It all begins
with bread.

The smell of fresh bread

The smell of fresh bread swirled through the farmhouse courtyard and the balcony houses on the outskirts of Milan in the early 1950s. Every day, at around five in the morning, that almost tangible aroma filled the air and the imagination of those still asleep or about to begin their day.

The finest craft in the world

After lighting the ovens and baking the loaves prepared the night before, Antonio and his ten‑year‑old son Cesarino filled wicker baskets ready for delivery. Once the last basket was full, Cesarino went upstairs for a well‑earned cup of milk, dipping in the warm, freshly baked bread. A quick wash, his schoolbooks under his arm, and he set off for school on foot.

He loved being with his father: his generous hero, who made bread for everyone and shared the secrets of what, to Cesarino, was undoubtedly the finest craft in the world.

Bread made with love

Before long, Cesarino began helping his father with the dough too. On those evenings, he experimented with mixing different flours and giving his bread a more personal shape, laying it on the baking tray until it was full. The next morning, he would fill a small basket with that lovingly made bread and carry it upstairs, leaving some at each neighbour’s door according to their needs.

A name, a flavour

Delicious bread, crisp and soft at the same time, releasing an intense aroma and delighting the palate. Soon, everyone began calling that wonderful bread “il Cesarino”.