Food and Wine Venice
To fully experience a city, it is always advisable to approach the habits of
its inhabitants, to discover their tastes at the table, their rituals and the
places they are used to attending. In other words their daily lives.
Small rites were born in Venice and little by little they have become very
famous and have spread. One of them is Spritz: a low alcoholic aperitif
that Venetians and not only, taste with great pleasure.
Its name is a pleasant surprise. It seems that at the time of the Austro-
Hungarian domination, the soldiers were used to drinking a glass of wine
stretched with a bit of water. The verb they used was “Spritzen”. The
word “spritz” Venetians use is a remembrance of that habit.
The aperitif is made up of one third of Prosecco (a famous grape variety
of the near province of Treviso) or of white wine, one third of Campari or
Aperol, one third of sparkling water with soda water and an olive!
Besides the Spritz, also the “ombra” (shadow) is famous. It is just a glass of wine, but this name goes back to the past and we don’t know its origin. One of the theories says that there were wine-stalls near the church bell towers and it seems they moved them to follow the projected shadow of the bell tower to remain fresh.
If you want to taste the specialities of the Venetian kitchen, you will particularly find seafood dishes besides the usual common dishes and the famous Venetian liver.
- As to appetizers or the famous “cicheti”:
the white and creamy creamed cod
Sarde in Saor: sardines seasoned with sweer and sour onions - As to first courses
Famous are “Risi e Bisi”: risotto with peas
Squid ink tagliolini
Scampi alla busara with spaghetti
Bigoli in salsa (seasoned with anchovies and onions)
Pasta and beans. - As to second courses
Venetian liver (cooked with onion)
Polenta and cuttlefish
Mixed fried - And to end sweetly Zaeti or Bussolai dolci and Esse (they are a speciality of the Island of Burano and alos grouped with the name of Buranei); Baicoli, dry and crunchy biscuits. Fava del morto made from almond oaste. They are normally eaten early in November, when we celebrate the day dedicated to the dead( I morti) If you are here at Carneval don’t forget to taste Fritole (pancakes): the original Venetian onesa are not filled of custard but of raisin. Venice is ful of restaurants, taverns and “cicheteri”. Some are very famous, some are less well-known but highly recommended! In our guide at our guests’ disposal you will find a lot of addresses and advice to give you delight.
