Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Cicchetti Time Or My Time With Alessandro in Venezia

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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