Cassignanica Frog Festival

The frog, a taste of the lower Milanese area

In the hamlet of Cassignanica, in Rodano (Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy), the frog is not just any dish: it is a memory of a poor and ingenious cuisine, that of the Lombard countryside crisscrossed by irrigation canals and rice paddies, where the frog represented a precious resource. The Frog Festival, organized by the parish of Cassignanica within the Pastoral Unit of Rodano, preserves this tradition and has carried it beyond its thirtieth edition.

At the table: risotto and fried frogs

The heart of the festival is the cuisine. Frog risotto and fried frogs are the symbolic dishes, but the menu also includes mixed fried fish, braised beef with polenta, cod Livornese style, tripe, and many other traditional specialties. Portions are generous and prices are affordable, in the spirit of village festivals that focus on authenticity.

Evenings of music and dancing

Every evening the food stand opens at 7:00 PM, and from 9:00 PM the party continues with dancing evenings accompanied by orchestras. It is the classic atmosphere of the festivals in the lower Milanese area, where people dine among neighbors and friends and then dance, in a convivial mood that spans all generations.

A tradition of Rodano

The Cassignanica Frog Festival is one of the most cherished events in Rodano's calendar, along with the other festivals in the hamlets of the Municipality. For those arriving from Milan and Martesana, it is an opportunity to rediscover an ancient flavor and a piece of the territory's gastronomic culture.