A Taste of Vicenza: Discovering Authentic Veneto Cuisine

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WHAT TO EAT IN VICENZA

Guide to Veneto Gastronomy and Cuisine: Read more

Regional Cuisine:

Belluno, Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Venice, Verona

Asiago Cheese

One of Italy’s most famous cheeses, Asiago, has been made in Vicenza’s Asiago Plateau since 1000 AD. Back then, the cheese was made with sheep’s milk until the rise of cattle farming in the 1500s. Today, the Asiago PDO encompasses fresh and aged cheese styles. Fresh Asiago has a delicate flavor with the aromas of yogurt and butter—much of the cheese’s flavor results from cattle grazing free on the Asiago Plateau. The aged style is matured for three to fifteen months or more. This Asiago has a straw yellow color and an ore savory flavor. There are three designations, including the Asiago Mezzano aged four to six months, Asiago Vecchio aged ten to fifteen months, and Asiago Stravecchio aged more than fifteen months.

Valpolicella Wine Tour

Elite Valpolicella tour: Savor Amarone, explore vineyards, and discover Verona’s history. Book your luxury Italian wine journey now!

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Baccalà alla Vicentina

This specialty from Vicenza is made from stoccafisso, an air-dried codfish that’s soaked for several days before cooking. Venetian merchant Pietro Querini introduced the air-dried stockfish to the region in 1432. He discovered stoccafisso on the Norwegian island of Røst while shipwrecked off the coast of Norway. Vicenza developed a new recipe for this new ingredient by slowly simmering stoccafisso in milk flavored with garlic, onions, and anchovies. Hours of cooking make the dried fish very tender. Baccalà alla Vicentina is accompanied with polenta to serve.

Cren

You’ll find cren served in Vicenza alongside bollito misto, various types of meat, and stews. It’s a spicy sauce made from horseradish, dried bread, vinegar, and olive oil.

Soprèssa Vicentina PDO

Soprèssa Vicentina is the highest quality cured meat in Venetian cuisine. It’s a medium-grained cured sausage made from pork belly and neck fat and pork leg, shoulder, neck, and loin. Soprèssa Vicentina is known for its slightly sweet, garlicky taste, flavored with salt, pepper, and garlic.

Torresani allo Spiedo

Torresani allo spiedo, or torresani on the spit, has been made in Breganze in the province of Vicenza for 500 years. The dish is made from only twenty-five to thirty days old pigeons, which have not yet taken off; consequently, their meat is more tender.

Towards the end of the fifteenth century, the Republic of Venice adapted former castles for civilian purposes. The towers of castles and agricultural outposts were used for breeding pigeons, where the name torresani originated. The original recipe for torresani allo spiedo sees the pigeons cleaned and stuffed with juniper, sage, rosemary, minced heart and liver, lard, and butter. Then, the stuffed birds are slowly roasted on the spit and brushed with their own fat while cooking. Torresani allo spiedo has received the Denominazione Comunale (De.Co) designation to safeguard its production and territorial identity.

LOCAL LIQUORS

Grappa

Grappa, perhaps Italy’s most famous spirit, takes its name from the city of Bassano del Grappa, where it was first made. The spirit is produced by distilling grape pomace left over after the winemaking process. Different styles are made using various grape varieties.

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WINES OF THE VENETO

The Veneto Region in Italy offers a variety of experiences for wine enthusiasts. From the quaint wine villages of Valpolicella to the vibrant Prosecco wine country, the region is known for producing famous wines like Amarone, Prosecco, and Soave, making it a prime destination for those passionate about wine.

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