Venetian Republic: Recipes from the Veneto, Adriatic Croatia, and the Greek islands (A Cookbook)

My fascination with Venice goes back a long way. Many years ago, when I was just 21 and had completed a 12-month sabbatical in Southern Italy, I found myself on my way to London. I had a little time up my sleeve, so I asked my learned older cousin, Liliana Di Certo, for advice on what I thought would be a difficult question – where should my next stop in Italy be? I’d been to Rome and Milan several times, but hadn’t ventured far beyond these cities or the southern region of Calabria, the birthplace of my father. ‘Liliana, I only have a few days. Where do you think I should go: Florence or Venice?’She didn’t hesitate. ‘Venice. You are going to Venice and I am going to organise it. In Florence, you have to line up to see the art. Yes, it’s amazing when you get in and see it, but in Venice, everything is art. There’s art inside and outside, everywhere you look. It’s one of the most unique places in the entire world and the barrier of water has preserved her history like nowhere else. You are going to Venice.’And so my obsession with the floating city was born. Little did I know that Venice would continue to lure and inspire me for decades to come. Since my first visit as a wide-eyed Italo–Australian boy from Bunbury, Western Australia, I’ve built a career as an Italian chef and restaurateur, and returned frequently. Along the way I’ve also fostered a keen interest in art, music and history, and nowhere in the world are these more beautifully represented and nurtured than in Venice. "The food of the Venetian Republic is diverse: prosecco & snapper risotto, Croatian roast lamb shoulder with olive oil potatoes, the sweet & sour red mullet of Crete, zabaglione from Corfu, or Dubrovnik's ricotta & rose liqueur crepes. These are recipes steeped in history; dishes from the days when Venice was a world power. How did this small city state rule the waters of the Mediterranean, enjoying unrivaled wealth and prestige? How could this serene, safe-haven city of canals come to play a defining role in shaping the cuisine, culture, and architecture of her Mediterranean neighbors? Yet, for a thousand years, the ships and merchants of the Republic dominated salt, silk, and spice trade routes. To tell this story, respected writer and restaurateur Nino Zoccali focuses on the four key regions that geographically encapsulate the Venetian Republic, each of which has its own distinct cuisine: Venice and its lagoon islands; the Veneto, of which Venice is the capital; the Croatian coast and the Greek Islands formerly under Venetian rule. The 80 dishes he has selected all have strong traditional Venetian roots or influence, celebrating ingredients and techniques that show how, to this day, food in this magnificent region continues to be influenced by neighboring cultures. Stunning food and location photography from around Venice, the Dalmatian Coast, and Greek Islands make this cookbook a must-have for foodies and lovers of Mediterranean cuisine"-- Provided by publisher Part culinary journey, part cookbook, rich and evocative recipes and stories from one of Australia's most awarded chefs and restaurateurs. The food of the Venetian Republic is diverse: Prosecco and snapper risotto, Croatian roast lamb shoulder with olive oil potatoes, the sweet and sour red mullet of Crete, zabaglione from Corfu, or Dubrovnik's ricotta and rose liqueur crepes. These are recipes steeped in history; dishes from the days when Venice was a world power. How did this small city state rule the waters of the Mediterranean, enjoying unrivalled wealth and prestige? How could this serene, safe-haven city of canals come to play a defining role in shaping the cuisine, culture and architecture of her Mediterranean neighbours? Yet, for a thousand years, the ships and merchants of the Republic dominated salt, silk and spice trade routes. To tell this history, respected writer, chef and restaurateur Nino Zoccali focuses on the four key regions of the Republic: Venice and the lagoon islands; the surrounding Veneto; the Croatian coast; and the Greek Islands. Nino Zoccali's love of the floating city began many years ago when, just 21, he visited Venice for the first time. Executive chef and proprietor of Sydney's The Restaurant Pendolino and La Rosa The Strand, Nino is also an international olive oil expert and writes regularly for esteemed lifestyle, food and wine publications. He is the author of Pasta Artigiana, also published by Murdoch Books. From the days when it controlled the silk, saffron and spice trading routes from East to West, the culinary output of the Venetian Republic has reaped the benefits of its neighbouring cultures. Here, the food writer Nino Zoccali selects 80 dishes, such as Roast Lamb Croatian-style, Cretan Sweet and Sour Red Mullet and Ricotta and Rose Crepes from Dubrovnik, that demonstrate the region's rich heritage. Slightly off-mint. Recipes that chart the culinary history and traditions of the lands that once belonged to the Venetian Republic, with a particular focus on the Triveneto, Venice, the Dalmatian Coast and the Greek Islands.