July on the lake
High summer settles over Lake Como with an easy, sunlit rhythm. The mornings begin bright and blue, sunlight flashing across the water, while the afternoons grow hot, relaxed, and deeply Italian. Stone villages shimmer in the heat, terraces fill with long lunches, and the lake becomes a moving canvas of boats, sails, swimmers, and wind. It is a month of colour, appetite, and open-air living, when the rhythm of the day follows the sun.
This is the season when the northern end of the lake reveals its more sportive side. As the warm air rises and the Breva wind begins to move across the water, sails lift, boards skim the surface, and the beaches of Alto Lario take on an easy, athletic rhythm. July invites us north, toward Colico, Domaso, Gravedona, and the wide, open stretch of lake where summer feels spacious, wind-shaped, and more relaxed.
Back in the kitchen, we celebrate Pomodori, the first truly generous tomatoes of the summer table. Sweet, juicy, and beginning to come fully into their own, tomatoes bring colour and brightness to everything they touch. Our recipe of the month is Friselle con Pomodoro, Basilico e Stracciatella, a cool, rustic, no-cook summer dish that captures everything we want to eat in July.
North Lake Adrenaline
The northern end of Lake Como has a different rhythm than the southern end. While the southern shores glow with grand villas, ornate gardens, and long, elegant lunches at regal hotels, Alto Lario feels wider, breezier, and more sportive. Here, the mountains open, the beaches feel more relaxed, and the afternoon wind creates ideal conditions for sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and wingfoiling.
The secret is the Breva, the warm thermal wind that usually rises from the south as the day heats. By late morning and afternoon, it begins to move across the water. You notice it first in small signs… ripples forming on the lake, flags lifting along the shore, then sails, boards, and kites beginning to move across the blue. It gives the north lake its summer personality of being active, but not frantic, athletic, but still easygoing.
Here are some of our favourite ways to experience the sportive side of Alto Lario:
Colico for kitesurfing: Colico is one of the great northern gateways for open-air summer sport. With broad views, generous shoreline, and access to stronger wind conditions, it draws those who come to the lake not only to admire it, but to be part of it. The landscape feels expansive here, with mountains behind you and the lake stretching wide ahead.
Domaso for windsurfing and sailing: Domaso has long been loved by water-sports enthusiasts. Its broad beach, relaxed atmosphere, and reliable breezes make it one of the most natural places to spend a July afternoon. The day moves easily from swimming and windsurfing to a late aperitivo with wet hair, warm skin, and the sun beginning to soften over the water.
Gravedona for sunset beach clubs: Gravedona offers a gentler version of the same northern spirit. Its lakeside promenade, open views, and summer rhythm make it ideal for those who want to be close to the sporting energy without being in the middle of it. By sunset, the north lake settles into something golden and calm. The sails come down, the air cools, and dinner feels well earned.
Watching the Breva from shore: You do not need to be on a board or in a boat to enjoy this part of the lake. Sometimes the best way to understand the north is simply to sit near the water in the afternoon and watch the wind arrive. The lake shifts, the sails fill, and the whole landscape seems to breathe differently
Ingredient of the Month: Pomodori (Tomatoes)
July marks the beginning of the true tomato season at the summer table. By now, the first properly generous tomatoes have arrived with deeper colour, tender skins, and that unmistakable sun-warmed fragrance. They are the ingredient that announces a shift in the kitchen, from spring freshness to full summer simplicity.
In Italy, a good tomato is never just background. It carries the flavour of the season itself. Cherry tomatoes bring sweetness and brightness, ribbed heirloom varieties offer perfume and depth, and dense plum tomatoes cook down into sauces with body and richness. The best tomatoes need very little intervention. Their beauty lies in ripeness, balance, and timing.
What we love most about pomodori in July is the promise they bring. They are entering their most generous season, arriving first in salads, bruschette, and no-cook dishes, then slowly making their way into sauces, soups, and preserving jars as summer deepens.
Here are four ways we love to enjoy them:
Acqua di Pomodoro Clarified: A refined tomato essence made by allowing seasoned tomato pulp to drain slowly through muslin or a fine cloth until it releases a clear, intensely fragrant liquid. Served chilled, it becomes a delicate broth for poaching fish, dressing burrata, or beginning a summer meal with something surprising and elegant.
