The Aperol spritz may have captured the hearts and minds of Italophiles across the globe, thanks to an aggressive and ongoing marketing campaign by its parent company, Campari. But Select Aperitivo, Venice’s own red bitter liqueur founded in 1920, holds its own in the city on the lagoon. The fire-engine-red, low alcohol-by-volume aperitif is served in the bars and bacari (think Venetian tavern) of the Serenissima alongside finger food called cicchetti.
Host your own Venetian aperitivo featuring the Select spritz. Mix three parts prosecco, two parts Select, and one part sparkling water in a wine glass. Top up with ice and garnish with a big green olive. To be honest, you could simply serve the drink with a bowl of potato chips and olives skewered with toothpicks, and you’ve got a Venetian party on your hands. Or you can go a more elaborate (though by no means massively time-consuming) route with more substantial snacks. Here are some of my favorite bites to make when I’m hosting an aperitivo at home:
Jammy Eggs with Salted Anchovies: Lower a few eggs into a pot of gently boiling water. Cook at a bare simmer for 6½ minutes, cool in an ice bath, peel, then slice to reveal the jammy yolk. Garnish with a salted anchovy and season with a tiny bit of Maldon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Tuna Salad Tramezzini: Prepare your favorite tuna salad recipe, adding more mayo than you normally would and a spoonful of capers, then make a sandwich on pancarrè (white bread) or Wonder bread (really!). Press the sandwich closed at the edges, cut the crusts off, then slice the sandwich diagonally into halves or quarters. If tuna isn’t your thing, layer sliced hard-boiled eggs with prosciutto cotto (ham) for another classically Venetian treat.
Mortadella Cubes: I love a thin sheet of mortadella as much as the next Rome dweller (it’s our #1 sandwich filling), but it doesn’t exactly offer the satisfying snap of this amazingly simple snack. Cut a thick slab of mortadella into ¾-inch cubes, then top each with a single pickled pearl onion or a small pickled pepper (I like peperoni veneti, sold locally). Fasten in place with a toothpick.
Cicchetti: Toast slices of baguette (I usually make two to three per guest) and top with an assortment of flavors. I take my inspo from Bar All’Arco, a legendary spot near the Rialto Market. Smear one piece of toasted baguette with Gorgonzola and top with either some roughly chopped walnuts or a single salted anchovy. Top another with roast beef, mozzarella, marinated eggplant, a thin slice of lemon, and hot honey. Layer capocollo, roasted cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella on another piece of toast. For a gluten-free alternative inspired by old-school bacari, top a 2- by 1-inch square of grilled polenta with a griddled baby cuttlefish, skewer together with a toothpick, and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
For more Venice recommendations, see my full guide here as well as my cookbook, Food of the Italian Islands.
