Food and wine itineraries

Hotel Garden Sea is an integral part of Eastern Veneto. The region is rich in heritage and traditions, which reflect in the extraordinary wide enogastronomic culture. Following one of the various food and wine itineraries is a wonderful way for food and wine lovers to discover and enjoy the local specialities and products.
Naturally grown fruit and vegetables and respectful livestock farming, respect for the traditions and the seasons, the patience to wait for the right maturation and the careful preservation of the products, definitely make the Eastern Veneto stand out for its excellency produce.

THE WINES

Eastern Veneto is included in the Lison Pramaggiore Doc, Piave DOC, Venezia DOC and Prosecco DOC areas (have a look to our Food and Wine list). he Controlled denomination of origin (DOC) certification is only awarded to wines that can guarantee specific characteristics included in a strict set of rules regarding the terroir and production practices of the wines.

Veneto is one of the main regions for wine production in Italy as well as for consumption. Indeed enjoying some good wine with the typical local dishes is a deeply rooted custom and part of the heritage and tradition. Also when it comes to Eastern Veneto of course, you may speak of wine as part of the culinary culture.   Wine is enjoyed with food or at the local enoteche and typical cichetterie, as the wine bars are locally called. In a cichetteria you are served “cichetti”, which are small bites of local produce with bread, to accompany your glass of wine or “ombretta” as the locals call it. 

LISON DOCG WINES

Lison DOCG (also classic): The Lison-Pramaggiore area can boast an extensive tradition in white wine production and has been awarded the important Lison DOCG recognition. Tocai in particular has been produced in this area since ancient times. Straw yellow in colour, Tocai is a distinctively elegant wine

MALANOTTE DEL PIAVE DOCG WINES

Already in ancient times this area was well known for its excellent wines and Roman author Pliny the Elder praised its intensely flavoured red wines. Characteristics of these ancient wines can still be found in the Raboso, the Refosco and in the Carmenère; wines offer great results in terms of flavour and quality.

LISON-PRAMAGGIORE DOC WINES

Red wines such as: Red Lison Pramaggiore, Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbech, Refosco passito wine, Refosco dal Peduncolo rosso. White Wines such as: Bianco Lison Pramaggiore, Lison Classico, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon, Verduzzo, Verduzzo passito, Spumante

PIAVE DOC WINES

Red wines such as: Raboso (native varietal), Piave Melanotte (Rabososuperiore), Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Nero, Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon. White Wines such as: Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Tai, Verduzzo.

VENEZIA DOC WINES

White Wines such as: Chardonnay; Pinot Grigio; Verduzzo sparkling and Spumante (Verduzzo or Glera). Red wines such as: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Rosso (50% Merlot). The rosé wines: Rosato/Rosé/sparkling wine

PROSECCO DOC

With its floral and fruity aromas, fresh, light and lively character, Prosecco has become one of the flagship wines of Made in Italy production and the Designation of Origine (DOC), awarded in 2009, guarantees the quality of this worldwide recognised Italian sparkling wine.  MORE

MONTASIO DOP

Montasio is a flavour-filled semi-hard cooked cheese made exclusively from cow’s milk, produced in specific areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto regions, among which also Eastern Veneto. The Denomination of Protected Origin (DOP) is awarded only to produce that has specific characteristics that can define a particular area of production. Montasio can be enjoyed at different stages of aging: fresh, after two months; semi-matured, after 4 months; matured, beyond the 10 months; hard, beyond the 18 months. It is excellent alone to appreciate the different flavours and aromas it offers in the various aging phases, and enhances vegetables, frittatas, pastas and risottos as well as some meat or fish dishes. Hard Montasio can be grated. MORE

BIBIONE WHITE ASPARAGUS

The salinity filled sandy soils irrigated by the warm underground water, give the Bibione asparagus their unique intense aroma and flavour. 
The best way to enjoy them is either raw or very briefly boiled to blanch them served with a drizzle of oil and fried or hard boiled eggs. They are also exceptional in risottos and soups or as a side dish to meat.. MORE

