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Italy Gourmet Carnival

Bailliage of Venezia, Italy
Venice, February 21-24, 2019

A riot of unforgettable flavours
" The programme throughout focused on high quality food and wine "

The successful third annual Gourmet Carnival (Carnevale del Gusto) organized by the Bailliage of Venice was a gastronomic triumph - a beautiful, exclusive opportunity to celebrate with friends worldwide (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, and USA). Headquartered at the 5-star Hilton Molino Stucky Hotel, we were exceptionally well looked after for the four days. 

The programme throughout focused on high quality food and wine. Three of the days were also enriched by cultural activities: city, islands’, classic tours included San Francesco del Deserto, and La Fenice Opera House’s golden Apollinee Room for a chocolate stop!

Our special focus this year was on wines chosen from true Italian excellence to strongly characterize the event’s three dinners.

Welcome Dinner: held in the Aromi Restaurant of the Hilton Molino Stucky with the hotel’s General Manager, Maître Hôtelier Ilio Rodoni, a passionate member of the Bailliage of Venice, ensuring we were well looked after. Executive Chef Ivan Catenacci created the menu for this intimate dinner. Having the restaurant exclusively for us meant Chef Ivan could present his flagship dishes personally served in combination with the precious Amarone della Valpolicella wines produced by Le Salette Winery. His dishes are beautiful paintings, perfect in the presentation, but also excellent in cooking and taste. A riot of unforgettable flavours!

Second dinner: For this event the Brunello di Montalcino wine produced by Tenute Silvio Nardi partnered the Antico Pignolo Restaurant, the first restaurant affiliated to the Chaîne in Venice together with the nearby restaurant Do Forni which was under the same ownership.

With exceptional competence and elegance Professionnel du Vin Emilia Nardi led us through a vertical tasting of the best wines of the family company of which she is General Manager. The wines we tasted accompanied an outstanding menu designed for us by the restaurant's owner, Officier Maître Restaurateur Eligio Paties.

Among all the wonderful dishes served two deserve to take a bow: the truffle-flavoured pheasant paté and the fresh tagliolini with mallard ragù. Being an expert hunter both dishes are particular favourites of Eligio.

During dinner Emilia described the terroir which boasts a rich, varied soil, as well as its enviable position. She explained the precious balance from which her wines come.  Different because of the intrinsic differences between the two sides of her estates located to the East and west of Montalcino.

Third dinner: dedicated to Carnival celebrations it was prepared by innovative chef Riccardo De Prà of Dolada Restaurant in Alpago. The courses were accompanied by award-winning wines from Lunae.

Sunday saw the closing celebrations for this third annual event. Maître Restaurateur Luigino Cassan warmly welcomed us for a farewell lunch in his restaurant, Antica Besseta, renowned for its excellent cuisine.

Heartfelt thanks go to all who participated with joy in this event and shared the true pleasures of the table.

Enrico Spalazzi
Bailli

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