Truman Capote said, "Venice
is like eating an entire
box of
chocolate liqueurs
in one go."
He may have had something there.
October 19-25, 2008 - Cost: $4,400.00 per person
Double Occupancy, Exclusive of Airfare,
Boat Transfers Included
•
6 Nights Luxury Ensuite Lodging
•
2 Big Night Chef Table Dinners
•
“La Cucina Veneziana” Lessons at Da Fiore
•
Exclusive Dinner in a Private Palazzo
•
Off the Beaten Path Food Artisans and Artists
•
Hands -on Cooking with a Local Cesarina
•
Behind the Scenes in one of Venice’s Finest Restaurants
•
Hands-on Cooking in our Palazzo
•
“Secrets of Venice” Luxury Shopping Guide
•
Private Boat Tour to the Islands
•
Museum Tours
TRAVEL ICONS
Feast of the Orient Express
In order to understand Venetian cuisine, you must first understand a little history. For years Venice was the crossroads of the trading of spices between Europe and the Orient. In the trattoria and on the streets, locals and people the Middle East, Asia and Turkey met and with them came their products and recipes. The various cuisines became known and diffused among the population. From these encounters came dishes such as "riso al cavroman", a Levantine method of cooking the castrato with cloves and cinnamon, which was transformed by the Venetians into their risotto. "Sardelle in saor" are plates with fried sardines placed on a bed of browned onions which were changed by adding spiced vinegar, pine nuts and raisins.
For travelers and
traders, Venice became a place of mystically glittering Byzantine
mosaics, serpentine Arabesques, fantastic color, and above all,
a kaleidoscope of exotic flavors.
Today, anyone can come to Italy and know they will eat well. From the smallest trattorias, you can be sure your meal will be served with a passion and camaraderie that is unrivaled in all of Europe. Don't be surprised if, during one of our dinners out at a favorite neighborhood hotspot, the owner pulls up the chair next to yours pours a sip of vino and tells you about the way his mama used to prepare the pasta! It's a rite of passage here in Italy. The fertile countryside around Venice offers food in abundance to local chefs and foodies including vegetables, fruits, game, large shrimp and river trout. Venetian cooks are proud of their ability to combine foods and invent sauces to enhance to original flavor of the ingredients.
Venice's special relationship to the sea has created a cuisine that is rich in seafood and dishes like fritto misto, seppie
in nero or zuppa de pesce. What could be more simple than combing rice and peas with broth? The Venetians are experts at determining the correct amounts of ingredients to combine to perfection. And they are prolific in their recipe creation. Where else can you find thirty delicious ways to prepare that most common of fish, "baccala`"? Other staples are beans and polenta. The classic "minestra di pasta e fagioli" is simple but delicious. Polenta is a basic ingredient of Venetian cooking. Seafood depends on the season but is prepared in the simplest manner.
Our Vagabond Gourmet adventure in beautiful Venice offers many options to fill the days. Laura will be off early to the markets for special ingredients to prepare favorite local favorites like a classic brodetto or truffled risotto, and of course for dessert tiramisu which was actually invented in the Veneto!
Here in Venice, you will taste it all, and learn to cook a few of the tried and true recipes to take home to your own table.
Casanova Slept Here
If you listen to the stories of the Gondoliere, this seducer of 18th century Venice slept just about everywhere prior to being jailed in the Doge Palace and making a spectacular escape. We'd like to think he did flirt with the lady of the house in our fabulous grand palazzo.
To live as the Venetians
we thought, why not live in grand style, so our choice of accommodations
is just one more reason why this Vagabond
Gourmet adventure will be so memorable. If you're a lover of the arts, a hopeless romantic or share a passion for food this is a trip not to be missed.
After a walking tour of the city and several stops to marvel at the sumptuous architecture and monuments it's so relaxing to return to our special residence and watch the scenery from the balcony or sit in our garden with a glass of wine. In late afternoon the gondoliers will gladly weave you in through the canals with singing and amusing tales of the city.
Your stay at the palazzo is the ultimate in luxury vacations, and you'll soon feel millions of miles away from the hustle and bustle of your life back home. But don't throw away your to-do list just yet. As with any Vagabond
Gourmet tour, the only required task on our agenda is to eat well and have fun. Are you up to the challenge?
Movable Markets
How can you not love a Gothic city floating in a lagoon without cars and the only passage is by boat or foot? A city once as famous for her courtesans as the lavish Baroque palaces that adorn the Grand Canal where decadence and hedonism are still celebrated and masquerade is high art. Everywhere you are reminded this is the city of Carnevale with masks, costume shops, luxurious fabrics, and jewelry. High society sips coffee and savors gelato surrounded by the monuments of Piazza San Marco as musicians play waltzes from curtain lined platforms.
Walking through Venice in the early morning hours is a treat. Fishing boats are still unloading their nets and delivering them to the Farmers' Markets that line the Grand Canal. Bakers bring fresh pastries and breads to sell at the market. And local farmers also don't forget about Italy's most savored sweet- gelato. If you've never tried this frozen delight, then you're in for the treat of a lifetime. American ice cream will never taste the same again. Pair it up with an Italian cappuccino or espresso (make it a corretto for a little extra punch). Both put the American versions to shame.
A trip to the Rialto Market is flurry of determined shoppers, eager vendors and the curious. Fresh produce, handmade marzipan, butchers and bakers galore line the stalls and streets from the Rialto to San Polo. The crown glory is the Rialto fish market where fishermen have sold their catch, sometimes right off their boats for centuries. No fancy display cases just buckets of crushed ice and tons of fish and seafood still wiggling. Baby squid, tuna, sardines, sea bass, mussels, prawns, and clams are most familiar, then there's the specialty of the day the fishmonger will have to explain! Across from the fish stalls are spice shops and little markets selling exotic oils, dried fruits, nuts and grains. Polenta and risotto are transformed into wonderful Venetian specialties that symbolize the city's historic trading with the Orient.
