Beyond the bustle of touristy central Venice is a series of small islands dotting the Venetian lagoon. This is where Venice’s wine is made, vegetables are grown, fish is caught and bread is baked. These islands – Vignole, Sant’Erasmo, Lido, Pellestrina, Mazzorbo and more – make up the Venice that most people never experience, but you can. On this exclusive-to-Milk Street and seasonally changing 8-day trip, you’ll visit seven different islands, meet the artisans who safeguard Venice’s local culinary traditions, and cook with local vegetables, fish, seafood, fruits and wines. Based on Lido, Friend of Milk Street Marika Contaldo Seguso will be your cooking teacher and her longtime collaborator Lucia Marcolin will be your guide. Marika has spent her career building a community on these islands and has crafted this very special culinary journey for us through the history, culture and modern-day splendors of Venice.
This trip – refreshingly run without a single bus or car ride – changes seasonally, and our April departures are a celebration of spring produce, and in particular of the famous baby purple artichokes of Sant’Erasmo island. We’ll get them fresh from the fields to turn into risottos, carpaccios, cicchetti and more. In the fall, our focus switches to eggplant, zucchini, greens and, if we are lucky, mushrooms. We transform them into heartier fall risottos, frito misto, pasta sauces and more. Regardless of the season, this trip is a revelation, showing us a side of Venice rarely seen by visitors.
