Venetian gastronomic traditions are founded on an unusual habitat where land and water closely merge. Here there are fish and crustaceans from the lagoon and nearby Adriatic Sea, and fruit and vegetables from the islands of Sant’Erasmo and Le Vignole and the Cavallino and Treporti shores. There are then also the migratory birds that stop over in the tranquillity of the lagoon waters on their autumn journey to warmer lands: ducks, wigeons, teal, coots and others. These wildfowl have a very special, inimitable flavour. The fish are caught in waters rich in salt and nutrients, and the lagoon is an ideal reproduction area where numerous species come to lay their eggs. The predators, for example sea bass, take advantage of this, finding excellent feeding. So the catch is very tasty as well as extremely fresh. In the same way, the garden produce is cultivated using traditional methods in saline soils that enhance its characteristics. Such products are often unique varieties, jealously cherished in the island environment: the exceptional violet artichoke of Sant’Erasmo is a typical example.

But Venetian cuisine is not solely linked to the special characteristics of the local products. The history and fortunes of Venice have always come from the sea, from voyages to distant destinations. The ships brought back exotic herbs and spices that soon appeared on Venetian dining tables. [more]