San Zeno Chestnuts and Garda Wines Boost Local Tourism and Economy
A culinary itinerary exploring the typical San Zeno chestnut and the wines of the Garda Riviera. The initiative, “San Zeno, Vines, and Chestnuts,” was promoted by the Azienda di promozione turistica della Riviera degli Ulivi, the Comune di San Zeno di Montagna, the Show Food del Garda, and the association i Ghiottoni di Torri del Benaco. Four restaurants, Costabella, Zeno, Kus, Casa degli Spiriti, will offer an entirely chestnut-based menu featuring San Zeno chestnuts and local Baldo products for a month, from October 21 to November 19.
And it was precisely on the synergy between typical products, tourism, and agriculture that the administrators emphasized during their appearance yesterday morning at Caffè Dante in Verona. “Tourism and economy are a winning combination,” explained Aleardo Merlin, President of the Province. “By promoting local products, we support the development of the area’s economy.” For Davide Bendinelli, provincial tourism assessor, “enogastronomy, along with culture and sport, plays a fundamental role in encouraging tourism.”
Details of the initiative and organizers’ opinions
“The initiative ‘San Zeno, Chestnuts, and Wine’ fits within a broader project promoting high-quality local agricultural products and gastro-culinary traditions of the Garda hinterland,” declared Enrico Merenda, President of Apt Riviera degli Olivi. “This year’s edition is the third,” explained Angelo Peretti, the event organizer. “It all started almost by chance three years ago, as a sort of bet, but it immediately gained popularity with the public. Last year, about 1,800 people visited the various restaurants to sample Baldo products.”
The formula adopted this year closely follows the successful model tried over the past two years. Four restaurants, three in San Zeno and one in Costermano—close to San Zeno, all managed by young restaurateurs—will offer a month-long menu based on chestnuts, with wine included (Garda Corvina DOC until November 5 and Bardolino Novello DOC from November 6, both from the Lamberti wineries in Lazise).
Two restaurants serve traditional dishes like chestnut minestrone, while a third offers a modern twist, such as chickpea brodetto with chestnut canederli. The overall theme, however, remains innovation: half-moon-shaped ravioli filled with chestnuts and cinnamon, chestnut ravioli with lettuce sauce, or chestnut ravioli with pumpkin cream and sage.
At the end of the meal, guests can take home flavors from the Baldo. Restaurateurs will gift every two guests a kilogram of chestnuts.
“Tourism today means highlighting one’s identity,” stated Giuseppe Lorenzini, President of the Unione gardesana albergatori, during the press conference. “People seeking new experiences want culture, knowledge, and the chance to discover the civilization of the places they visit. Promoting local products thus becomes an essential service offered to visitors.”
For Albino Pezzini, provincial assessor for agriculture, the role of restaurateurs is essential. “Introducing local products into restaurant menus is the best form of advertising to promote the entire area.” Claudio Valente, representative of the Camera di Commercio di Verona, emphasized the millennial production traditions characteristic of the Baldo Garda area. “The Baldo region is beautiful but faces many challenges,” he said. (a.t.)