If you visit Venice in the springtime, one dish not to miss is risi e bisi. The creamy Venetian rice and pea creation was traditionally only eaten on feast days when decreed by the doge.

It particularly played a large part in the feasts of 25 April, when the doge ate it as a ritual to celebrate the feast day of Saint Mark, the patron saint of the city. Now the dish is eaten throughout the year, but especially in the spring when the youngest, more tender peas can be used.