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Italian Tribune December 30, 2004 • 19

THE ENCHANTING TRADITIONS OF, ,

-LOCANDA DELL'ISOLA COMACINAEditor's Note: The Italian Tribune

Publisher's Tour of Italy continues to theLake Region. Here, we visit Lake Comoand the tihy island of Comacina, home toa very special restaurant called Locandadell'Isola Comacina.

CÖMACINA, ITALY- As their tiny boatdeparts from Bellagio. ,those who have .never visited Comacina have yet to discov-er the delights that lie ahead, Upon arrivalat the island, which is ~irtually uninhabit-ed and serves only as the- setting for theLocanda restaurant, an, inn, and severalsmall buildings, visitors have agrand viewof the surrounding Lake Como - a J?ictur-esque body of water located in Northemltaly not far from the Italian Alps.

Locanda dell'Isola Comacina is a din-ing spat unlike .any other, The restaurautserves oflly one menu, six days a week.This is the very same menu that visitorshave enjoyed since 1947 - not one changehas been made in over 50 years. OwnerBenvenuto Puricelli was born on the 'mainland ip. Sala Comacina and began acareer in the restaurant business in 1963.He left Italy for several years, living andworking at the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz,Switzerland; participating in the 2500th

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LOCANDA DELL'ISOLA COMACINA, one of northern Italy's best eateries, is nestled on a gorgeous island inthe middle ofLago di Como,ltaly. The tiny island of Comacina is shrouded in locallegend, having been cursed in 1127 by a mysterious poet,and since surviving numerous sieges and conquests throughout the years. Today, visitors to the island are enchanted by itsbeauty and by its haunting past.

- Cacanda restaurant, an mn, and sever.small buildings, visitors have agrand viewof the surrounding Lake Corno - a J?ictur-esque body of water lacated in NorthernItaly not far from the Italian Alps.

Locanda dell'Isola Comacina is a din-ing spot unlike any other. The restaurantserves=ofily one menu, six days a week.This is the very same menu that visitorshave enjayed since 1947 - not one changehas been made in over 50 years. OwnerBenvenuto Puricelli was born an the'mainland ir Sala Comacina and began acaieer in the restaurant business in 1963.He left Italy for several years, Jiving andworking at the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz,Switzerland; participating in the 2500thanniversary of the Persian Kingdorn atPersopolis: and caaking as executive chefat the Penthause Club in London, Hereturned to Italy in 1976, where he settledin Comacina and succeeded, Lino"Cotoletta" Nessi as proprietor of theLocanda restaurant., The menu at Locanda is simple and

nearly perfeet, featuring typical, authentieregional dishes that vary only slightly with

, the seasons (the restaurant is closed everyyear from November 1 thraugh March 1).Every dish is all-you-can-eat, and a whiteD.O.C. wine is served with the meal.

The first course is Antipasto. all'Isolana.Each guest is served a slice of tomato,toppedby a slice of Iemon and seasonedwith salt, oil, and aregano.. Then,eightdifferent fresh vegetables are paradedout of the kitchen - celery, carrots, bakedonions, sweet peppers, caurgettes, beans,

. broccoli, and .French beans. Slices ofProsciutto di Praga and Bresaola dellaValtellina (salted beef dried in special cel-lars) are heaped an aseparate plate.

For the secend course, Trota .alla

Contrabbandiera, the chef serves freshtrout grilled o.n ahot plate over charcoal.The traut is boned and dressed at thedient' s table or in the kitchen.

Next is Rattami di Pollo in Padella,free-range .chicken opened and"crushed," and then fried in an iron patwith oil. The chicken is served with salad.

The fourth caurse is called Granaall'Escavadora - a simple chunk offamous Parmtgiano-Reggianocheese. Atthe table, apiece of the cheese is cut fromthe middle af the wheel and given.into

the hand of each dinner guest,For dessert, guests are served Arance

alla Castellana. Oranges are sliced at thetable and served in an exquisite ice creamcalled fior di vaniglia. The entire dish iscovered with creme all'isoiana. The type offruit served varies seasonally, usually :peaches are substituted. .

The meal' s extraordinary finale is a ,Locanda tradition that is never broken, Atthe sound aE, a bell, Benvenuto himselfenters the dining room adorned in a specialwool cap. As he prepares the meal' s finish-

'ing tauch in a large, capper pat at the table- coffee with brandy - he explains the leg-end of the island of Comacina, ,

According to local historians. thevillage af Comacina flourished andpraspered even back during the periodwhen the Lake Regian was merely fjords 'of the Adriatic Sea. The Romans con-quered the village and its inhabitantsmoved south, where they faunded thetwa villages of Corno and Vico - whicheventually joined to form the present cityof Corno. (confinued on page 26)

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26· December 30,2004 Foon, WINE & TRAVEL Italian Tribune

The 'Enchanting Traditions of Locanda dell'Isola Comacina(continued from page 19)

Greeks arrived after _the.Romans, and when the RomanEmpire converted to Christianitythe early pagan temples built onthe island were consecrated aschurches. The five originalchurches on the island became a

, refuge for Christians and served .as a fortress for the people whenthe Barbarians, hoping to conquerthe region, wreaked havoc on thesurrounding area. At this time,the Christian refugees began tobuild hornes on the island and . .Comacina took. the nameCristopolis, or "Cityof Clirist."

One of the refugees was· the c

great Francilione, who fled to theisland during the invasion of theLombards. He brought with him ahorde of treasure that he had beenable to save frorn the vandalism ofthe -Barbarians, but the treasurewas soon coveted by Autharis, thehusband of Theodolina, whodirected his troops to besiege andconquer the island.

