One of the most appealing aspects of
Venetian social life is encapsulated
in the phrase "andemo a ombra",
which translates literally as an
invitation to go into the shade, but
is in fact an invitation for a drink
- more specifically, a small glass
of wine (an
ombra ),
customarily downed in one. (The
phrase is a vestige of the time when
wines were unloaded on the Riva
degli Schiavoni and then sold at a
shaded kiosk at the base of the
Campanile; the kiosk was shifted as
the sun moved round, so as to stay
in the shade.) Stand at a bar any
time of the day and you won't have
to wait long before a customer drops
by for a reviving mouthful.
Occasionally you'll come across a
group doing a
giro de ombre ,
the highly refined Venetian version
of the pub-crawl; on a serious
giro
it's almost obligatory to stop at an
enoteca - a bar where
priority is given to the range and
quality of the wines (for example,
Al
Volto ).
Most bars serve some kind of food
, their counters usually bearing
trays of the characteristically
Venetian fat little crustless
sandwiches called tramezzini
. Stuffed with delicious fillings -
eggs and mushrooms, eggs and
anchovies, Parma ham and artichokes
- they cost from L1500/?0.75 up to
about L3000/?1.50. Some bars will
have a selection of cicheti
as well, and even a choice of one or
two more substantial dishes each
day.
