Venetian cicchetti with figs, robiola and pistachios

This recipe for fine fig cicchetti is super easy, really quick to make and a real eye-catcher on your cicchetti buffet. The Italian soft cheese Robiola flatters the figs and is topped with a nutty crunch of pistachios.

Cicchetti & Spritz – this is Venice!

Venice offers cicchetti in an incredible range – from the very simple “cut” to the noble cicchetto, which almost means the effort of a small dish. But it’s not always just the cicchetti that create the experience, sometimes it’s certain originals behind the counter. For example Sam at Arcicchetti Bákaro near Piazzale Roma.

Cicchetti with chanterelles – almost like in Venice

When I think of Venice and Cicchetti I start daydreaming. Normally my dearest captain would be on the Adriatic Sea at this time of year, I would certainly be with him on board and we would have made some nice Cicchetti tours through the beautiful lagoon city. Would. Would have. Subjunctive. Nothing is normal in these Corona times. The ships are not sailing, they have been on anchorage for months. Well, if we can’t go to Venice, we’ll do the cicchetti at home.

Ombre & Cicchetti – Venetian lifestyle

In the past, winemakers in Venice sold their wine on St. Mark’s Square, rolling their wine barrels in the shadow of the Campanile. Hence the name “Ombra”, because Ombra means shadow. From eleven o’clock in the morning almost every Venetian drinks his first glass, his ombra. What is by no means lacking are the famous Venetian Cicchetti. These are the most sophisticated little appetizers you can think of.

Venice going nuts with Vogalonga

Venice is almost like coming home. I was here already so often to go aboard with my dearest captain. This time he picked me up on a Sunday morning in June on the shuttle bus from Treviso airport, and took me almost immediately in a “quiet, idyllic restaurant right on the canal with food as at home in a Venetian family.” The food was indeed as promised. The atmosphere… quite different…

Trattoria Antiche Carampane – away from Venice’s main artery

Softshell Crabs were the recommendation of the very friendly waiter in the Trattoria Antiche Carampane, crabs who are changing their shells. I had read that these crabs, called Moeche in Venetian dialect, existed in Venice. It is rather rare that we have never tasted a special food. This was a first. And a successful one!

Cicchetti in Venice

To begin with, I honestly thought what the Venetian’s hype about those “sandwiches” would be. They name it Crostini, that is Canapées – more or less. Today I know: You have to get involved in it and enjoy Cicchetti like the tapas in Spain with a walk through several wine bars in Venice. Then you get behind it very quickly, what makes the special charm of these hearty little things.

Shore leave Venice

The early bird catches the Venetian worm. Between 6 and 10 am, the lagoon city shows up the most beautiful – before the endless tourist-lindworm rolls over the Rialto Bridge and overflows the famous St. Mark’s Square. “Early in the morning and late in the evening, you can enjoy Venice’s morbid charm and unique atmosphere the best,” the captain recommends.

When my fish seller sends a whatsapp… we’ll eat octopus

In Spain, Italy and Portugal we love to eat octopus salad as starter or octopus Galician style – the latter we often had in Barcelona’s taverns in the Barrio Gotico and liked it most in the Bar Celta Pulperia. A simple and authentic dish – wonderful! But how to cook it?