Lago del Segrino, a hidden Italian treasure Lago del Segrino is a lake in the Province of Como, Lombardy, Italy. Its surface area is of 0.35 km². It has an elongated shape with a length of about 1800 mt and a maximum width of about 400 mt. It is surrounded by the steep slopes of Mount Pesora and Mount Cornizzolo (1200 mt) to the east, and Scioscia Hill (671 mt) to the west, within the villages of Canzo, Eupilio and Longone al Segrino. The lake originates from the damming of a valley due to the presence of a glacial moraine. The absence of visible tributaries along its perimeter suggests to all the scientists of this area the presence of underwater sources of karstic origin, a hypothesis compatible with the fact that the entire valley is formed by calcareous rocks. No significant emissaries can be observed, with the exception of a small canal in the surroundings of Eupilio, whose water is dispersed in glacial deposits. Overall, the lake's hydrological balance is mainly maintained by an underground karst system. The comparison between the current morphology of the lake with what is represented in the old cadastral maps shows a progressive reduction in the lake surface. The main reason for this phenomenon lies in the fact that marsh areas developed due to a progressive silting. Maybe, a possible reclamation (occurred in the last centuries) of swamp areas for agricultural purposes could be a second reason, as well. Today, the lake is populated by a lot of local animals, especially birds. It is a destination for people who like walking, jogging or running as the entire perimeter of the lake (5.2 km) is accessible and walkable.

Tale and Recipe of "Pasta alla Carbonara" "Vicolo della Scrofa" (Alley of the Sow), for people who know Rome, is one of the most distinctive streets of the town. This alley was precisely where Pasta alla Carbonara was first invented, in 1944. According to the traditional tale, the new recipe was the result of cooperation between American soldiers, who owned the ingredients, and a creative Roman cook, during World War II. The historical Spaghetti alla Carbonara dish was made up of eggs, bacon (cheek lard, later on) and Pecorino cheese. Year after year, the recipe evolved and became the famous dish every Italian is in love with. Pasta alla Carbonara is ready in few minutes. For 4 people, you will need spaghetti (320g), cured cheek lard (= guanciale) that has been cut into strips (150g), a golden cream based on egg yolks (6 eggs), salt, black pepper and Pecorino Romano cheese (50g), that has been grated at the right time. Remember: guanciale is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from "guancia", Italian for cheek. Recipe 1. Put a pot with salt water on the burner; in the meantime, remove the pigskin from cheek lard "guanciale". Cut guanciale first into slices and then into strips of about 1 cm thick. Put the strips into a non-stick pan and brown them for about 15 minutes on medium flame. Please, be careful not to burn them, otherwise the related aroma will be too strong. 2. In the meantime, put spaghetti in boiling water and cook them for the required time (time is written on the pack of pasta). 3. Put egg yolks in a bowl, then add Pecorino. Season the topping by adding some black pepper and mix the ingredients with a hand whisk. Add a spoonful of cooking water in order to dilute the mixture and blend the ingredients to make a smooth batter. 4. When guanciale is cooked, turn off the stove. Drain spaghetti "al dente", directly in the pan with the bacon, then briefly sauté pasta and bacon together in order to flavour your spaghetti. Remove spaghetti from the stove and pour the mixture made up of eggs, Pecorino and black pepper on pasta. Again, briefly sauté your pasta in order to amalgamate all the ingredients. 5. Should pasta result too dry, you can add little cooking water. Serve the dish as soon as possible. Extra Pecorino and extra black pepper can be added according to one's taste. ENJOY!