A triumph of colours, flavours, perfumes: the Garda Trentino is an eclectic territory – due to its extension from the northern shores of Lake Garda to the Brenta Dolomites – from which a surprising variety of unique local products is born, often protagonists of experiences multisensoriali. Seasonal ones? Dro’s green walnuts and plums.
What to eat on Lake Garda, Garda Trentino food and wine
From the meeting between the influences of Lake Garda and those of the mountains even further north, the particular microclimate of Garda Trentino comes to life, which contributes to the quality of the flavors of its territories (Riva del Garda, Arco, Nago-Torbole sul Garda, Dro, Drena, Tenno, Valle di Ledro, Comano and Valle dei Laghi ). Real food and wine excellence, many of which have obtained the recognition of DOP, De.Co. o Slow Food Presidium: DOP EVO oil, with the northernmost traditional production in the world; Dro DOP plums; Torbole broccoli and Bleggio walnuts, both Slow Food Presidia.
To this panorama, they add the many varieties of vegetables, often cultivated according to strict biological criteria; fruits, such as apples, pears, figs, berries, kiwis, fresh or processed to prepare jams, marmalades, juices, syrups, by the numerous producers of the hinterland. Not to mention the grapes, among which the Nosiola vine, symbol of the Valle dei Laghi, from which a dry white wine is obtained, the Nosiola in fact, and the Santo Trentino DOC wine, a Slow Food presidium; up to grappas and aromatic liqueurs. In fact, the climate is also favorable for the growth of aromatic herbs, such as saffron, mint, lemon balm, calendula, cornflower, lavender and mallow; as well as for beekeeping, with the production of honey of various types, including honeydew and rhododendron honey which are added to those of millefiori, acacia and chestnut.
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What to eat in the summer on Lake Garda
This incredible polyculture offers different products in every season which, on the one hand, offer the body what it needs, and on the other, are enhanced in the kitchen with preparations respectful of the raw materiala combination of history and creativity.
Typical of the summer months, in particular Dro plums, certified DOP and De.Co. they are rich in vitamins, potassium and fiber. Cultivated in the Sarca Valley, they are distinguished by their elongated shape, purplish-blue color and firmer pulp than the common plum. Thanks to their sweetly acidic flavour, they are excellent both as fresh fruit and as an ingredient in delicious recipes, for example to prepare the filling for traditional plum gnocchi*. The plum is also excellent dried, becoming an ideal source of energy and vitamins to face the cold season.
BOHEMIAN GNOCCO, two culinary traditions meet
In Valle di Ledro the kitchen tastes of Trentino tradition, seasonal products and Bohemian influences. During the First World War, the population of Valle di Ledro was evacuated to Bohemia and Moravia: here, Trentino women learned to make some local specialties which later became part of their cuisine, such as the succulent Bohemian gnocchi, which can be served as a dessert or as a side dish for savory dishes. Simple and genuine, they have a soft dough and all the warm aroma of cinnamon.
At the basis of their preparation:
30 g brewer’s yeast
1 kg of white flour
½ l milk
Plums
Sale
Burro
Cinnamon or poppy seeds
Sugar
Procedure: Dissolve the yeast in a little milk, then add the remaining milk, a little salt and the flour, leaving a part for the next dough. Mix until it forms a ball of leavened dough, cover it with a cloth and leave it to rise in the heat for about two hours. When the dough has doubled in volume, add the remaining flour and work it until you have a well blended and soft dough. Wrap a portion of the dough around a plum and form balls. Leave to rise again for about three quarters of an hour. Prepare one saucepan with plenty of salted water. When it boils, throw in the gnocchi and let them cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning them occasionally. Meanwhile, melt the butter. Dust the gnocchi with sugar and cinnamon and pour in the butter. Alternatively form simple balls of dough, cook them in salted water serve them as a side dish for goulash or stew.
The Garda walnut
Another excellence, the walnut, is cultivated in the Bleggio area since ancient Roman times. Recognized as a Slow Food presidium, it is harvested while still green at the end of June for the preparation of Nocino.
Tradition wants that the night of San Giovanni, June 24th, the hulls (not yet ripe walnuts) are detached by hand without damaging their surface, to be left in the open air overnight to “collect” the dew. The following day, the walnuts, once cut, are left to macerate in alcohol for 30 days to then add the sugar syrup.
According to another recipe, however, freshly cut walnuts must be left to macerate in sugar for 2 days, before adding the alcohol and leaving it to infuse for 40 days. This version does not include the addition of water, which is why the liqueur is thicker and has a higher alcohol content.
Food and wine tours on Garda Trentino
Finally, together with love for nature, food and wine, the taste for tradition and the pleasure of hospitality are kept alive in Garda Trentino thanks also to proposals to encourage knowledge of the areaof his gifts and of those who work with them.
Until October, the “Garda Trentino Experience”, initiatives differing by type, scope and duration, cater to everyone’s interests: from the outdoor world, with the opportunity to practice open-air activities, to food and wine with the discovery of local products and culinary specialities; from the field of natural and thermal well-being, to the knowledge of historical aspects and cultural traditions.
Very numerous culinary proposals which, to the successes of last year – such as the gourmet aperitif on a sailing boat or the Km0 Bike Tour which takes visitors to discover the Valle Of They command and its typical products – combine engaging novelties. For example, the lake view tasting “What’s in the cellar?”, in the Pur area (Valle di Ledro) based on organic wines, local products and delicious alternatives for children; the “Picnic at sunset” with three types of baskets made up of typical specialties, but always in a single location: a beautiful terrace overlooking the Comano Valley. You can attend “Slow Food in cucina”, a show cooking performed by the chefs of the Slow Food Presidium Alliance, with samplings, tastings and accompaniment of wines from the Valle dei Laghi or at “The art of making bread”, in the Ponte Arche area, a workshop dedicated to bread-making with ancient cereals and grains, handed down for generations.
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