The food and wine of the Veneto is diverse and the tour will provide opportunities to try traditional classics,

     regional specialities and seasonal favourites

 

     During the autumn pumpkin, mushrooms, chicory and black truffle all come into season. Pumpkin (zucca) is

     very often served as the base for risotto. Mushrooms (commonly porcini, finferli and chiodini) are served

     individually or in combination as a base for risotto, pasta or as a vegetable accompaniment. Similarly,

     chicory (radicchio) is used in the same way. The black truffle (tartufo) is excellent served in risotto or in pasta

     There are also unusual and delicious green vegetables to try like coste and catalogna

 

     The well-known salt cod dish Baccala is served two ways, Baccala Mantecato (creamed) or Baccala alla

     Vicentina in which the pieces of cod are preserved whole

     Fegato alla Veneziana (calves liver with onions) is a famous dish that we can enjoy at Ottone in Bassano

     Italian cuisine is inherently very simple and this characteristic is exemplified by two dishes, Risi e Bisi (rice

     and peas) and Pasta e Fagioli (pasta and beans) which are both typical regional dishes served at home and

     in restaurants

 

     The local 'fat' spagetti called bigoli is often paired with a duck sauce to create Bigoli all' Anatra

     Boiled meat (usually beef) called Lesso is a very unusual and delicious way to enjoy meat

     The local salami is called Sopressa and it is sometimes eaten cooked but it is usually eaten raw. Sopressa

     served with polenta (wet ot grilled) and fagioli or mixed mushrooms (funghi misti) is called Sopressa alla

     Boscaiolo and is exquisite

     Likewise, the local beef stew called Spezzatino that is normally served with boiled potatoes or grilled

     polenta is a wonderful take on Hungarian goulash

 

     Bassano del Grappa is named after the mountain it sits in the lee of but by coincidence it is also the most

     famous centre of grappa production in Italy with Italy's oldest distiller, Nardini, based in the town. Another

     famous maker, Poli, actually has a grappa museum in Bassano that is open to the public

     Just outside of Bassano is the Capovilla distillery that is the most vaunted maker of spirits in Italy; a small,

     private company that collects rare wild fruits from the mountains to flavour its 'distilerie' and in which the

     labels are still hand written and the bottles are sealed with coloured wax

 

     The range of wines in the Veneto is breathtaking; from the ubiquitous Prosecco to the high end 'modo

     classico' Francia Corta and Ferrari in the sparkling wines to Amarone which is one of the kings of the red 

     wine world

     We will have a chance to try relatively light red wines like Fragolino and Raboso as well as the fuller

     varieties like Bardolino

     With white wines we shall sample Soave and the less well known Vespaiolo

     The Veneto produces one of the great desert wines of the world, Torcolato, as well as the red desert wine,

     Recioto

 

     During the tour we will enjoy high end restaurants, simple trattorie and mountain eateries that serve 

     simple home style cooking the Italians call 'La Cucina Casalinga'

 

     Above all, the emphasis is on variety, it is about experiencing the broad range of dishes and styles on offer

     in the Veneto and in a range of different settings, from the sophisticated to the rustic