After six rnonths of battle,Francilione surrendered ' toAulhäris. AuthariS'granted peäceand 'allowed Francilione to takerefuge in Ravenna. The inhabitantsof the island were spared rnassacreand were able to continue livingontheland.

Throughout the years, numer-

Saint Domenica,Little by little, Comacina' s

power continued to increase,'During the famous Ten YearsWar, the island became Milan'sally in a struggle against Corno.The island was, however, jour-neying to ruin and in 1127 anunknown poet known as "TheAnonyrnous Cumano" cursed.

CHEF ANTONIO OSTINELLIof Locanda dell'Isola Comacinapresents the third course of hisspecially prepared - dinner,Rottamidi PolIo in Padella. He

the island with the phrase,'. "Island, . cursed by thouthroughout the ages!" .

Forty-two years later.. Corna-cina was captured by Corno,Queenof the Lake. Every fortifi-cation was destroyed, indudingthe five churches and the island' scastle. The inhabitantsthat sur-vived the attack fled.

Years passed and grass invad-ed the ruins of the island, which .passed frorn one ruleT to anoth-er until it became property ofthe Bishop of Corno in 1196.Later, Cardinal Durini atternpt-ed to recover Cornacina fromabandonment and turn it into asort of earthly paradise. His,

. noble quest failed,Much later in 1911, Auguste

Caprini of Sala Cornacina pur-chased the last lot of land on theisland, thus becorning the soleowner .of Comacina. Upon hisdeath, he bequeathed the land toKing Albert I of Belgium. TheIittle island was sacrificed withpainful emotion during the sadyears of World War I, but afterthe war Comacina was rightful-ly returned to Italy. In 1927 aroyal decree placed the islandunder the rule of PrincessMarie-lose, daughter of Victor-Emmanuel III. '

By this appointment, Corna-

BENVENUTO PURICELLI, second-generation owner of theLocanda dell'Isola Comacina restaurant, is pictured during the end-of-dinner ritual. Adomed in a distinctive woolen cap, Puricellirecounts the legend of the mysterious island as he whipsup an afterdinner coffee for his guests after a symbolic ringing of the bell.

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and allowed Frandhone to' takerefuge in Ravenna,Theinhabitantsof the island were spared massacreand were ableto eontinue livingontheland.

Throughout the years, numer-ous dethroned kings and prineessettled in Comaeiria, whieh hadeome to be known as an oasis ofpeaee. Even saints settled on theisland, as the quiet village was aperfeet plaee to lead a Iifeof med-itation and prayet. Saint Abondebrought the Saint Euphemia eultto the island. Other religiousicanie inhabitants include SaintAgrippa, Bishop of Como, and

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CHEF ANTONIO OSTINELLIof Locanda dell'lsola Comacinapresents the third course of hisspecially prepared dinner,Rottami di Pollo in Padella. Heis pictured here with MarionFortunato, wife of Italian Tri-

.bune Publisher Buddy For- ~tunato, who recently enjoyed ameal at' the restaurant duringthe Italian Tribune Tour ofItaly. Locanda, located on theisland of Comacina, Italy, hasbeen serving the same menu,six days a week, since 1947. ,

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ly returned to Italy. In 1927 aroyal decree plaeed the islandunder the rule of PrincessMarie-lose, daughter of Victar-EmrnanueIIII. '

By this appointment, Coma-cina eame to be govemed by twoeommissions. The first, headedby the Minister of NationalEducation and the Belgian-ambassador, had its seat inRome. The other, with its seat inMilan.was governed by the FineArts president and the Belgianconsul, which proposed buildinghomes on the island for Belgianand Italian artists. After the inter-vention of Eugene Brenna, themayor of the island, three hausesby the architect Pierino Lingeriwere eonstructed.

Unfortunately, World War II-prevented the completion of the'project and the houses remained'abandoned. It was only recentlythat the struetures could reas-

,sume their initial role, with helpfrom the arehitect PaaloCandiani, President of the FineArts Academy.

An inn was completed duringthe mid-2Oth eentury, andsince1964has'offered peace to visitors.The flags of Italy and Belgiumstill fly outside the building.Taday, Laeanda restaurantowner Benvenuto eontinues topractiee mysterious fire rituals toward of the mysterious eurse ofThe Anonymous Cumano.

Most reeently, George Cloo-ney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts andthe rest of the cast of Ocean IsTwelve visited Lake Como andComacina after the completion·

BENVENUTO PURICELLI, second-generation owrter of theLocanda dell'lsola Comacina restaurant, is pictured during the end-of-dinner ritual. Adomed in a distinctive woolen cap, Puricellirecounts the legend of the mysterious island as he whipsup an afterdinner coffee for his guests after a symbolic ringing of the bell.

, MARION FORTUNATO hopes to pick up some culinary secretsfrom the chefs at Locanda dell'lsola Comacina as they prepare afantastic dessert tableside. The dish, Arance alla Castella, consistsof fresh oranges, fior di vaniglia ice cream, and creme all'isolanaliquor. Who knows, the dessert may just show up on a futureFortunatos' holiday table!

of the film. Their photos, alongwith photos of numerous othereelebrities who have visitedthroughout the years, adam thewalls of the Locanda restaurant,

For more information, contaet

Locanda dell'Isola Comacina byphone at 0344.55083or by visit-ing the web site at www.loean-da-isola-comacina.com, Therestaurant is located at 22010,Sala Cornacina, Lago di Corno.