What to eat Venice? culinary specialties and gastronomy

In a city known for its sometimes extreme refinement, it's hardly surprising that Venetian cuisine displays unparalleled creativity and savoir-faire, despite the use of fairly simple products, but prepared with great care and skillfully seasoned.

As in the rest of the country, a traditional meal in Venice consists ofantipasti, a primo (pasta, risotto or soup), a secondo (meat or fish) with or without contorno (accompaniment), followed by dessert and, above all, coffee. Typical Venetian cuisine is mainly based on fish, while meat is more common in the rest of Veneto (poultry, pork, lamb), not to mention vegetables, which are used extensively. But few meals contain so many elements, and it's possible to feast on just a few hors d'oeuvres, which can constitute a meal in their own right.

Cicchetti is a Venetian term for what would be called antipasti in the rest of the country. They are generally eaten in bàcari, the local equivalent of the Italianosteria. As Venice is a city of water, cicchetti are mainly fish-based. Choose from sarde in saor (fried sardines marinated in vinegar), small squid, fried or just grilled, cuttlefish in its ink(sepe nere), octopus, breaded fish fillets, and moeche fritte, fried soft-shell crabs. These highly prized crabs are caught when they are moulting. Their shells remain soft for only a few hours, allowing them to be eaten whole without shelling. Alternatively, the classic insalata di mare takes the form of a mixture of various seafoods, generously lemony and flavored with garlic and parsley.

For those who don't like fish, polpette (small meatballs), melanzane/zucchini in carrozza(eggplant/zucchini fritters filled with melting mozzarella) are often available. The ever-popular tramezzini are triangular sandwiches made with sliced bread and toppings as varied as salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, artichokes in brine or anchovies with hard-boiled eggs. Crostini are topped with a similarly varied topping, but take the form of small slices of toasted bread. Another typical Venetian appetizer, carapaccio di cipriani is a modern version of an ancient recipe - carne cruda all'albese - which was revived in the 1950s by Giuseppe Cipriani, chef of Harry's Bar. It's made with paper-thin slices of beef, decorated with arugula, Parmesan shavings and capers. It's usually seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or sometimes with a richer topping of cream, mayonnaise and mustard. Unlike the rest of Italy, cheese and cured meats are not widely produced in Veneto. There is, however,asiago, a cheese made in the town of the same name at the foot of the Dolomites.

Although Veneto's primi are dominated by pasta and rice, polenta holds an essential place in the region, even though it is very often used as a contorno (side dish). Originally, this cereal purée was made from barley or millet, now replaced by corn. Although it looks easy, cooking polenta requires stirring the corn flour for several dozen minutes, as the porridge becomes increasingly dense and pasty. It can then be served hot and creamy, or left to cool, where it becomes firm before being sliced and toasted with a drizzle of oil. Polenta bianca, from Venice, Padua and Treviso, is finer and paler than classic polenta. Typical of the Po Valley, risotto is also very popular in Veneto. Risotto di ghiozzo or gò is a simple risotto topped with goby flesh, one of the most common fish in the Venetian lagoon. The classic risotto al nero di seppia, with ink, is garnished with pieces of cuttlefish, while inland there's also risotto al tastasal, flavored with sausage meat. Risotto all'Amarone is simply seasoned with a broth flavored with red wine. Risi e bisi, with pancetta and peas, is slightly more liquid than a classic risotto, and originated in Vicenza. Conversely, there are few traditional pasta recipes in Veneto, as in the rest of northern Italy. The exception is bigoli, thick spaghetti molded by a press, giving it a slightly grated texture, ideal for holding sauce. Bigoli in salsa are served with an anchovy and onion sauce, while bigoli con l'anatra are accompanied by a duck-based ragù. Although originally from southern Italy, it's impossible to miss the famous spaghetti alle vongole in Venice, where it goes very well with clams(vongole) from the lagoon, all flavored with white wine, aromatic herbs and olive oil. Tortellini di Valeggio sul Mincio is a pasta stuffed with beef, pork and vegetables, emblematic of the eponymous village south of Verona. Finally, pasta e fagioli(pasta e faxioi, in Venetian dialect) - a peasant dish par excellence - is a thick bean soup topped with long, flat pasta. Vegetables are essential to the region's cuisine, with many Veneto varieties such as radicchio di Treviso rosso, radicchio variegato di Castelfranco and raddichio di Chioggia . White asparagus from Bassano is ideal for preparing asparagi in salsa, served with a sauce of anchovies and capers, while chicory, for example, is cooked al forno with plenty of olive oil and served with pasta or risotto. Potatoes, squash, artichokes, red radishes, broad beans and many other vegetables are regularly eaten.

