Yes, we are studying while we are in Venice and the course we are taking (and passing with A’s) is “The Art of the Three Hour Lunch.”

Yesterday’s class took place at Vini da Gigio in Cannaregio and Nan was our teacher.  Both she and Monica had highly recommended this restaurant and so yesterday we met Nan there.  OMG, it was good.  We started with capelunghe or razor clams.  These are long, very thin clams that have a short season and which are as addicting as they are hard to find.

We then moved onto splitting a squash risotto with slivered scallops.  Of course, we had a different wine with this course!

We then moved onto our secondi or main courses.  I personally would have liked to be burped about then, but no such luck.  Alan had grilled squid, Nan had monkfish and I had moleche or tiny, softshell crabs.  I had been hearing about them for years but was never quite here in Venice in the right season.  Was I in Heaven or what?

Moleche (Soft Shell Crabs)

Grilled squid

Grilled monkfish

For this course too, we had a different wine.  We were forced by the owner (a friend of Nan’s) to split a dessert.  It was a semifreddo with chocolate sauce.  Coffee followed this.

Yes, it is mostly eaten as we attacked it when it came and then remembered to take a picture.  We lingered over coffee and then said our goodbyes and our “See you in two years.”  Luckily all three of us had places to walk to or we would have needed a wheel barrow to get home.  Alan and I headed over to Riccardo’s violin shop to tell him goodbye.  After visiting for about an hour, we went across the bridge and around the corner where we found the Libreria Acqua Alta or Bookstore Acqua Alta.  Some of you may remember that Alan had been here before, but he wanted to show it to me.  There are no words to describe the floor to ceiling piles of books in room after room.  In the back courtyard is a staircase built of books ruined by acqua alta.  Maybe next visit it will still be light outside so we can take a picture of that!  Home on the vaporetto and I was in bed with no dinner by 8:30.  I don’t think Alan had dinner either.

This morning was again foggy and Alan went over and bought our Alilaguna tickets for the boat to the airport Sunday.  We then decided that since Alan was going to Mestre to play music this evening we would have a nice lunch.  We went to Ristoteca Oniga which is right on Campo San Barnaba about 3 minutes from our apartment.  We split a caprese salad made with burrata instead of mozzarella.  Alan had spaghetti alla carbonara con pesce (carbonara with fish) and I had a trio of fish tartare including pink shrimp, cuttlefish and tuna.  We took no pictures but it was a really good meal.  Home again for Alan’s nap and now he is leaving for music.  Last full day in Venice tomorrow and then homeward bound.