Cicchetti (; singular ''cicchetto''), also sometimes spelled "cichetti" or called "cicheti" in Venetian language, are small

snack A snack is a small portion of food generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at home. Traditionally, snacks are p ...

s or side dishes, typically served in traditional "bàcari" (singular ''bàcaro'': cicchetti bars or osterie) in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, Italy. Common cicchetti include tiny sandwiches, plates of

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

s or other vegetables, halved hard-boiled eggs, small servings of a combination of one or more of

seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...

and vegetable ingredients laid on top of a slice of

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

polenta Polenta (, ) is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. The dish comes from Italy. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled. ...

, and very small servings of typical full-course plates. Like Spanish tapas, one can also make a meal of cicchetti by ordering multiple plates. Normally not a part of home cooking, the cicchetti's importance lies not just in the food itself, but also in how, when and where they are eaten: with fingers and toothpicks, usually standing up, hanging around the counter where they are displayed in numerous bars, osterie and bacari that offer them virtually all day long. Venice's many cicchetti bars are quite active during the day, as Venetians (and tourists) typically eat cicchetti in the late morning, for lunch, or as afternoon snacks. Cicchetti are usually accompanied by a small glass of local white wine, which the locals refer to as an "ombra" (shadow). One of the most enjoyable aspects of Venetian social life is contained in the phrase "Let’s go to drink a shadow" (

Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...

“''Andémo béver un'ombra''”). This is an invitation to go for a drink, and more exactly a small glass of wine (a "shadow"). It is a souvenir of the period in which wines were unloaded in the “

Riva degli Schiavoni The Riva degli Schiavoni is a Waterfront (area), waterfront area in Venice, Italy. There is a lively—albeit often overcrowded—promenade along the waterfront, which sits on San Marco basin, St. Mark's Basin. It was originally built in the ...

” and then sold in shaded stands located at the base of the Bell Tower of Saint Mark's Cathedral; as the sun changed position, the stands were moved so they could continue to stay in the shade (''ombra'').

References

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External links

Cicchetti Bar in Venice

Rick Steves: ''Crawling Through Venice's Cicchetti Pubs''
Italian cuisine Cuisine of Veneto