Not surprisingly, the most popular secondi in Venice are most often fish and seafood. The Mercato ittico all'ingrosso di Chioggia, south of Venice, boasts the largest fish market in Italy. Baccalà (dried cod preserved in salt) is precious to the Venetians, who once used it as currency in the spice trade. Usually accompanied by polenta, there are several recipes, such as baccalà alla vicentina, simmered in milk for several hours before being sprinkled with parmesan and au gratin. Baccalà mantecato, on the other hand, is more like a garlicy cod purée, akin to brandade. Zuppa di cozze e vongole is a light soup of mussels and clams in white wine, served in a plate on a bed of toasted bread. Beyond the well-defined recipes, there are all kinds of fish and seafood from the lagoon, simply grilled with a drizzle of oil. Some parts of Veneto form a veritable maze of marshes and canals where eels thrive, sometimes roasted with laurel(bisato sull'ara).

As for meat, one of Venice's most famous dishes is fegato alla veneziana, a recipe for calf's liver fried with very thin slices of onion. Brasato all'Amarone is a beef stew made with Amarone wine, while pastissada de caval - an ancient dish now less common - is a horsemeat stew flavored with bay leaves, nutmeg and cloves, simmered with vegetables until the meat melts. Both dishes are served with polenta. A rarer peasant specialty, lesso e pearà , a kind of pot-au-feu - originally from Verona - containing beef and sausage ( cotechino type), is served with pearà, a creamy, peppery sauce made from stock, breadcrumbs and beef marrow. Castradina is a recipe for mutton and cabbage, simmered for a long time in wine with onions and spices. Grigliata mista is simply an assortment of grilled meats: pork ribs, beef ribs, sausage, brisket and chicken breast, all accompanied by polenta, also grilled. More delicate, maiale al latte is pork braised over low heat in milk. Oca in onto is similar to a kind of duck confit, the only difference being that goose is used in Veneto. Finally,anatra alla vallesana is a dish of wild duck cooked in an anchovy and vinegar sauce.

The Veneto - like many Italian regions - is fairly poor in desserts, compared to the long list of savory dishes. There are, however, a few tempting specialties. The best-known of these, even if few fans are aware of it, is tiramisù. Its origin is actually a matter of debate, with several regions of Italy (notably Friuli-Venezia Giulia) disputing its paternity. It's likely that this dessert derives from zuppa inglese, a Renaissance dessert consisting of layers of egg cream and cookies soaked in liqueur (usuallyalkermes). However, the modern version with coffee, mascarpone and cocoa is said to have originated in a Treviso restaurant, Le Beccherie, in the 1960s.

There are many older specialties, such as pan del Doge, a dense, rich brioche decorated with raisins, candied orange peel and almonds. The dough is sometimes flavored with orange blossom, honey or white wine. While connoisseurs will enjoy it plain, gourmets will love the pistachio or chocolate versions. Its name comes from doge Silvestro Valiero (1630-1700), a great lover of good food. Consumed at Christmas, pandoro is a brioche from Verona, descended from pane de oro, traditionally served on the tables of the Venetian aristocracy. Not to be confused with the Milanese panettone, which is a little denser and topped with raisins.

