TASTE VENICE : and discover it is not about pizza and pasta.

Table of Contents

LOCAL PRODUCTS.
TASTE VENICE SPECIALTIES

Wines of Veneto. Birra Italiana. Italian Spirits.

Taste Venice through its fresh local seafood. — Seafood is the star of Venetian cuisine.

Venice was La Serenissima, the Republic of Venice, from 697 A.D. until 1797 A.D. So they have Italian recipes over 1300 years old. They must have incredible pizza and pasta, right?

Well, you can find them in the cafes catering to the visitors, but they are not local dishes. And they are not what I would be looking for in Venice.

So what do the locals eat? Here is a hint. Venice sits in the middle of a lagoon. Like most places, popular dishes are a product of what they can get their hands on locally.

So we are looking at seafood from the lagoon and fresh vegetables they grow on nearby islands,

And you may find some pasta, but it will be taking a backseat to the main ingredient.

So how do we taste Venice?
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Taste Venice through Local Products

D.O.P. (PDO) products come from a specific area. They have characteristics due to that particular geoclimatic environment, and production takes place in that region.

I.G.P. (Protected Geographical Indication) is less specific. Part of the product and only part of the production has to take place in the region.

For example, in a PDO wine, all the grapes come from the region where they make the wine. An IGP may have grapes from various areas, and part of the wine production may take place outside the zone. PDO products have many more rules and regulations. You should see that in the quality and, unfortunately, the price.

Growing on the islands of Venice has its limits due to available space. The islands currently have no D.O.P products.

They do grow small amounts of the following I.G.P. products.

Asparago di Badoere I.G.P. – asparagas

Of course, that is seasonal as Italy is about fresh produce. — Asparago di Badoere IGP

Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco I.G.P. – radicchio.

There are several islands in the lagoon that are predominantly for growing. — Here, radicchio is growing on the Venetian island of Chioggia.

And they grow many other vegetables that they pick fresh for cooking such as peas, beans, and artichokes. Almost all of the products they are growing on the islands are for local consumption. Menus reflect what produce is in season.

On the mainland, (Veneto) they grow many P.D.O. and I.G.P. products.
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Breakfast

Coffee, often with milk before 10 A.M. is the main course in a Venetian breakfast. At home, it may include cereal, (Not covered in sugar) or a roll with marmalade.

Coffee is a food group in Italy. — Breakfast Venetian style

In public, you will not find the grain, so it is just a croissant or roll.

Don’t panic. Hotels know Americans need 1000+ calories just to get out of bed.

Hotels cater to Italians and visitors. — Breakfast Venetian Visitor style.

Lunch is the big meal (usually) and the evening meal is a light supper or round of Cicheti.

Taste Venice Specialties.

Prima un Apperativo (first an Apperativo)

Apperativo is a small finger snack to stimulate the appetite. In Italy, it is not an appetizer. The appetizer has more substance and is part of the dinner.

The selection depends on what was fresh at market. — An assortment of Cicheti.

In Venice, they call these small bites a Cicheti (small food). You taste them at an authentic bacaro (traditional Venetian tavern). To drink, you enjoy an aperitif or Ombra (small glass of local wine). Confusing?

Fun Fact: In Venetian Italian, the word Ombra means shadow. Before there were bars, the merchants selling wine would do so in the shadow of the tallest structure in town. This spot was usually under the bell towers. The sun would heat the jugs ruining the wine. Venetians would say “let’s go get some shadow (shade)” meaning let’s go get a drink. Over the years, they begin calling a glass of wine a “shadow,” or ”Ombra.”

A Cicheti is little finger food that you can eat standing up with a glass of wine in one hand. Most bars sell them by the piece 1-2€ each.

If the conversation is good, it is not hard to order another plate and another wine and before long, you are full. — Wine and cicheti can turn into a meal. I know.

What does a Cicheti contain? That ultimately depends on what the chef can find fresh at the market that morning. It is not unusual to see 15 – 20 different offerings at the first bacaro. Then 15 different ones at the next. Seafood, meats, cheeses, vegetables, and spreads offer endless combinations.

Appetizers (Antipasto)

Pasta e faxioi – is a bean soup typically with long noodles.
Sarde in saor – is probably the city appetizer. They fry sardines. In another pan, they saute onions adding vinegar towards the end. They also add raisins, giving the mixture a sweet and sour taste. They layer this over the sardines and let marinate. Some chefs add other seasonings and ingredients such as pinenuts.

You can find them just about anywhere and should try them. — Sarde in saor (sardines and onions).

Baccala Mantecato – is a fish mousse they make with salted cod or Baltic stockfish. They simmer it before flaking the meat only. They slowly mix in olive oil until it is like mayonnaise. Seasoning includes pepper and salt if the fish is not already salty. You spread it on slices of fresh toasted polenta or bread.