Eggs in Purgatory: A southern Italian comfort dish where eggs are gently poached in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, olive oil, chilli, and basil. It is simple, bold, and perfect for a relaxed summer supper with warm bread to catch every spoonful of sauce.
Spaghetto Martelli alla Checca: A celebration of the cold tomato sauce. Ripe heirloom tomatoes are hand-crushed with garlic, basil, olive oil, and salt, then left to rest until their juices become fragrant and full. When tossed with hot, high-starch pasta, the sauce becomes glossy, fresh, and unmistakably summery.
Gazpacho all’Italiana: A silky tomato emulsion inspired by the cool soups of the Mediterranean, made with ripe tomatoes, sourdough, olive oil, basil, and a touch of vinegar. Served very cold, it is refreshing, elegant, and ideal for the hottest July afternoons.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Friselle con Pomodoro, Basilico e Stracciatella
Friselle are one of southern Italy’s great summer treasures. Traditionally associated with Puglia, these twice-baked rings of bread were once made to last, carried by fishermen, farmers, and travellers because they could be stored for long periods and brought back to life with water, olive oil, and whatever was fresh and abundant. In summer, that means tomatoes.
This recipe is exactly what July asks for. It is cool, generous, and almost entirely no-cook. The friselle are briefly softened, then topped with ripe tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, and creamy stracciatella. The contrast is what makes the dish so satisfying: crisp edges, juicy tomatoes, rich cheese, fragrant herbs, and the clean taste of summer on the lake.
At Lake Como Kitchen, we love dishes that feel effortless but still thoughtful. The secret here is not complication, but care. The tomatoes should be ripe and properly seasoned. The friselle should be softened enough to eat comfortably but not so much that they lose their structure. The olive oil should be generous. The stracciatella should be added at the end, cool and creamy, so it softens gently into the tomato juices.
Ingredients:
4 large friselle
500 g (about 1 lb) ripe mixed tomatoes, cherry, datterini, cuore di bue, or heirloom tomatoes
250 g (9 oz) fresh stracciatella
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for finishing
1 small garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
1 small handful fresh basil leaves
1 tsp red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, optional
Fine sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Dried oregano, optional
Instructions:
Prepare the tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes into a mix of halves, wedges, and rough pieces so they release their juices but still keep texture. Place them in a bowl with olive oil, salt, black pepper, torn basil, and a small splash of vinegar if using.
Let the tomatoes rest: Leave the tomatoes to sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. This allows the salt to draw out their juices and creates the dressing for the friselle.
Soften the friselle: Briefly pass each frisella under cool running water for a few seconds, or dip quickly into a bowl of water. They should soften slightly while keeping their bite and structure.
Rub with garlic: Rub the surface of each softened frisella lightly with the cut side of the garlic clove. Use a gentle hand, as the garlic should perfume the bread rather than dominate it.
Dress the bread: Spoon a little of the tomato juice from the bowl over each frisella so it begins to absorb the flavour.
Add the tomatoes: Divide the marinated tomatoes generously over the friselle, making sure each one gets plenty of juice, basil, and olive oil.
Finish with stracciatella: Spoon the stracciatella over the tomatoes. Add a final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a little black pepper, and dried oregano if using.
Serve: Serve immediately, while the friselle still have texture and the stracciatella is cool and creamy. This is best eaten with your hands or with a knife and fork at a relaxed summer table.
Why we Love it: Friselle con Pomodoro, Basilico e Stracciatella are everything we want in July. They are cool, juicy, crisp, creamy, and full of sunshine. We love the way the tomato juices soak into the bread without making it heavy, and how the stracciatella adds just enough luxury to a deeply rustic dish. It is simple food, but it feels abundant, generous, and perfect for a hot day by the lake.
Wine Pairing: For a dish this fresh and delicately balanced, a crisp white wine is the more natural choice. A Vermentino from Liguria or coastal Tuscany works beautifully, offering bright acidity, citrus notes, and a subtle saline edge that enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes and the creaminess of the stracciatella. Alternatively, a light, dry rosé from northern Italy brings freshness and gentle red fruit without overwhelming the dish. Serve well chilled to keep the pairing vibrant, refreshing, and perfectly suited to a warm July afternoon.
As July carries us into the heart of summer, we hope you find your own rhythm between movement and rest. May your days be filled with warm lake wind, bright tomatoes, long swims, and dinners that begin late and stretch into the golden evening.
See you on the lake,
The Lake Como Kitchen Experience Team