In prosperous Lombardy during Manzoni's time, meals centered around a starch base (corn polenta or rice from the Po Valley paddies) accompanied by vegetables, beef, or pork. The day was marked by desinare (the main midday meal), snacks, and, in Milan's cafés, drinks that had become fashionable. Seasonal fruits and sweet-spicy preserves extended the year. No French-style entrée-main-dessert sequence: a base, its garnishes, then sweets that could appear at table or in the café.

The saffron that gilds Milanese risotto is the emblematic touch of this regional cuisine. Precious, it transforms an everyday rice dish into a festive meal. With rice from the Lombard paddies, it is the golden soul of Manzoni's table in Milan.