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A day of "cicchetti" hunting in Venice
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Italy is full of cities rich with art and architecture, but in order to truly experience and understand these cities you must look beyond the galleries, museums, and historical buildings.
There is in fact another, less orthodox, way to approach these cities, which is worthy of consideration. |
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THE SMELLS AND TASTES OF VENICE |
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The idea is to visit a famous city such as Venice guided by its cuisine. This cannot be achieved by simply sitting down at a restaurant table and ordering a variety of dishes from the menu.
An unseen Venice exists among the throngs of tourists yet to be discovered. To enjoy its sights, sounds and smells the visitor must be equipped with a comfortable pair of shoes and the energy to go to sleep late and wake up early, but the rewards are well worth the effort. |
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Our tour begins about six in the morning because the magic of the morning atmosphere is worth the effort all 12 months of the year, including in foggy December.
Never mind breakfast, that will be taken care of along the way. Venice early in the morning is completely different from the city bursting with tourists that we are used to, the near silence of the city is the first difference to strike us. Another difference we can notice is that the city speaks "Venexian", the dialect which during the day must give way to Italian and English. An ancient and melodic language, "Venexian" is worth a listen even if not easily understood.At this point we head for the ovens, following the smell of warm breads still piled high in their baskets.
With a little luck you can find a baker who has just finished preparing "Chalà" or "pane del Sabato" (Sabbath bread), a tradition of the Jewish community well worth a taste.
If "Chalà" is not available then it's time to try "Baìcoli", "Bussolài", "Galàni" and "Zalèti", the typical local cookies in corn flour. They should be dunked in a steaming cup of cappuccino along one of the thousands canals criss-crossing the city.
Having satisfied our morning hunger, it's the perfect time to head toward the Rialto bridge and one of the local institutions: the fish market. In order to truly enjoy the market, you must arrive early, while the stands are still full of fish from the lagoon and a myriad of molluscs and crustaceans. The market is the continuance of five centuries of tradition, where once it was the fishermen themselves who came to this place treasured by the Venetians to sell their catch.Between the "bacalà" (salt-cod) and the "moleche" (crabs), the "sardele (sardines) and the "go" (goby), a stop at the Rialto market takes us closer to the next "rite" of the hidden Venice: the "Cicchetto" (one or two-bite snack food).
Similar to Spanish "Tapas", "Chicchetti" are eaten in the morning, because in Venice the day is long and there is no time to waste.
Accompanied without exception by an "ombra" (literally, "shadow"), another local institution, which consists of a small glass of white wine. This curious term owes its etymology to wine vendors in St. Mark's square who would strategically place their stands in the shadow of the bell tower to keep the wine cool.
In the local dialect the phrase "andar per ombre" (literally "going for shadows") is still used today to denote the late-morning snack and glass of wine. There are many establishments, called "bacari", to choose from which serve "cicchetti", therefore there is the possibility to try two or three different versions.
Among the most well-known places Da Pinto (S. Polo 367), Vivaldi (S. Polo 1457) and "l'antico Dolo" (Ruga Rialto 778) are worth a visit.
The "cicchetto", which varies seasonally and from place to place, consists of a bite of fish or cured meat on a bed of polenta or bread and can be served cold or hot. So, while you sip your "ombretta" you may savour "baccalà mantecato", clams, tasty baby octopus. Also not to be missed are "Nervetti" (boiled veal cartilage served with oil and vinegar) or "Sorpressa" (the typical large salami, often served on a square of warm polenta). |
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Be careful, however: the purpose of the "cicchetto" is to better understand the nature of Venetians and maybe swap stories with other adventurers; lunch is another story altogether.
Lunch should be enjoyed in a much more tranquil and reserved environment. This way you have all the time you need to savour the pasta typical of Venice; "bigoli" (fresh pasta like large spaghetti) with a simple sauce of garlic, oil and a few anchovies or, if you don't care for fish, with "Anara" (duck) sauce. Also worthy of note for spaghetti lovers is "Spaghetti co le bibarasse" (spaghetti with white clam sauce). For the second course one may choose "Fegato alla Veneziana" (veal liver sliced thin and sautéed with onions) or, if in season, fried "moleche" (soft-shell crabs) (moulting seasons are from March to May and October to November). And for dessert, a cup of "Tiramisù".
For the afternoon rest period we can soothe our guilty feelings by stopping in a "campiello" (where the narrow alleys open up into a small square) to read a good book on the city's art and architecture. |
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After such a morning, one can find the strength and energy to continue only in a "spritz" (a white wine spritzer with a splash bitter). With renewed vigour we can proceed on a walk along the "Fondamenta delle Zattere", one of the best places for a leisurely walk lined with fourteenth century palaces along the Giudecca canal. All this before moving on to the Grand Canal to catch the blazing red sunset over the lagoon.
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 Albergo Hotel Danieli
Riva degli Schiavoni, 4196
30122 Venezia (VE)
Tel e fax: 041/5203356-26480
Internet: http://danieli.hotelinvenice.com/
233 luxury rooms and elegant suites
Every room has air-conditioning, television, private phone, and self-service mini-bar
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