The Doge’s Pearl: oysters from the Venice lagoon

“Why are our oysters so good? – wonders Ciampi – It is thanks to the microclimate of the lagoon, its salinity and the location of Cà Roman, in front of the Chioggia inlets, where thanks to the currents that carry abundant nutrients, such as plankton, our mollusks grow well, so much so that we are able to have them ready in 10 months, as opposed to the standard 12. With the current the oysters collide with each other and this determines proper development, simplifying the life of fishermen, who in any case periodically turn the special baskets in which we place the nurseries in suspension on the water, in this way it is possible to simulate the effect of the tides, giving the bivalves the opportunity to calcify their shells by developing their adult form thanks to exposure to the sun ».

“At the moment we have two production lines, “La Perla del Doge,” which is more manipulated and prized , and the “Serenissima,” both from seedings originating from species in the Philippines, but we are also working to breed the flat oyster, the one native to the lagoon that has been famous since Roman times,” says the president of Blu Oltremare. is a more fragile species, but we would like it to return to our tables as it was in the days of the Serenissima. However, we also want to work and not only breed in shellfish, in fact we are also thinking of making preserves and derivative products in the future, since even if bivalves grow less in winter, they can still be preserved in water. All our productions are purified before they are put on the market, and at the moment we manage to produce between one and a half tons after 3 years of operation, but we aim for 4/5 next year and 10 by 2029 ».

“In Italy there are only 13 fish farmers associated in cooperatives producing oysters at the moment,” points out Antonio Gottardo Agribusiness Sector Manager for Legacoop Veneto. even if they are few, as an association in the region we are initiating production diversification projects because monoculture, as clam farming has been for years, is no longer sustainable today and it is therefore necessary to think about alternative forms of farming. The crisis in the fishing sector caused by climate change and blue crab and deaths at sea negatively affects the sector, so we are also working to incentivize activities such as fish tourism and ichthyic tourism, as well as the farming of new species or less traditional ».

“With the fishermen we are engaged in real lagoon conservation activities. – he adds – from collecting litter in the sea to moving shellfish beds, precisely to strengthen the resilience of this fragile but valuable ecosystem. This is why the experience of Blu Oltremare is an important signal for those of us who represent the cooperative movement, because it gives us confidence and demonstrates a significant ability to react to a critical context, from which it was possible to find a cue to offer a product of excellence by inventing not only a new way of farming but also an experiential offer in a unique location, elements that together form an absolute innovation. Credit must be given for this bravery and courage, demonstrating not only the resilience of cooperation, but also setting a fine example of hope for young people, whom we seek to encourage to enter a sector that needs generational change if it is to have a future ».

“Every dish here is a celebration of the tradition of Venetian cuisine, combined with the experimentation offered by 0-km raw materials, freshly cooked by our chefs,” says Piero Ciampi. dishes tell real stories, interweaving the fresh catch of oysters with wild herbs and bold fermentations, each course is the result of careful research and respect for the land with the desire to give a memorable experience, not only to the palate. This is thanks to the “Tocià” collective, a group of chefs, who do not define themselves as chefs in the strict sense of the word, but fuse gastronomy, ecology and culture, investigating places through their flavors, discovering the relationships that are born and grow here ».

“The last tasting of the season, held on November 14, 2025,” he concludes, ” saw invited at the Casone “Da Sandro,” the fishermen’s pile dwelling of humble origins restored and made accessible for these events, a large group of gastronomic journalists and industry enthusiasts to close this series of appointments promoting the discovery of our product, the oysters of which we are proud. A unique and unrepeatable experience, in an unprecedented place, savoring a path of flavors that always leads back to the heart of the lagoon, where the spirit of the Venetian fishermen is renewed and transformed into an extraordinary association with the sea.” Now all that remains is to wait for spring to replicate this pleasant gastronomic discovery suspended over the sea.