Rolls, toast, crackers, it goes on just about anything. — Fluffy Baccala Mantecato, ready for spreading.

Pasta

Once again, you will not find pasta as a traditional dish in Venice, but it does exist. Locally grown risotto rice is the carb of choice in many first (Primo) course dishes.

Bigołi in Salsa – is a long, thick, whole wheat pasta similar to spaghetti. The Bigoli pasta is a local product of Venice., making this a taste Venice owns. The salsa begins with sauteing onions in olive oil and a little wine. They do not brown the onions. Next, they add the flesh of salt-cured sardines or anchovies and simmer until it is a thick sause. They toss it with the cooked pasta. Traditionally it was a holiday dish, but now they serve it all year round in Venice.

Although it is not a major ingredient, pasta is still made fresh. — The rough Bigoli pasta really holds the sauce.

Rixi e Bixi (Risi e Bisi) – is a tasty dish from the poor people. It is Italian Vialone Nano rice with pancetta (Italian bacon,) and peas that they slowly cook in a pea broth. They harvest the peas mid-to-late spring. You may find it later in the year, but the peas will not be fresh.

Sometimes it is a rice dish, other times it is a weak soup with a little rice and peas, depending on how many you — A peasant soup of rice and peas.

Risotto

Risotto de gò – is a rice dish starting with fish stock. They use the Ghiozzo (go, or goby) fish from the Venetian Lagoon. After cooking the Vialone Nano rice in the stock, they add butter and parmesan cheese.
Risotto al Nero di Sepia – This seafood-based risotto is a taste Venice loves. The risotto simmers in a stock of shrimp shells, carrots, celery, onion, and tomato paste. A mixture of red wine and squid ink turns the rice a jet-black color and with a distinct briny flavor. They add the chopped shrimp right before serving.

Every chef seems to have a slightly different presentation or recipe. — This Risotto al Nero di Sepia has large sections of shrimp.

It is not unusual to see locals eat these starters as an entree. They increase the portion.

Entrees (Secondo)

Fegato ała Venesiana – is the local take on calf’s liver and onions. It has a distinct flavor combination. The earthy flavor of the liver mixing with the sweetness of the sauteed onions. I am not a fan of offal, but this is one of the better dishes I have tried. They say this classic dish converts many persons claiming not to like the taste of the liver.

Like many recipes, it seems to be more chefs choice and less recipe card. — Fegato alla Veneziana, I have seen it with lots of onion and almost none.

Mołeche – is the Venetian version of soft-shelled crabs. In the late spring and maybe in early fall, the small green species of crabs molt, losing their hard shell. Unfortunately, the new crab shell grows back within hours. They dip the crabs in an egg and flour bath before frying them. The crabs are between 2-4 inches in width.

These are a delicacy for those who like crab. — Mołeche – Soft Shell Crabs.

The size and availability make them a delicacy which also means costly. The last time I was in the Rialto market, they were around $30 a pound.

Połenta e Schie – consists of small lagoon shrimp that they fry and usually serve over white polenta. FYI – the lagoon shrimp is a brownish-gray color after cooking, not the pink you may be expecting.

The bay shrimp are more of a gray than pink color after cooking. — A slight variation on Połenta e Schie. Usually, the shrimp are small bay shrimp.

Fish Sepe al Nero – begins with the black risotto from the primo course. Cuttlefish is a popular protein along with other fish.

Taste Venetian Desserts

Baicołi – are flat biscuits that hail from Venice. Ships in the old days did not have bakeries aboard. The need for a cookie with an extremely long shelf life was necessary. By going through two acts of leavening and double baking the flat oval biscuits, they were successful. Someone, thinking the cookies looked like sea bass (Baicoli), gave them the name. Today, they use them for dunking in coffee or with zabaglione, a light custard.
Fritołe (Frittelle) – is an Italian sweet dough, typically containing raisins, orange peels, or lemon peel. They roll them in balls and fry them. While hot, they sprinkle them with sugar. They also fill them with custard. They are everywhere during Carnival. The rest of the year you have to look.

Plain or with filling, no one can eat just one. — Frittelle (Carnival Balls).

Pinza (Pinsa) – is a dessert flan they usually make only for Epiphany time. It consists of cornmeal and different dried fruits such as figs and raisins and nuts.
Xałeti (Zaletti) – is the Venetian biscotti. The dough includes cornmeal and raisins.

I see more people eat them without dunking them. — Small bite size Zaletti cookies.

Taste Venice Summary

So where do you start? With a Cicheti of course. After the Rialto market closes for the day, several bacaro open. There is a great vibe in the area. After work, the market becomes the city’s living room with groups chatting and mingling. Make a night of it.

Or find a traditional restaurant off the beaten track where the locals dine. These do not seem to exist in the area between St Mark’s and Rialto.