There are also a number of cookies - perfect for taking home with you - such as bussolai (ring-shaped, from the island of Burano), basi di dama (almond paste with cocoa) and lingue di suocera (chocolate-covered cookies whose name literally means "mother-in-law's tongues"). Mandorlato is a variety of nougat made with almonds and honey. Venetians enjoy a wide range of sweets during Carnival, which has been held in the Serenissima since the late ^11th century. These include frittelle alla veneziana, small sugar doughnuts sometimes filled with vanilla cream, and crostoli, similar to bugnes from Lyon, shaped like lozenges of crispy dough. Finally, zaletti are carnival cookies made with corn flour and raisins and flavored with grappa.

Thanks to its privileged but unstable ties with the Ottoman Empire, Venice was the first city in Europe to import and consume coffee beans. The first café is said to have opened its doors in the city of the Doges as early as 1640, and since then Italians have remained inimitable when it comes to preparing coffee. These include the classic espresso, macchiato (literally "stained" with a drop of milk). Café au lait is known as caffé con latte, not to be confused with the famous cappuccino, which must be frothy and sprinkled with cocoa. Finally, caffé corretto is enhanced with a dash of liqueur. For those who shun coffee a little, you can also enjoy an Italian-style hot chocolate, known for being almost as thick as a dessert cream.

And to sip a hot drink in a setting worthy of the name, Venice boasts some exceptional establishments such as the famous Caffé Florian - located on Piazza San Marco - inaugurated in 1720 under the name Alla Venezia Trionfante, but quickly renamed by the clientele in honor of its owner, Floriano Francesconi. It boasts several rooms with eclectic decor inspired by Oriental, Baroque and even Chinese influences. Another legendary venue, the Gran Caffé Quadri, opened in 1775 by Venetian merchant Giorgio Quadri, is renowned for its richly decorated pastel interiors.

The Veneto region is Italy's leading producer of quality wines, with 20 DOC(Denominazione di Origine Controllata) zones. White wines from the Veneto region are particularly appreciated in Italy, especially those produced in the Treviso region, such as spumante di Valdobbiadene di Cartizze. Also noteworthy are verduzzo, whose name recalls its light green color, and tocai, fragrant and dry. The volcanic soils of the Padua region produce pinello, serprino and the fragrant fior d'Arancio, a sweet, aromatic wine made from yellow muscat grapes. Around Verona, near Lake Garda, lie the region's best-known estates.

Red wines include Valpolicella, Bardolino and Clinto, perfect with game. Another quality red is recioto. Among the whites, wines from Soave, Montello and Asolo are recommended to accompany fish. Last but not least, fragolino evokes a nose of strawberries - hence its name - and you'll find it in both red and white. Drink it as a digestive, accompanied by small cookies.

Already well known in France, prosecco, also known as prosecco di Conegliano or prosecco di Valdobbiadene, is sometimes a very fruity dry wine, sometimes a sparkling wine belonging to the spumanti family. Prosecco can be found in a thousand different ways, including in numerous cocktails created in Venice, such as the emblematic Spritz, made with prosecco, Aperol (a bitter liqueur from Padua), sparkling water and orange slices. The Bellini blends prosecco and white peach purée. In the same vein, Rossini is based on strawberry purée, which is replaced by red grape juice to make a Tiziano. Finally, the Sgroppino is a sort of Venetian-style trou normand: a scoop of lemon sorbet is served in a bowl, topped with vodka and prosecco. It's a refreshing accompaniment to a hearty meal, and is particularly popular with primo and secondo pairings.

Many cocktails, such as the Bellini, have their origins in the legendary Harry's Bar, a stone's throw from St. Mark's Square. Founded in 1931, it takes its name from an American student, Harry Pickering, who came to Venice in the 1920s with his aunt to treat his alcoholism. Abandoned in the city by his aunt, his story so moved Giuseppe Cipriani, then the hotel's bartender, that he loaned him 10,000 lire to enable him to return home. After recovering from his alcoholism a few years later, Harry Pickering returned to Venice and tracked down Cipriani: as a token of his gratitude, Cipriani returned the original loan sum, to which he added 30,000 lire. The former bartender was then able to set up in his own name, and Cipriani himself decided to call his establishment Harry's Bar, in honor of his benefactor.