Lombard cuisine has a very varied culinary tradition due to the different historical events of its provinces and the variety of its territory. There are, however, some common features, such as first courses based on risotto, stuffed pasta and soups, the use of butter instead of olive for cooking, widespread use of pork, milk and derivatives; the large use of polenta, typical of all Northern Italy. 
A first differentiation of Lombard cuisine is geographical: in the lower Po Valley, where rice cultivation is widespread, risottos and vegetables grown in the plains are common, while closer to the alpine areas, dishes are based on game or grazing animals, and side dishes on potatoes and cabbage. The territories of the great lakes are typical for recipes based on freshwater fish and olive cultivation.
A second differentiation depends on the different historical events of the provinces: eastern Lombard cuisine has a lot in common with Venetian cuisine, the western with the Piedmontese traditions, the southern is more similar to Emilian cuisine with stuffed pasta preparations, while Valtellina has a typically alpine cuisine with game, cold cuts and cheeses, used both as basic dishes and as condiments.
