The first agriristoro in Milan is called T'imo, is located inside Cascina Sant'Ambrogio and is perfect for an (aromatic) lunch in the company of friends
Between Ortica and Forlanini, he was born a few days ago Thyme. The first agriristoro of Milan it is located inside the urban farm of CasciNet, in the Cavriana district. The mirrored buildings in the 80s style remain in the background together with the gasometer, symbols of the past of a city far from the center, but highly productive, under which today the greenery and the sounds of the countryside dominate. Why agriristoro not a bar or restaurant? Because it is a place where you don't just go to eat, but also to refresh yourself, rest, relax. And because what you taste is partly produced in the Food Forest surrounding Cascina Sant’Ambrogio, especially the aromatic herbs, the same that resonate in the name.
Agriristoro in the city perfect for a lunch with friends
As you "follow the path", you have the feeling of having arrived at a friend's house or of having happened in the middle of a peasant party, of those that perhaps are no longer so easily found even in the countryside. If you feel lost, let yourself be guided by music. If you have to decide how to go, choose the bicycle: the pleasure of sitting in the shade of a fig tree will be greater. If you love yoga, plan your visit in conjunction with one of the many activities that populate the summer calendar. If you reunite with friends you haven't seen for a long time, this is the ideal place for a nice table.
What is a Food Forest (and why is it important to know)?
If you wondered what one is Food Forest, the answer is simpler than you can imagine: it is an ecosystem of trees, shrubs with small fruits, medicinal herbs, water, bees, insects, small structures made with natural materials. A forest developed following the principles of permaculture that the boys of CasciNet have chosen as an option to regenerate a semi-abandoned space in the city.
Agriristoro, for CasciNet T’imo point of arrival and not of departure
Cascinet it was born as a non-profit association to generate an environment in which culture, community and agriculture are in synergy. The Social Enterprise Agricultural Society was then set up alongside the association. The agriristoro is the result of a path that did not aim to inaugurate a restaurant, but the desire to build a meeting point with deep historical roots for Milan (although it may seem strange, Milan has always been a city strongly devoted to agriculture and today it is the second largest agricultural municipality in Italy after Rome). The people who are part of it have been taking care of the building and its surroundings for several years now. Among the various projects, in addition to the Food Forest and the Agriristoro there are also a community garden of gardeners, theKindergarten in the woods and a shared apiary.
Timo in Cascina Sant’Ambrogio
From monastery to farmstead, the Cascina Sant’Ambrogio has a thousand-year history. Over time it has hosted nuns and farmers, families and migrants. Never abandoned, at the beginning of 2000 agricultural activities stopped and the farmhouse began to suffer from a lack of new energy so, in May 2012, ten young Milanese, including the grandson of a historic inhabitant, began to clean up and open the farm spaces to the public: the farmyard, the portico, the former barn. The same where today you can come for lunch in the shade of some sails hoisted like umbrellas or tree branches (from 12.00 to 14.30). From 18 to 22.30 it is the time of the aperitif, except on Friday because that is the day of the social dinner (at the moment, to avoid gatherings, it is always necessary to book).
Aromatic lunch is served
At T’imo the aromatic lunch is made with seasonal ingredients and enhanced by the selection of smells that come directly from the garden: savory, santolina, lovage, orange thyme, tarragon and many others. You will compose the dishes, choosing a carbohydrate (Carnaroli Classico rice from Cascina Battivacco), two seasonal vegetables, and two proteins (there is also the vegetarian option). As an aperitif, together with craft beer or cocktails, you can order mixed saucers with tastings from the garden and from the farm or stuffed sandwiches made with a crispy homemade bread outside but soft inside, perfect for absorbing the moods of its ingredients. Those who participate in the social dinner (a "good" way to support CasciNet's activities) are offered vegetarian dishes with vegetables from the Vitalba farm or from the Vettabbia fields grown directly by the members. As for animal raw materials, they want to let people know that they come exclusively from ethical farms.
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