Posts

Venetian “cicchetti”

It is an appetizer, consumed usually in the morning when there is no time to lose.
In Venice, the cicchetto is bound inextricably to an “ombra” (“shadow”), ie a glass of wine. This local institution seems to take its name from the habit of merchants to place the barrels of wine in the shadow of the bell tower of San Marco to keep the wine cool, still in the lagoon city is said to “andar a ombre” (“go for shadows”) when wants to indicate the ritual of the mid-morning snack.
There are many bacari (wine bars) where you can find the cicchetti, the composition of which varies depending on the time of year. It is a little taste of fish or meats, hot or cold, resting on bread.
Sipping the “ombra” is possible for example to taste salt cod, sardines in sauce, clams, sea snails, just boiled octopus and nerves (gristle of veal boiled and served in vinegar and oil).

The “Spritz”

Spritz is a cocktail of Austro-Hungarian origin (the name comes from the German verb “spritzen,” which means “to spray”) it was born from the simple mixture of carbonated water and wine, as the Austrians could not withstand the high alcohol Venetians wines. Become established over time in the bars especially in the Veneto region, the drink has changed the recipe: water has become “soda” and wine “spumante”. But it is above all added at least one third ingredient, which varies according to the inspiration of the barman and can be Aperol, Campari or Select. Because of its nature and popular for its strong regional connotation, spritz it has struggled to impose themselves on the national market until (with the complicity of the decisive Aperol campaign) has broken through the wall of mistrust, conquering the rest of Italy and today his way through the cocktail buffet, steals the show to caipirinhas and caipiroske, puts together lovers of wine and cocktails, reaching halfway to alcoholic taste and texture.