I am working on a longer post — several, in fact — but meanwhile nibble these few morsels.
This is the apotheosis of Easter eggs in Venice, everything displayed in the glorious window of Drogheria Mascari at the Rialto Market. Most smaller pastry and chocolate shops offer some variety of eggs, as do all the supermarkets. Size, variety, glamor (cost, too, of course) all come into play when you’re deciding on the essence of Easter delectation. The price also reflects, to a certain extent, the value of the little doodad hidden inside. Did I mention they’re hollow? They are. Busting them open, shards of chocolate flying across the table, livens up the post-lunch torpor.This year our intrepid neighborhood pastry wizard underwent some important experience. A challenge? A request from somebody’s grandchild? A way of telling the public he just isn’t going to be forced to spend his remaining years turning out mere eggs or bells or any other chocolate cliche’? Behold the chocolate rat! I suppose he could have done an ascending dove, or a gamboling lamb, or a hundred little marzipan chicks, if he’d wanted to stretch his skills. But I clearly have underestimated this man, whom I have seen smile exactly once over the past 20 years. Stand by for news from the Melita pastry shop, where something epochal is underway. (Notice the horizontal line dividing the egg into equal halves. That’s the seam by which the egg is closed around the “surprises,” or tiny gifts, inside the oval.)The sheet of chocolate supporting the creature deserves admiration, though I can’t conjure a reason for the little silver nubbins. I honestly thought it was a beaver, at first glance. The Easter Beaver would be an animal that deserves more consideration, in my view. But a rat is also good. For Venice, maybe even better.This is the menu outside the Ristorante Giorgione on via Garibaldi. The prices are toward the high end — not excessive, but not bargains, either. It would appear, though, that no money was allocated in the budget for the display menu. I have never seen a menu in this condition. Unless it was created for the Biennale, thereby qualifying itself as a work of art, I have no idea how something like this could ever have been (A) made and (B) displayed and (C) displayed every single day. If there were any way one could bring to the owner’s attention how exceptionally bizarre this creation is, I might try it. But the owner obviously thinks this is fine.
Nothing to do with food, but this glimpse touches the same nerve as the Giorgione menu, along with everything else that just somehow doesn’t work for me. My brain says, “They needed a window, they made a window, everybody’s happy.” My eye says “Noooooo…”. The new resident above the former Negozio di Legnami (lumber store) didn’t bother removing its lovely frescoed sign. That would have cost money. Just slice out what you don’t need and on we go. Sharp-eyed readers will realize that this isn’t in Venice; we came upon it in Bassano del Grappa, a lovely town a mere hour away that I highly recommend.
Oh look — it’s peaceful coexistence. So it’s not a myth?Me here, you there — sure, we can do this.I like some fashion with my flounder. The passera di mare (Platichthys flesus), or European flounder, used to throng the lagoon. At some point the gilthead bream got the upper hand, and you hardly see this fish anymore. I’m glad the survivors still have style.
On a first visit to anyplace, it is easy to be spellbound by the monuments and miss these little details. Thank you so much for capturing and sharing them… and nudging us all to pay closer attention.
Erlamou,
I’ve never seen a flounder that was a sheriff. The law of the sea is
now in need of another official.
Great stuff, as ever.
Your one-time editee and always admirer,
Owen
Ciao. Sono da Cavaso. Vicino a Bassano. Come mi piace il ponte degli Alpini ( disdegnato da Palladio) un altro paisano da Possagno
Dove c’è una buonissima pasticceria. E il Yempio di Canova ( un altro paisano mio). Come mi
Manca! Ma spero Di ritornarci in settembre. Adesso sono in Hawaii ma abito
In California.
La prossima volta che vai in quella
Zona devi andar a mangiare in Locanda alla Posta a Cavaso. Rafaella e la famiglia sono ottimi
Cuochi. Gestiscono anche Spaghetti Rodi a Cavaso. Sogno il loro scoglio!!!!! Così buono!!!!