BITTER GREEN MONTINE ASPARAGUS

This is the only green type of asparagus typical of Eastern Veneto, which can boast an ancient history of natural cross breeding of the varieties. They are best enjoyed simply boiled or steamed which enhances the slightly bitterness typical of the variety. They are excellent as sides to egg based dishes, cheese or risottos and pastas. . More

SANT’ERASMO PURPLE ARTICHOKES

This variety of artichoke gets its name from the lagoon of Sant’ Erasmo. These artichokes are tender, with rich pulp. They have an elongated shape and the outer leaves have a characteristic dark purple hue. The first artichokes of the season are harvested in April. Known as “castraure” they are well appreciated for their unique flavour.
Best served raw with a drizzle of oil and lemon or batter-fried. A typical dish is “carciofi alla grega”, where the artichokes are served sliced with lagoon shrimps, sardines or anchovies dressed with a drizzle of lemon juice. Boiled artichokes dressed with garlic, parsley, oil and pepper are a must try when having “cicheti”.. MORE

LAGOON SCHRIMPS

Lagoon shrimps reach a length of maximum 9 centimetres and can be found in the sand beds of the lagoon and even in the brackish water of the river deltas where they change to a grey hue with black spots. The best way to enjoy them is simply boiled with a drizzle of lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Fried and placed on a base of soft polenta, make for a traditional local dish known as “poenta e schie”. MORE

CAORLE BABY OCTOPUS

These are cephalopod molluscs with eight arms and an elongated sack-shaped body. They can reach a length of maximum 35 centimetres and release a particular smell of moss from which they get their name, “moscaridini”. The meat is low in calories and very easy to digest. It is rich in collagen and a good ally to resist skin tone loss. 
The best way to enjoy them is: boiled and served with green leaf salads, or “alla busara” which is, lightly fried with tomato pulp and white wine, a little bit of garlic, chilly pepper and parsley, and served with white polenta. MORE

“MOECHE” AND “MAZANETE”

These are marine crabs, “mazanete” the female crabs that during the reproduction period have a hard shell and the “moeche” which are the crabs, both male and female, when they change their shell, therefore very soft. Moeche can only be found in certain periods of the year when the lagoon water is slightly warmer. These are the moments in which the “molecante”, the crab fisher, knows exactly when and where harvest the crabs.
How to prepare them: the moeche are traditionally set in a bowl with beaten eggs and left to rest for a couple of hours. They are then coated in flour and fried for a few minutes in hot oil. They are eaten with the shell intact. The mazanete are exceptionally good simply boiled for a few minutes, and after having removing the shell served with green leaf salad, a drizzle of oil, salt, pepper, parsley and a bit of garlic to taste. Mazanete can also served on top of pasta, preferable tagliolini.. MORE

LIVENZA EELS

The young eels find a very comfortable warm environment in the Livenza River where they develop slowly offering an incomparable tasty flesh. 
The best way to enjoy eel is: a classic dish includes unripe prunes, or as they are known locally “amoi”. Traditionally, eel is breaded and fried or charcoal grilled, and served with soft white polenta, but it can be prepared in a variety of other ways. MORE

LENGUAL

Legual is a large sausage of cured meats that include pork tongue, the lean meat from the pork head and cheeks.
It is mostly produced on the border between the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and Veneto. Because it needs long time boiling it is usually sold pre-cooked. Legual is strongly rooted in the pheasant tradition of the area. Once it was served when the nobles retired to the countryside for their holidays after Ascension day, when they performed the “Marriage of the Sea” – a ceremony that symbolically wedded Venice to the sea. MORE

CARNAROLI RICE OF CAORLE AND PORTOGRUARO

The production or Carnaroli rice of Caorle and Portogruaro is rather limited in quantity and is mostly sold directly to the consumers, restaurants and small gourmet shops.
The cultivated species is Oryza Sativa, harvested in September.
This rice is ideal to prepare “al dente” risottos (cooked to be firm to the bite) and because it is rich in starch it helps “mantecatura” its traditional smooth creamy texture.   MORE .