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| Bon Vivant Alessandro |
An Excursion in Venezia, or how I met Alessandro – an Italian Bon Vivant -
WHAT is Cicchetti – OK, think of it as happy
hour at the bar with free appetizers, it's that simple. Yes, I said free hors
d'oeuvres. One caveat IS of course, you're expected to continue to buy wine
while you partake in the free hors d'oeuvres. For some locals, it’s at their
favorite bar. Others will go from one bar to another. But it's quite an
interesting event not experienced at every restaurant; it seems to be generally
at a bar or the bar area of a restaurant.
And the menu varies from location to location; the foods are somewhat a function
of how high-end or moderate the establishment is. Nevertheless, as with all of our experiences
with Italian food, it is all really, really good!
SOMETIMES we have
a slice of pizza or toast with some cheese and maybe a slice of ham on it, along
with nuts, olives, sometimes even a fruit; other times, it’s a more elaborate
spread. How would you know it's a Cicchetti at the bar? You pretty much
see around 5 o'clock people standing around the bar or some round tables, a
good indicator that it's “Cicchetti time”.
HOW. For us it
was our first day in Venezia, remember that word for “Venice” - with a
forewarning. We had just arrived at the “Ghetto” – no kidding, (‘get outta here!’).
We walked to the Rialto, as previously identified and scheduled by
Alessandro. Alessandro was our
consummate tour guide, interpreter of fashion, customs, language and
decorum. It was a very pleasant walk. We
were a little concerned we might get lost, but we didn't, and arrived at the
Rialto reasonably on time. It was a group of other Americans so it was all in English.
(Phew!) Our first stop started at a
restaurant where we had a private room set aside for us which gave Alessandro
greater opportunity to explain what we would be doing for the next two hours
that evening. We enjoyed the wine, and the waiter brought in dishes of foods,
then more, and more, each a different dish.
ALL this was in
preparation for the group to have an opportunity to ask questions like: Why aren’t
we using long-stemmed glasses? How does he like living in Venice? My girlfriend
asked what he thought of “grappa”, he seemed pleasantly surprised an American
would know of “grappa”. I won’t be telling you all the “outrageous” comments –
HILARIOUS – that he would address that evening, but … I did take him up on his
comment that you drink “grappa” in the morning; after you have had your
espresso and there is a little coffee foam or ‘crème’ on the bottom, you pour
in a splash of “grappa”, which I had the opportunity to imitate at Trattoria
Bar Pontini, next door to our hotel, The Hotel Filu, (“Ciao Valentina &
Federica.”) Just down the street from the Gam Gam Kosher restaurant. Lovely
area, the Ghetto!
TO return to
Alessandro – I won’t take from him all that he’ll share with you about every
subject you can imagine...“how my mother makes pasta”, “what the only good
pasta is”, “how to make Tiramasu and thoughts of the Tiramisu you get at the
restaurants”, “Aperol or Campari?”, “how he wants you to refer to his city”.
I could go on,
but I’d be doing a great disservice to you, the Reader. But rest assured, I
will guarantee that you will greatly enjoy the experience, that you will laugh
so hard, come away better educated, and enjoy learning how to do “Cicchetti” on
your own.
CONTACT Alessandro
– you can contact Alessandro by emailing him at the following address:
TELL him
Constantine sent you. You can meet Alessandro with Rick Steves on a YouTube
video.
THIS is not a
paid advertisement for Alessandro. Nor am I related to Alessandro.
& it's pronounced --- "chi KET ee"
 |
A Cicchetti Bar |
…………………………………………
BOIRE
Drink – Prosecco
with Campari, or just chilled Prosecco.
Cicchetti – green olives drizzled lightly with olive
oil and sprinkled with parsley or Oregano
Music –
Pavarotti!
Bisous, Constantine
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