Minn no puoi suggerire dove mangiare a Venezia? Mi piace il ristorante alla Madonna e da Gianni. Viaggerò con mia sorella la quale è molto
Delicata!!!! Norma
I rarely suggest restaurants in Venice; the management changes, the prices go up, the cook quits, anything could happen to make your good experience turn out to be impossible to replicate. Example: The one time we were taken to dinner at Alla Madonna the meal was impressively mediocre. I could barely finish the fish soup it was so boring. So maybe it was just a bad night, but I will never recommend it. Restaurants don’t build up clientele because they have no reason to. We have had good experiences at Gianni, but there again — you look at Trip Advisor and discover it’s almost impossible to find everybody agreeing. I sent some friends to the Vecio Fritolin and they said it was the best dinner they’d ever had IN THEIR LIFE. But it was forced to close, for reasons I can’t recall, so no more recommendations there. Sorry I can’t be of help but I already have enough on my conscience.
Hello Erla,
I see that rats have 5-12 pups at a time, so maybe that could explain the 10 little eggs.
Always enjoy your comments and photos of the neighborhood.
Patty
Imagine you taking the trouble to find out the detail about the pups. Or maybe you already knew it? You sound like a very resourceful person! However, if the pastrymaker also knew it that would be borderline distressing. Rats in Venice is not a common topic of interest, unless you have them, of course.
11 Comments
On a first visit to anyplace, it is easy to be spellbound by the monuments and miss these little details. Thank you so much for capturing and sharing them… and nudging us all to pay closer attention.
It is gratifying to learn that the Melita pastry man did not just take a dislike to us, his grumpiness is not exclusive.
It’s good to see a truly certified starfish.
Thanks or a very interesting posting! Mouthwatering, to say the least.
Erlamou,
I’ve never seen a flounder that was a sheriff. The law of the sea is
now in need of another official.
Great stuff, as ever.
Your one-time editee and always admirer,
Owen
Flounders make excellent sheriffs, actually, because nobody pays any attention to them. Food for thought. Lightly grilled.
Ciao. Sono da Cavaso. Vicino a Bassano. Come mi piace il ponte degli Alpini ( disdegnato da Palladio) un altro paisano da Possagno
Dove c’è una buonissima pasticceria. E il Yempio di Canova ( un altro paisano mio). Come mi
Manca! Ma spero Di ritornarci in settembre. Adesso sono in Hawaii ma abito
In California.
Sono andata varie volte a Possagno per visitare il Tempio e il Museo. Stupendi!
La prossima volta che vai in quella
Zona devi andar a mangiare in Locanda alla Posta a Cavaso. Rafaella e la famiglia sono ottimi
Cuochi. Gestiscono anche Spaghetti Rodi a Cavaso. Sogno il loro scoglio!!!!! Così buono!!!!
Minn no puoi suggerire dove mangiare a Venezia? Mi piace il ristorante alla Madonna e da Gianni. Viaggerò con mia sorella la quale è molto
Delicata!!!! Norma
I rarely suggest restaurants in Venice; the management changes, the prices go up, the cook quits, anything could happen to make your good experience turn out to be impossible to replicate. Example: The one time we were taken to dinner at Alla Madonna the meal was impressively mediocre. I could barely finish the fish soup it was so boring. So maybe it was just a bad night, but I will never recommend it. Restaurants don’t build up clientele because they have no reason to. We have had good experiences at Gianni, but there again — you look at Trip Advisor and discover it’s almost impossible to find everybody agreeing. I sent some friends to the Vecio Fritolin and they said it was the best dinner they’d ever had IN THEIR LIFE. But it was forced to close, for reasons I can’t recall, so no more recommendations there. Sorry I can’t be of help but I already have enough on my conscience.
Hello Erla,
I see that rats have 5-12 pups at a time, so maybe that could explain the 10 little eggs.
Always enjoy your comments and photos of the neighborhood.
Patty
Imagine you taking the trouble to find out the detail about the pups. Or maybe you already knew it? You sound like a very resourceful person! However, if the pastrymaker also knew it that would be borderline distressing. Rats in Venice is not a common topic of interest, unless you have them, of course.