Trinkets & Treasures
Along the Calle XXII Marzo are the coveted fashion galleries of Valentino, Gucci, Prado, and Vitton and Bulgari, just to name a few. Near San Marco is a dizzy maze of countless trinkets but between them are often treasure shops too. Hand crafted clothing, leather, jewelry, gorgeous shoes and accessories can all be found in the hidden shops off the beaten track. Antiques, fine ceramics, tapestries, and exquisite "objects of desire" tempt you at every corner.
The Venetians have long held a gift for intrigue and one can't help but be seduced by her charms. Beyond the souvenir shops are neighborhoods time has forgotten. For the adventuresome a stroll in these quiet little corners have many surprises. An old man is hand carving a cello and through his open door you see countless instruments hanging from the wall and ceiling. Costume and mask makers have their latest creations on display or invite you to watch them work.
No trip to Venice would be complete without a visit to Murano, an island that lies about a mile north of Venice, and is famous for its glass making, particularly lampworking. But Murano is not only fascinating for this phenomenal artistic treasure, but also for its history and significance to Venetian life.
Murano's reputation as a center for glassmaking was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction to the city's mostly wood buildings, ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. Murano glass is still interwoven with Venetian glass. Murano’s glassmakers were soon the island's most prominent citizens. allowed to wear swords, enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and found their daughters married into Venice's most affluent families. Of course there was a catch: glassmakers weren't allowed to leave the Republic. However, many craftsmen took this risk and set up glass furnaces in surrounding cities and as far afield as England and the Netherlands.
This Vagabond Gourmet adventure combines the best of both worlds just like the blend of East and West was brought to the city long ago from the merchants and explorers.
Living as Venetian
Poets, scholars, writers and historians of all ages have attempted to describe the wonders and mysteries of this magical city. Truly, it can only be experienced by escaping into her labyrinth of canals and crooked streets. Venice is a feast for eyes and soul, a city for lovers, a city for indulgence and simply one of the most beautifully bewitching places on Earth.
In the evening most Venetians are strolling the streets near San Marco or the Zattere with a gelato. People watching and window shopping are ideal for many but if not a trip to the Ca Vendramin Calergi casino housed in a grand palazzo on the Grand Canal might be more glamorous. The newly reopened Teatro de la Fenice has a dance festivale while we're there and an evening spent here would be most memorable Or you could dance the tango in the Campo d Frari fueled by grappa and espresso!
Venice is a feast for art and history lovers too. One could easily say the entire city is a living museum filled with glorious relics of Doge's, noblemen and the wealthy. The Doge’s Palace and numerous other palaces, and monuments are testimony to Venice's days as a major power. The finest artists were commissioned to create masterpieces and riches of the world were imported from some of the finest Gothic architecture is seen in the ornate Ca'Oro and the lavish Ca'Rezzonico. The Gallerie dell' Accademi houses the largest collection of Venetian art in existence and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of modern art is one of the most visited sites in the city.
Exploring the city by traghetti is an excellent way to crisscross the sestieres and for such a small place there is a tremendous amount to see. Our favorite picks are detailed in the itinerary and if this is not your first trip to Venice we'd love to share some hidden gems we've found.
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In order to understand Venetian cuisine, you must first understand a little history. For years Venice was the crossroads of the trading of spices between Europe and the Orient. In the trattoria and on the streets, locals and people the Middle East, Asia and Turkey met and with them came their products and recipes. The various cuisines became known and diffused among the population. From these encounters came dishes such as "riso al cavroman", a Levantine method of cooking the castrato with cloves and cinnamon, which was transformed by the Venetians into their risotto. "Sardelle in saor" are plates with fried sardines placed on a bed of browned onions which were changed by adding spiced vinegar, pine nuts and raisins.
After a walking tour of the city and several stops to marvel at the sumptuous architecture and monuments it's so relaxing to return to our special residence and watch the scenery from the balcony or sit in our garden with a glass of wine. In late afternoon the gondoliers will gladly weave you in through the canals with singing and amusing tales of the city.
How can you not love a Gothic city floating in a lagoon without cars and the only passage is by boat or foot? A city once as famous for her courtesans as the lavish Baroque palaces that adorn the Grand Canal where decadence and hedonism are still celebrated and masquerade is high art. Everywhere you are reminded this is the city of Carnevale with masks, costume shops, luxurious fabrics, and jewelry. High society sips coffee and savors gelato surrounded by the monuments of Piazza San Marco as musicians play waltzes from curtain lined platforms.
Along the Calle XXII Marzo are the coveted fashion galleries of Valentino, Gucci, Prado, and Vitton and Bulgari, just to name a few. Near San Marco is a dizzy maze of countless trinkets but between them are often treasure shops too. Hand crafted clothing, leather, jewelry, gorgeous shoes and accessories can all be found in the hidden shops off the beaten track. Antiques, fine ceramics, tapestries, and exquisite "objects of desire" tempt you at every corner.
No trip to Venice would be complete without a visit to Murano, an island that lies about a mile north of Venice, and is famous for its glass making, particularly lampworking. But Murano is not only fascinating for this phenomenal artistic treasure, but also for its history and significance to Venetian life.
Poets, scholars, writers and historians of all ages have attempted to describe the wonders and mysteries of this magical city. Truly, it can only be experienced by escaping into her labyrinth of canals and crooked streets. Venice is a feast for eyes and soul, a city for lovers, a city for indulgence and simply one of the most beautifully bewitching places on Earth.
