Food and Gourmet

Italy is known worldwide for its cuisine. Simple and refined at the same time, which makes of genuine food its strong point. Lake fish, wines, olive oil, truffles, different kinds of pasta and cheese are all tempting occasions for stopping by in a fine restaurant or in one of the numerous characteristic trattorias. And surely a visit to a wine cellar or to an oil mill can't be missed, for discovering the typical products of the Garda region.


FRESH FISH

Fishing is still tradition and gives jobs to many people living in the Lake Garda area. Although very popular holiday destination, the lake is full of fish. The most popular are carps (carpione), lake trout and whitefish, but don't forget about extremely tasty bleak (locally called pessate) pike, perch, chub and tench. Almost every restaurant in the area offers a variety dishes, where fish is the main ingredient. Try it grilled, fried, boiled or steamed, in carpaccio or in great sauce, it will always taste great. Of course, you should also visit one of the market places, where fishermen sell their catch and if you are at the Lake Garda in mid July, take advantage of Garda's "Sardellata al Pal del Vo" - a moonlight dinner held on fishing boats in the middle of the lake.


SWEETS

Sweets are the tiniest but extremely important parts of every meal. Inhabitants of the Lake Garda area have always known this fact. Today's traditional sweets are a great mix of history and multiple traditions. Fresh local produce, ancient and medieval recipes and influence of Austrian, Swiss, German and Mediterranean culinary traditions result in walnut and almund cakes, various kinds of fruit jam tarts, apple strudel, Hungarian roses, traditional Christmas zelten, chestnut biscuits and bilberry turnovers. Every season has something special, so no matter whether you visit Lake Garda in summer or winter, you will always find sweets for you.


OIL

Probably introduced by the Romans, the first information about olive trees in the region comes from the 10th century. Since then, olives, being a source of well known, smooth olive oil, became extremely important produce of the area. Not only picturesque olive groves contribute to the Lake Garda's beautiful landscape, but also the olive oil became a necessary ingredient of every meal. Local oil producers developed a unique system of getting the oil, what made it even more precious. Nowadays, the production is limited, the olive trees are extremely well care taken and the olives are harvested only by hand. The Garda extra virgin olive oil is today sold under controlled original labels and has special qualities. The colour of the oil varies from greenish when it is still young to beautiful golden yellow as soon as it gets older, and there is always a delicate, fruity aroma.