There's something magical about sitting along the waterways of Venice, enjoying a prosciutto sandwich and watching the day unfold before us; a new mother and father introducing their bambino to the cafe owner and the gondoliers rowing past with tourists and locals alike.
Sipping my glass of vinno russo, a common house red wine in small eateries in Venice, I began to think back to home. The traditions I held so dear and grew accustomed to my whole life are enhanced by the local culinary traditions here in Venice.
We had grabbed a late lunch, a typical American practice back home, but an oddity here in Italy. Breakfast is a somewhat heavier meal eaten early in the day, making lunch a lighter experience. Pizzerias or astorias—akin to cafes in the U.S.—I've noticed are the normal place for Italians to grab a quick bite. Instead of a main course, small finger sandwiches and foods that pair well with wine are enjoyed, similar to what Americans consider snacks.
Ristorantes, restaurants in Italy, offer a larger selection of food compared to the cafes. However, some of the menu items cater to American palettes, since Americans make up a large percentage of the tourists in the country. For example, burgers and fries was a universal dish I found available at dinner time, attractive to those travelers less apt to try new and authentic Italian cuisine or those just craving some comfort food from home. The tourists we had the opportunity to travel with and meet in passing seemed to enjoy the Italian cuisine, which was excellent to say the least!
Another aspect of Italian restaurants that I've noticed is that the menu was often written in multiple languages in order to make it readable to the high number of non-Italians dining here. One of the translations aside from the expected English, Japanese, and French, was Russian. I was genuinely surprised to see the Cyrillic words since I had learned previously in my history classes that the Cold War ceased travel for most Russians. However, our tour guide, Anna, promptly informed us that after the fall of the Berlin Wall Russian travel increased and many Russians came to Italy, especially Venice, a popular spot for taking a holiday.
Expecting the Unexpected
Unfortunately, due to previous Soviet rule, Russian travelers had little money to spend because of the communist economy and as such did not help to boost the Venetian economy significantly.
As I notice the culinary traditions in Milan, Verona, and Venice I see that their fare is predominately seafood because of their easy access to the sea. This is different compared to what I expect to find as we travel to central and southern Italy. Looking back to my first travels to Italy, I can remember the cafes of Florence and Rome that offered, what to me, is a more traditional experience with Italian food.
Contrary to this perception was the lunch Professor Taylor, Lynn Beining, and I enjoyed in the Jewish ghetto. That food was a treat I won't soon forget. During the 15th century, since Europe remained anti-Semitic and most Jews searched for their own sanctuary, ghettos became common all throughout Europe. The Jewish ghetto here in Venice is still populated mainly by Jews, but offers a retreat from the touristy areas along the canal. It was in this neighborhood that we found Italian and Jewish eateries, that offered solely Italian cuisine—no American substitute dishes, no translations in the menus. Finally, a true Italian experience!
Venice is finally checked off my bucket list of places to visit, but not without remorse; I'm truly going to miss this “city of waterways”. Bellies full and satisfied, we board the bus looking on to the country sides of Tuscany. Looking back, I know the food I had and the memories I made will bring me back someday to this magical city.
-Kim Maro
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