Introducing: Indulge, a new fortnightly column

Many Indians today are heading to Italy for the summer – not surprising really – it’s sunny, the food is by and large good and caters to vegetarians quite easily (pizza, pasta, salads, soups, desserts, gelato) and people are generally friendly and not too bothered if you don’t speak their language. The hands say a lot and we sort of get by. And Italians are a lot like Indians -umbilical cords are still attached way into your forties, men are bullied by their mothers, people always seem to be embroiled in family dramas and you can generally strike up a bargain even at designer stores just mentioning the word “cash”.

Karen and friends - VeniceSo, yes, I have over the years, grown fond of Italy. It is familiar and yet it isn’t. Unlike most tourists who understandably head for the spectacular scenery of the Amalfi coast or to Tuscan villas, I go to Venice. If I’m going to spend time and energy and hard earned money on travel, I want beauty and plenty of it. I also invariably want to be near water and history and art. Food does feature in there somewhere. Venice ticks all my boxes. It’s a lovable addiction. When you hear ‘Venice’ what comes to mind is San Marco (St Marks Square), canals and gondolas. Nothing wrong with the tourist traps. Just do them early morning Monday-Thursday when the cruise ships are away. Months to avoid are June-September when it is not only full of tourists but is as hot and humid as Thailand. The rest of the year is glorious except December and January when it can be bleak. Even if the “tourists” are around, they are a predictable lot and you don’t really have to run into them – they eat pizzas, take pictures of each other over bridges, walk endlessly dragging their luggage through Venice’s maze of tiny alleys and streets trying to find their over-priced B&Bs and get blackmailed into paying extortionate prices for a gondola ride. Escape all this by taking a short boat ride to either Giudecca, the island right across from San Marco or to Lido the island with a long stretch of pristine beach where Venetians have their summer homes. These are just short boat rides from San Marco on the local boat bus, the vaporetto. A longer ride will get you to the islands of Pellestrina and Chioggia beyond and to picturesque Torcello. And if you’re really in search of how the locals live, try the countryside of Sant’Erasmo over the weekend.

I know I’m in Venice when I sit at a bar and order a spritz, a local drink made with Campari or Aperol (slightly sweeter than Campari) with a splash of prosecco (local bubbly) and soda. Along with that you munch cicchetti, local little fried snacks like crumb fried olives stuffed with meat or mozzarella balls. If I’m really desperate and can’t wait, I’ll have a spritz and a snack on the car ferry on the way from the airport or at the café where you wait to board the car ferry. I’ll order a piadina, a grilled flat bread sandwich with prosciutto and cheese or a tramezzini, a sandwich made of with white bread and usually stuffed with a mound of tuna and mayonnaise.

Tramezzini 3When I arrive in Venice, my first food stop is a salumeria, which is an Italian gourmet shop or delicatessen. They have an excellent selection of cheeses from all over Italy, salamis, prosciutto (ham from Parma or San Daniele), anchovies stuffed with capers, baby red peppers with tuna…special olive oils and pastas (even some made without wheat), braciole affumicate di maiale (smoked pork chops). If they are not too busy, they are quite happy for you to taste before you buy.

Foodwise, Venice really offers everything from the ridiculous to the sublime to the really down to earth…..you can eat badly and you can eat very well. Italians are not skillful cooks like the French but they do have superlative produce – olive oils, wines, prosciutto (cured hams) and salamis, cheeses, fruit truffles….Many tourists prefer not to take a chance with local specialties and are content with thick slices of pizza, a gelato on the go and a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce for supper. Others are drawn to well known but expensive experiences like Florian, the 18th century cafe on St Marks Square, Hotel Danieli overlooking the picturesque lagoon, Harry’s Bar and the Gritti Palace on the Grand Canal. I ask Venetians. Yes, they drop into Florian for a coffee…which they drink at the bar inside not seated at a table. This is about a third of the price to sitting on the square. Harry’s Bar? What a disappointment; Not much more than a hole in the wall on the Grand Canal. On our last night, we decide to throw caution to the wind (along with our bank balance) and headed to Cipriani for a bellini…..prosecco and the puree of highly aromatic fresh white peaches. Cipriani still makes the real thing whilst others in Venice, including Harry’s Bar, I am reliably informed, use frozen pulp. Gasp! Cipriani seems to be synonymous with Venice, the good life, a long and interesting history and filmy glamour and you get to it via their private boat! It is well worth it …the pomp, the splendor, the food and the amazing service…and something you must do in your lifetime.…at least once.

Enjoy a slice of Italy at the following places in Pune

  • Prego, Westin Pune, Koregaon Park
  • La Terraza, Hyatt Regency, Nagar Road
  • Alto Vino, JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road
  • Favola, Le Meridien, Raja Bahadur Mill Road
  • Little Italy, Bund Garden Road
  • Greedy Man Pizza, Kalyani Nagar
  • Baked and Wired, Viman Nagar
  • Dario’s, Koregaon Park
  • Dezio, Kalyani Nagar

 

Karen Anand 1Food Guru Karen Anand is one of India’s best known food and travel writers. Based in Pune, Karen has over the last 25 years also overseen the production of gourmet products. She is also founder of the popular Farmers’ Market which now runs in seven Indian cities. Indulge will appear every other Saturday on Pune365.

Karen Anand