Lake Como and the ‘blasphemous Persicotto’, from the La Baia restaurant reply: “Sterile controversy of those in bad faith. We are open to all recipes”

We were talking a little while ago about how the birth of the Academy of risotto with perch and the Persicotto recipe enraged the president of Confesercenti Como, Claudio Casartelli. The debate is ancient and sees two opposing factions: creamed risotto and perch or rice in cagnone? (All the details in this article). Casartelli defined Persicotto as “a culinary blasphemy”. So we reached out Corrado Castelnovo owner of the La Baia di Cremia restaurant and founder of the Academy and we read him the note from Confesercenti, at least a small part of it, because he stops us immediately: “I don’t want to hear these things”.

He then explains: “We founded the Perch Academy to spread the excellence of Lake Como and because everyone has their own version of perch, restaurants with different recipes are welcome.” It is true, however, that it is called the “Risotto Academy” and it is difficult for anyone who cooks Cagnone to join. But going further about the Persicotto, Castelnovo says: “It’s my family’s version since my grandfather opened his restaurant in 1942: he creamed it with butter and cheese. We developed it by adding thyme and lemon, it is our recipe and like all national recipes it comes from a family and everyone develops their own versions. We don’t want to start a controversy or even throw everything into confusion, we opened the Academy to enhance the territory, to give back to the territory the many joys it has given us, we have a charitable purpose. Then if someone doesn’t like our version he is free to go to another restaurant.”

Finally, a curiosity, “Do you like big dogs?” let’s ask. “I like perch in every way,” she replies.

However, shortly after the call to Castelnovo a note arrived from the press office of La Baia, we are publishing it in full:

The challenge between risotto with perch and rice in cagnone appears to us to be a sterile controversy, given that they are two different recipes and traditions, even if they are in dialogue. Enhancing risotto does not in any way mean attacking or belittling rice in cagnone. In fact, the Academy was created to enhance a typical Larian gastronomic tradition, including its numerous variations, which has been populating the tables of restaurants and homes for a long time. Suffice it to say that our recipe, which we have now renamed Persicotto, is the result of four generations of restaurateurs: already in the 40s of the last century our family used creaming. And we’re certainly not the only ones. All risotto interpreters use local products, often applying small twists to the more classic recipe but never deviating too much. Improving it in many cases and giving it further prestige. How can you not define it as a territorial tradition? We take this opportunity to remember that the Academy with its street events will talk about and propose different variations in the future, also giving space to its “cousin” riso in cagnone. The doors are open to all Larian restaurateurs who intend to contribute to the valorisation of the territory and the dissemination of our traditions and our values, in a serene and inclusive way. To those who are in bad faith and do not intend to participate in a collective effort to make our gastronomic world known outside its borders, locking themselves in their comfort zone, we simply wish them good luck.