appetizers http://www.trifter.com/tags/appetizers New posts about appetizers How to Cicchetti http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/World-Cuisine/How-to-Cicchetti.188787 When one thinks Venice, the word tapas is not typically part of the vocabulary. But, while the small plates are a Spanish custom, it's not all that strange to find them in Venice. In its days as a major trading post, the island city traded not only with Spain but with the moors, who are thought to have pioneered the snack foods, and Venice, in turn adopted its own version: cicchetti, a favorite early evening bite among Venetians, many of whom have post-work drinks and snacks in tiny local publs (baccari).

It's a fun way to mingle and an inexpensive and delicious way to have a meal. With options ranging from tiny salami sandwiches to toasted polenta, it's tough to choose what to have, but all the options are bite-sized, making it easy to have a little taste of everything. Think deep-fired mozzarella, Try deep-fried mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, olives, and prosciutto with melon. Anything, in short, that can be eaten with a toothpick.

But how to do cicchetti?

When in Venice…

When in Venice, do as the Venetians do, of course. A giro d'ombra (giro means stroll and ombra literally translates to shade) is a Venetian version of the pub crawl. The name reflects a time long since passed, when a portable wine bar would move through St. Mark's Square, so as always to hide in the shadow of the Campanile bell tower.

There is no more wine cart on St. Mark's, but the ombra, which is slang for a glass of wine, lives on, and can be found in baccari in back streets throughout the floating city, and with wine comes cicchetti. When seeking out baccari the trick is to get lost, and this is not tough in Venice. Simply wander away from St. Mark's and into the maze of residential back streets, where plenty of baccari are waiting, complete with counters full of bite-sized savories and wines by the glass written on chalkboards.

Though ordering a whole plate is an option, the true Venetian way is a slow sampling. Sip wine, or, to be truly authentic, start with an aperitivo (a before-dinner drink), like a Bellini or a Prosecco and work your way through the toothpicked noshes, starting with a little of this and moving on to that (and that and that…), and finally ending with a fragolino, the local sweet wine, which typically comes with a small biscotti for dipping. Since the bars aren't open very late, get an early start (by 6:00 pm) which will allow access to the best cicchetti.

]]> Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:29:37 PST How the Ybanag of the Philippines Make Pickled Pepper http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/World-Cuisine/How-the-Ybanag-of-the-Philippines-Make-Pickled-Pepper.95368 Preparing pickled pepper or sili nga artem, coming from both kinds of pepper is the same. Both could be used as appetizer either ripe or unripe. The preparation of this appetizer is very simple. One has to gather fresh sili from the garden and put in a clean bottle/jar locally known as garafon. The pepper or sili is washed first and its water dripped for a while to remove excess water. This preserves the life of the pepper or sili. Thereafter, the pepper or sili is put in the jar or garafon. A cup of vinegar, preferably the native vinegar which is the silam na nipa or nipa vinegar, is boiled they give better taste and greater aroma. One teaspoon of salt is added to one pack of black pepper. As soon as the mixture is boiled, it is poured onto a bottle with pepper (sili). The pickled pepper (sili nga artem) cannot be used immediately after its preparation. The pepper (sili), mixed with all the other ingredients, is fermented for five days. After the 5th day, the mixture is ready for use.

The fermentation is an indispensable stage so as to bring out the best aroma and flavor of the appetizer. Family members partake in eating this appetizer as soon at they are served on the table.

]]> Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:24:19 PST How the Ybanags of Cagayan Valley in the Philippines Make Onion Salad http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/World-Cuisine/How-to-Make-Onion-Salad-Among-the-Ibanag-of-Cagayan-Valley-Philippines.95354 To prepare this appetizer, the Ybanags would do the following:

  1. First, the onion is chopped. Usually, the onion used for this purpose is native and young. The onion is pricked with a knife at its tip for this is believed to prevent tear-shedding. The size of chopped onions should be fine because chopping it in this size brings out the flavor and aroma of this spice.

  2. Then two bulbs of chopped onions are mixed with four tablespoons of calamansi and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Once they are mixed, it is stirred for equal distribution and blending of the spices.

Onion salad complements well roasted fish, meat or vegetables. This addannokan or dipping is most commonly used among the Ybanag families.

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