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Cicchetti (Italian:[tʃikˈketti];sg.:cicchetto;Venetian:cicheti,sg.:cicheto; from theLatinciccus, meaning 'small quantity'), also sometimes spelledcichetti, are smallsnacks orside dishes, typically served in traditionalbàcari (sg.:bàcaro; i.e.cicchetti bars orosterie) inVenice, Italy. Commoncicchetti include tinysandwiches, plates ofolives or othervegetables, halvedhard-boiled eggs, small servings of a combination of one or more ofseafood,meat and vegetable ingredients laid on top of a slice ofbread orpolenta,[1] and very small servings of typical full-course plates. Like Spanishtapas, one can also make a meal ofcicchetti by ordering multiple plates. Normally not a part of home cooking, thecicchetti's importance lies not just in the food itself, but also in how, when and where they are eaten: with fingers and toothpicks, usually standing up, hanging around the counter where they are displayed in numerous bars,osterie andbacari that offer them virtually all day long. Venice's manycicchetti bars are quite active during the day, as Venetians (and tourists) typically eatcicchetti in the late morning, for lunch, or as afternoon snacks.
Cicchetti are usually accompanied by a small glass of local white wine, which the locals refer to as anombra (lit. 'shadow').[citation needed] The term is a remnant of the period in which wines were unloaded in theRiva degli Schiavoni and then sold in shaded stands located at the base of theBell Tower ofSaint Mark's Basilica; as the sun changed position, the stands were moved so they could continue to stay in the shade.[citation needed]
