IN AND AROUND GARDA TRENTINO
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A holiday also means self-indulgence and you can tickle your taste buds with the wealth of fine local food and wines. Meat and fish, wine and spirits, oil, fruit and vegetables, dairy produce and honey. From the farm to the table through the menus of informal restaurants or fine dining experiences, not to mention bars and cafés for breakfast, aperitivos and after dinner drinks to remember.
FISH FROM THE LAKE
Thanks to the important variety of fish, Lake Garda represents a real fish treasure, both from the point of view of biodiversity and from a gastronomic point of view. The undisputed queen is the Garda trout that lives and proliferates only in the Garda waters followed by the carpione, a very rare species that lives in the purest depths of the lake. Of value are the meat of whitefish and chub, often used for tasty meatballs.
Suitable for the ancient Zisam recipe (marinating with vinegar and onions) is the bleak, also excellent fried. Last but not least you can find the delicious meats of pike, perch and tench, as well as eel and the inevitable sardines known for seasoning pasta or tasty second courses of popular tradition.
FARMED FISH
Rainbow trout, brown trout and char are just some of the species which are farmed in the Alto Garda and kitemarked I.G.P. (Protected Geographical Indication). Over the course of the centuries, a number of trout farms have developed fish farms in the clear waters of Trentino streams and rivers in order to produce healthy, tasty fish, strictly adhering to regulations which require them to use continually flowing fresh water to ensure a quality, wholesome product.
CARNE SALADA
No meat lover can possibly leave without trying this local speciality. The recipe originated in the 15th century in the area between Tenno, Riva del Garda and Arco in response the need to preserve meat for longer due to taxes on slaughtering. Lean beef is left to rest for 25 days and sprinkled with salt and spices. From these humble origins carne salada has risen to the heights of De.Co. Certification (Municipal Designation of Origin) and become something of a gastronomic icon in the area. It can be served raw, finely sliced, as an appetiser or cooked, together with the traditional “fasoi” (beans), in both cases drizzled with local extra virgin olive oil.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Green gold, delicate and aromatic, Garda Trentino extra virgin olive oil is the fruit of a Mediterranean climate with the lake to the south making for a milder climate and the Alps to the north protecting from the cold winds. The broad terraces and vast olive groves are a hallmark of the landscape and the native Casaliva is the most widespread olive variety. It yields an extra virgin oil which is light and fruity with a delicate aroma and notes of almond, aromatic herbs and artichoke which explode on the palate in slightly bitter spicy notes, an indication of the high concentration of polyphenols, natural antioxidants indispensable for good health. Garda Trentino extra virgin olive oil has a characteristic gold green colour and thanks to the presence of many excellent oil mills in the area can be found in a range of variants, each with different aromas and flavours, the result of the high level of extraction. Such excellence requires daily care and attention to every stage of development of the plant, its flowering and the ripening of the olive. An early harvest of still green olives yields an extra virgin olive oil particularly rich in extremely healthy polyphenols but gives a lower yield in terms of quantity. All of this makes Garda Trentino extra virgin oil a prized product at the high end of the market, distinguished from low cost oils by its purity and superior quality. The olives of Garda Trentino are a product where every part is used: the molche, the solid residue of the oil-making process composed of skins, pulp and in part also stones, can be used to make a traditional bread.
TORBOLE BROCCOLI
The broccoli of Torbole is a subspecies that is grown on the plain of Linfano and Torbole. Here, close to the shores of the lake, it has found its natural habitat and the cold north winds in winter protect the broccola or flower from ice or frost damage. It begins to ripen in early November and continues until April thanks to three subspecies which flower early, mid- and late season.
CHEESE
Hill and mountain pastures and small farms follow age-old traditions to supply the Garda Trentino area with a wide selection of dairy produce. Raw milk produce, fresh or aged cheeses, ricotta, yoghurt and butter, made from cow or goat milk, the perfect combination with a board of cold cuts, presented as a traditional or gourmet dish.
HONEY
The particular Mediterranean climate in the foothills of the Alps has allowed for the spread of several species of trees and flowers which characterise the landscape and biodiversity of Garda Trentino. This is all to the joy of local bees who return to their hives with the scents, flavours and organoleptic properties of all this flora. The outcome is a range of honeys including mixed flower, acacia, chestnut, raspberry, apple and dandelion.
