Farewell to Venice and back on board

We bid farewell to Venice and board our beautiful train again – this time Bruno is looking after us. Strangely enough we are very hungry – even after we’ve seemingly consumed our body weight several times over, we are looking forward to our next meal. And this is lunch in the third dining car, with the wooden marquetry panels. The starter is ASPARAGUS WRAPPED WITH DELICATELY CURED PORK BELLY WITH WHIPPED BITTER ORANGE SAUCE & PARMESAN WAFER. The whipped bitter orange sauce is totally stunning, I intend to recreate it at the first possible opportunity. We have been entrance by the cutest little silver salt cellar at every meal, even though I don’t normally need to add salt, I am compelled by this one. We decide to procure a couple for souvenirs for ourselves (purchase not steal- obviously!) from the on-board boutique after our meal. The main is STONE BASS FILLET COATED WITH TOASTED SESAME SEEDS AND BAKED ON ITS SKIN, FENNEL BULB SIMMERED WITH VEAL GRAVY & STAR ANISE & PARSLEY POTATOES. To astound and confound our wine waiter I opt for a tasty dessert wine to accompany all courses – it actually went very well as it wasn’t too sweet. Obviously it went very well with our HONEY & CANDIED FRUIT ICE CREAM WITH CHERRIES & KIRSCH but it was very acceptable with the asparagus and fish also – and it gave the waiter the chance to raise his eyebrows every time he topped up our glasses! I aim to amuse!

Trip to the Cip!

We board ‘our’ private velvet lined motorboat from the carpeted gangway next to Piazzo San Marco. Our driver is wearing an Armani suit and shades – we feel like film stars! The Cipriani’s Fortuny restaurant is all delicately blown glass and amber-coloured mirrors and very attentive waiters. I ponder the infamous carpaccio as I am such a fan but I know they cover the rosy slices in a mayonnaise style dressing which is not my favourite choice so I decide to pass - D & I could always ‘whip’ up some when I get back home (if we have a few hours to spare!). Instead I have HOMEMADE PASTA WITH GREEN ASPARAGUS TIPS, SCALLOPS & A CLAM SAUCE. There was an awkward moment when it turns up with ‘extra surprise’ tomato but this is deftly dealt with! I’d been hankering after some fresh pasta whilst in Venice and this was a very fine example, a really beautiful sauce! I then tucked into a stunning BEEF FILLET WITH FOIE GRAS AND TRUFFLES accompanied by my potato and some ‘stolen’ GRATIN DAUPHINOIS (M’s distaste of potato can be very handy!). We manage to polish off a bottle of MONTEPULGIANO AVIGNONESI, which goes down awfully well. And with our delicious TUILLE BASKETS FILLED WITH CHOCOLATE ORANGE ICE CREAM we have a couple glasses of TORCOLATO MACULAN – a very honeyed dessert wine from Veneto and then stagger back to our hotel feeling somewhat ‘swayey’ – M’s new word for this unusual sensation!

Ups and downs in Venice!

It’s a beautiful day in Venice and we have a fascinating tour of the Grand Canal, the tapestry workshop and walk up and down many of the bridges! We have lunch of a fine proscuitto and mozzarella pizza and then finally find Harry’s Bar and have the obligatory Bellini (rather moreish!) and consider our options for our evening meal. We opt for the Cipriani.

See Venice and eat!

Well, I don't want to die! There's too much lovely food to be eaten first! Somehow we managed an afternoon tea of cake and Earl Grey before we see our first glimpse of Venice. It’s a vision one could never tire of – the skyline is so evocative, from pictures, films and my memory – it’s so good to be back! Despite our elaborate plans to eat, the excess over the last two days defeats us and after a seemingly endless quest for the ‘holy grail’ we finish the day with pistachio ice cream in Piazza San Marco.