I wanted to write this book to introduce you to the culinary world of Venice, so on your next visit to La Serenissima, you can stroll through its markets, taste its real cuisine and the incredible variety of seasonal vegetables grown in saline soils, and discover the treasure that is the seafood of the lagoon with its legendary flavour. (La Serenissima was the name for the Republic of Venice, an independent state until the late eighteenth century.) This cuisine will surprise you. Its wealth and variety reflect the numerous relationships the city has developed over the centuries with the populations of cities such as Rome and Byzantium, and a variety of cultures: the Jewish traditions and those from trading posts in Istria, Dalmatia… My recipes are drawn from tradition and from secrets shared by Venetian friends and restaurateurs. Venice is a magic city for the curious-minded. It’s up to each individual to choose ‘their’ Venice.