The Culinary Traditions of Gargnano

The fact that lemons, other citrus fruits and capers can grow on Lake Garda, so far north in Italy, make them a treasure and a wonder. Beyond the crops spanning its shores is another ingredient found on Lake Garda tables: its fish! In Gargnano a family of fishermen keeps traditions alive and every morning makes sure that the local restaurants are stocked with the fresh catch-of-the-day: whitefish, sardines, royal perch, pike, tench and chub. Now that the sought-after bleak (the aola, a small fish that until recently was found in abundance) is no longer caught and carp has stopped being “the king of the nets," lake cuisine concentrates on giving all of its flavor to its other typical fish.

Meat also plays a key role in traditional Gargnano dishes, which feature it as their key ingredient: Brescia roasted meat with polenta, the undisputed king of feasts; oven-baked lamb; chicken (preferably free-range!), deer prepared in the salmì style and wild boar. In short, Gargnano cuisine fits the tastes of every palate, even the most discerning.

There are many restaurants, trattorias and farmhouses that serve the traditional specialties of the area and allow diners to sit by the lake or feel the Montegargnano breeze; and why not try to bring some of Lake Garda’s most traditional recipes back home with you?