Late in the summer, we had the opportunity to go out to Isola Comacina twice in two weeks. It is a magical place — a tiny uninhabited island in the middle of Lake Como, it has a restaurant on it.
You take a traditional wooden boat out there from the vollage Sala Comacina. It only takes a few minutes and costs a few bucks per person.
The host and waiters are always the same, as is the food. It begins arriving at your table as soon as you sit down — they might even start setting it up when they see you coming in the boat.
Course after course of simple, local fare arrives as the sun sets — fresh vegetables of many varieties, whole trout cleaned at the table, roasted chickens, the most succulent hams — it reminded me of Easter… it just keeps coming and the sun sets.
Then there is the cheese. It’s a giant wheel of parmagiano; they break chunks off for eac person.
Amy can’t really eat dairy, but she wasn’t about to turn that down!
Then on to dessert — one night it was vanilla gelato with banana liquor and fresh oranges, another night it was vanilla gelato and mango. Yum.
The waiters work the place so everyone is finsihed at the same time, and then the fire ritual begins.
The host and owner of the island tells the story (in Italian or English, Italian usually) of the history of the island, how it was conquered and looted and pillaged and burned again and agin. It was cursed, then blessed. It has served as a refuge and an outpost. And every night there is a fire ritual to cleanse the place of its past and ensure safe passage for all of its guests. Or something. It’s cool… and it’s coffee with liquor he’s got lit in the bowl… then everyone drinks of it.
And then you go home. Oh, what a night! Fixd price, always outstanding. One of my favorite places. If you come visit in the summer months, we’ll go.