SWEET CHESTNUTS
Monumental trees with huge trunks which captivate the imagintion at first sight. But their true treasure is hidden in the husks which protect the chestnuts, medium sized brown nuts which are harvested in just a few indigenous areas in the woodlands of Drena, Nago, Tenno and Campi which has been awarded De.Co. certifiction (Municipal Designation of Origin). It is this natural farming which distinguishes them and gives their a genuine flavour. They are only harvested by hand in autumn when the chestnuts fall on the ground.
WINES
Thanks to its Mediterranean climate and the thermal winds which blow across the area, Garda Trentino has developed a wide selection of grape varieties for the production of D.O.C. wines (Controlled Designation of Origin). The area is home to varieties such as Schiava and Lagrein used in the production of rosés, delicate on the palate and with elegant fruity notes which go with cold cuts, warm appetisers, carne salada and stewed fish. And then there are also full bodied reds such as Cabernet and Merlot which go well with aged cheeses, grilled and roasted meats and game. The white wines Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio are distinguished by their harmony on the palate and that characteristic sapidity, the perfect accompaniment for white and delicately flavoured meats, asparagus and rice or pasta dishes. The Chardonnay grape gives us the linearity of still wine and the effervescence of the pride of the “mountain bubbly”, the local Trentodoc sparkling wine made with the Classic Method, a wine with presence and decisive harmony to drink with any course. To accompany dessert and wind up the meal Moscato Giallo, its delicate bouquet with notes of nutmeg, citron and grapefruit and Vino Santo Trentino, Slow Food Presidium, obtained by leaving Nosiola grapes to dry on “arele” (wooden racks) from the harvest to pressing (during Holy Week) and then aged in oak casks for at least three years. It owes its fine qualities to the Nosiola grape, the only white variety native to Trentino, which is grown in the nearby Valle dei Laghi. A dry white wine, pleasantly fresh, fruity and harmonious with a hint of almond at the finish. The same area is also home to Rebo, a well structured red wine with an intense colour, the result of a cross which blends the delicacy of Teroldego with the full bodied robustness of Merlot.
GRAPPA AND SPIRITS
In the infinite selection of spirits, what stand out are the grappas flavoured with herbs, berries and dried roots as well as the more common ones made from the marc of Teroldego, Marzemino, Schiava and Nosiola. The grappas made from aromatic grapes, first and foremost Moscato giallo, are important on the palate. In the delicate and meticulous world of distillation, there are many products which manage to capture the scent of local fruit, from apricots and pears to the renowned Dro Plum.
PLUMS OF DRO
The local ecotype of plum which thrives in the Sarca Valley and bears the name Susina di Dro has a deep purple colour, firm pulp and high concentration of vitamins and minerals which make it a D.O.P. (Protected Designation of Origin) and De.Co (Municipal Designation of Origin) fruit. Its nutritional value is unique just like its flavour and this fine fruit is served together with meat and fish dishes.
STRAWBERRIES AND SMALL FRUITS
It is in the mountains that fruit of the forest flower and ripen. Between 300 and 1100 metres above sea level, cradled by the Mediterranean climate and the gentle temperature changes, the vivid colours of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, wild strawberries and currants bear witness to their high content in vitamins, phosphorous and potassium. Mainly eaten fresh, they are also used in the preparation of jams, juices and syrups as well as to flavour grappa and spirits.
ORGANIC VEGETABLES
The natural conformation of the landscape, the mild Mediterranean climate and the presence of thermal winds has all worked in the favour of the expansion of organic farming.
In Garda Trentino you can find countless farms growing organic vegetables which you can buy direct from the farm or in supermarkets in the area.
GOURMET CUISINE
Garda Trentino is a powerhouse of quality which finds expression in that most refined restaurant tradition where local delicacies are extolled and combined with sophistication and care in a harmonious symphony of tastes and flavours. Restaurants where the guest is accompanied on a special sensory voyage, a synthesis of the territory and the experiences of their stay. A quality and refinement indicative of those whose hallmark is innovation, passion and a modern perspective firmly rooted in local produce which in this gourmet cuisine is given a fresh twist.
FROM DAWN TO DUSK
Sit back, relax and enjoy your holiday in every aspect. Take it easy in one of the many bars and eateries in Garda Trentino where you will find a great selection at any hour of the day: treat yourself to a special breakfast to get the day off to a good start, have a quick snack, a pizza – symbol of Italian cooking the world over – or a pre-lunch or pre-dinner aperitivo. And after dinner if you feel like a cocktail with friends, there is a wide range of bars where you can enjoy the great classic after dinner drinks with some interesting local variations, often accompanied by live music, themed nights and dj sets to make the evening even more unique, entertaining and enjoyable.