Delicious delicacies to share with friends and predecessors of modern finger food: the history of the cicchetti is also that of a community, it talks about social bonds, the time spent together and the love for one’s territory and good food to share.
The history and origin of the Venetian cicchetti
The cicchetti take their name from the Latin ciccus which means “small quantities” and in fact are usually small and creative delicious bites, which consist mainly of slices of bread seasoned or fried. Initially they were consumed inside premises called “bacari”, small Venetian taverns where they were eaten without cutlery and the food and wine offer was certainly affordable. According to some, the name of these places derived from “Bacchus” – the god of wine – but, in ancient times, the “bacari” were nothing more than the vintners who travelled to Venice to sell their products.
The traditional cicchetti
The classic cicchetti are prepared with typical ingredients of the region: fish, boiled eggs, cold cuts, cheeses, stir-fried vegetables. Two great must-tastes are the salted cod and ‘sardine in saor‘. However, there are also innovative recipes that mix the Venetian tradition with that of other countries, thus making for some reinterpreted gourmet proposals.
In the shadow of the campanile
Traditionally, Venetian cicchetti must be accompanied by a shade, that is, a small glass of wine typical of the territory, such as Prosecco for example. This custom is believed to have taken its name from Venetian merchants who used to put benches for the wine to be poured in the shadow of St. Mark’s Campanile to keep it cool.
Taste more
