate in the city of Modica since 1880. Known specifically for it's unique chocolate production, the baroque city of Modica attracts cocoa lovers from far and wide looking to sample its tasty treats. But there is no better place to go than to the original, Bonajuto. At the factory, you can watch as the chocolate makers combine sugar and dry cacao mass in a truly unique process
