Lake Garda Fish and Olive Oil Review Launches 18th Edition Initiative
The 18th edition of the “Enogastronomic Review of the Coregone, Lake Fish, Chiarello, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil” was presented “at home” by the president of the Club Pesce di lago, Camillo Tomaselli, at the “Porto” of Moniga, organized by the Club Pesce di lago under the auspices of the “Accademia Brescia a tavola”.
The event is scheduled from February 9 to April 8, 2001. An initiative that until a few weeks ago seemed destined to be forgotten, but which, fortunately, was saved by the sense of respect for a tradition that for 18 years has promoted products typically originating from the area.
And so, until April 18, ten restaurants around Lake Garda in Brescia will offer exceptional dishes made with locally and Garda-tradition products. During the official presentation of the review, held “at home” by the president of the Club Pesce di lago, Camillo Tomaselli, at the “Porto” of Moniga, provincial councilors Giampaolo Mantelli for Agriculture and Mauro Parolini for Public Works and Public Education were present, alongside representatives from some professional agricultural schools in Brescia.
Among the participating restaurants, some withdrew, such as Ristorante Splendid Sole in Manerba, where over 20 years ago, the first draft of what was then called the “Sagra del coregone” was born.
In its place, a new entry, the “Lugana Parco al lago” in Lugana di Sirmione, confirms the organizers’ intention to expand beyond the initial territorial boundaries of Valtenesi.
Regarding the chiaretti (local dry white wines) to pair with these lake fish dishes, the obligation for a limited number of participating wineries to adhere to the review no longer exists.
Decisions are now left up to the individual restaurateurs, who can choose any chiaretti they prefer. The only rule is the requirement of at least four different types of chiaretti on the table.
Among the supporters, notable are the newly formed “Strada dei vini bresciani del Garda” and the “Consorzio Garda Uno”.
It is useless not to mention the satisfaction of Mantelli and Parolini upon seeing the commitment demonstrated by chefs, restaurateurs, wine and oil producers, in presenting some of the main and best products of the land and Lake Garda.
“This lake is recognized as the cleanest among the major European basins, thanks also to the efficient centralized sewage treatment plant for the coastal municipalities, built, managed, and maintained by the Consorzio Garda Uno,” said president Camillo Tomaselli. “It’s achieved through a biological process with active sludge.”
For this reason, the lacustrine environment provides the ideal habitat for various fish species, such as trout, carpione, eels, pike, perch, sardines, tench, gudgeons, and coregone.
The contribution to increasing the lake’s fish stock and thus supporting the recovery of fishing activities was notable, thanks to the Provincial Administration through the Assessorato alla pesca (Fishing Department), represented by its Provincial Guard. Several years ago, a re-stocking program was started through artificial fertilization at the hatchery in Peschiera del Garda, pending the new facility to be built in Desenzano del Garda, which annually releases tens of millions of coregone and eel fry into Lake Garda.
The newly launched initiative allows for the production of approximately 15,000 units of carpione fry each year.