Over the past 40 years, fast food “restaurants” have sprung up all over Italy. While this makes it easy for the tourist to understand the menu, it deprives one of the opportunity to taste local fresh food, even if it is local fast food.

The Italians typically have very little for breakfast. In Venice, the typical fare is a brioche (apricot jelly filled croissant) followed by a shot of espresso. As lunch is generally eaten at 12:30 or 1:00, a small sandwich is eaten in between breakfast and lunch, to help tide them over. These sandwiches are known as “tramezzini”.

The true origin of the word “tramezzino” is difficult to trace. Some simply say it means “in between”. Others say that it was a word created by the facist regime to replace the foreign word “sandwich”, popular at the time. But the dictionary defines “tramezzo” as a wall or partition; therefore, “tramezzino” would be a small partition, connecting breakfast and lunch.

Whatever the origin, when you don't have time (or money) to sit and enjoy a full Venetian meal, stop in a cafe or bar and have a tramezzino. They are made on a special type of bread called pan carré. It looks like standard American white bread without the crusts, and is filled with fresh ingredients, typically mayonnaise-based such as tuna and olives, egg and tuna, ham and mozzarella, ham and artichokes, shrimp and asparagus, or mozzarella and tomatoes. While the tramezzino exists in many parts of Italy, both the bread and the fillings vary substantially from what you see in Venice.

In 2010, these sandwiches were EU1.50 if you stand up, and between EU2.00 and EU2.50 if you sit down. They are a great deal, and go down well with a spritz or a glass or Prosecco.

So when you are in a rush, eat like the Venetians. Your tummy will thank you.

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