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The Results Are In - Part 22

Yes, once again it is horn tooting time. Just to clarify, it’s a virtual horn…more of a metaphorical horn, really. Though I played the trombone in high school, I promise that you would not want to hear me tooting that specific horn today. So all said, I hope you enjoy this horn tooting as I fill you in on the latest accolades that have come my way.

And, it’s a bit more than just photographs. There was something about one of my photographing expeditions that affected me deeply. At the end of today’s article, you will see what it is. I’m wondering if you will experience some of the same emotions that I felt then, and still today.

“Toot!!!”

— Steve

The international Spider Awards is a competition for black and white photography. The recognition today comes from the 17th annual competition, which had over 7,000 entries from 69 countries.

A word about the recognition. Over twenty international, industry experts reviewed the photo submissions. There is a competition for professional photographers and amateur photographers…as I don’t come close to making a living off my photography, I am an amateur. When we submit photos for this competition, we must designate one of 15 different photo categories for each of our submittals. The judges initially nominated 850 photos for further consideration and recognition. The winners in each category are awarded as 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Then, there are the also-rans which receive Honorable Mention recognition. Though I’ve placed in past competitions, this year I received recognition in the Honorable Mention and Nominated categories. Drat…better luck next year, right?

So, here are the two photos which received the Honorable Mention designation…and I’m ashamed to say that neither were taken in Italy.

Honorable Mention

I very much prefer my color version of “Standing for Something”, which you can see here.

Nominated

You’ll start to see very quickly that most of the photos are in the desert environment of Arizona. That’s because I absolutely love the desert…even though there is no pasta, wine, grapes and other such Italian influences. But, there is solitude, beautiful cacti, and resort hotels with lazy rivers. Nough said.

That last photo creates a lot of emotion for me…I’m an emotional guy (ask any of my close friends who’ve seen me blubbering at the drop of a hat). I’ll explain this particular emotional journey with a few accompanying photos.

The Story of “It Was A Home”

Chances are high (astronomical, actually) that you’ve never heard of Garcia, Colorado…even if you are from southern Colorado, you’ve probably not heard of it. It is just north of New Mexico on a seldom-traveled road, about 2,700 feet into Colorado.

Garcia was aptly settled by a family with the last name of “Garcia”. The town was originally settled in 1849 as La Plaza de los Manzanares. That name hints at apples and apple orchards, though I can’t envision those now as I look at today’s Garcia. A post office called “Garcia” was established in 1915. So, this place is old.

It is a collection of very old, long-abandoned adobe homes. These are not the cinder-block-with-plaster adobe-like homes of the modern era, but the real deal…a combination of clay earth, straw and water, hand formed into large blocks or “brick”.

Here is a view of the particular home where the doorway photo above was taken. You can see the doorway in the left-third of the photo.

***Abandoned Adobe Home in Garcia, Colorado***

And here is a slightly different view of the doorway…and what caught my eye. Do you see it?

That wallpaper in an old, abandoned adobe building took it from just a building sitting abandoned, to someone’s home…a home where they had the pride of ownership to install wallpaper on an adobe-plastered wall. They took time to select wallpaper from who-knows-where (was it from a Sear’s catalog, yesteryears precursor to Amazon?) and then they lovingly hung it. All the while, the home never had anything but a dirt floor.

But wait, there’s more. Let’s go inside…

Now we can see more of the motif of the wall covering.

It looks a bit like white peonies interspersed with a vertical lace pattern, doesn’t it?

But, there is something else. That wallpaper is not the first wallpaper to be hung in this wall. There is another paper pattern underneath this one. See the yellow color amidst the cracked adobe? Here’s a closer look…

Seeing their dedication to creating a home, as they toiled to decorate their home in this hardscrabble land of southern Colorado, that’s where my emotions took over as I looked at what they were creating many years ago…again, that being, a home.

My mind began to imagine their family makeup and size, their daily work, and their origin journey

Ultimately, did their dreams come true, or did they dry up in this arid land? Was this home abandoned quickly in failure, or only after a long and fruitful life?

I want to believe that, though times were probably difficult, there were times of joy and laughter around the family table…just as my own family has experienced.

Were they in this place for many years, or was it perhaps a successful waypoint to places and things better?

Were they people of faith, gathering with neighbors at a small nearby church, seeking answers to prayer just as we do today?

These are questions without answers, I gather.

In my travels in the west, I’ve seen countless abandoned shells of life tried…where I’ve been curious whether there was abundant pleasure or insufferable loss.

All of this leaves me wondering if there was vast happiness for awhile or even longer, or whether there were just broken hearts, and busted dreams.

I’ve thought of this home and the imagined occupants many times, and my fervent dream is that there were many evenings of joyful light and love in this home with floral wallpaper.

I hope you didn’t mind that diversion into the past, but let’s get back to the present. And at present, I’m working on a trip to Italy this fall! Yes, we will be heading to the land of friendly people, great food, beautiful scenery, ancient history, and of course, a bit of wine. And, we are super pleased (that being more than just plain-ole pleased) to be taking friends with us for their first Italy adventure. So, stay tuned for more on our trip planning. But, until then I say,

Ciao for now,

Steve

Eating in Italy - Digestivi

Index of Articles

I know, I know…you’ve been waiting for months to find out just what a Digestivo is…right?

Sorry it’s taken me so long to get this article out, but there was a reason. That would be a reason other than the fact that I’ve been doing other things involving Italy (like preparing for a trip there this fall), taking numerous domestic and foreign trips, breaking in a new RV, and dealing with both life and death issues. The truth is, my heart was just not into this particular subject, and I’ll tell you why as you read through this article.

The reason for the delay? I assembled several bottles of digestivi and compelled (aka “forced“) many of my friends to taste, and then rate, their experience…that took a good bit of time. Below, I will share the almost universally agreed upon rating results of these tastings. But please, read your way down to the bottom see those results.

What is a Digestivo?

What if there was a drink that you could enjoy after your Italian meal that would help with digesting that scrumptious experience? There is! At least, these liquids are claimed to accomplish this. But, do they?

The digestivo (digestivi is plural) is an alcoholic drink that one imbibes after a meal, typically dinner. It is believed to aid in digestion. Does it really?

Maybe a good bit of personal research would lead to the answer to, “Does it really?”. Read on…

Do you enjoy a caffé after your meal? Perhaps with your dolce (dessert)? The digestivo is served after that coffee. Some give the digestivo the name ‘ammazzacaffe’, which one could translate as ‘coffee killer’, as it gives you a more pleasant aftertaste than the caffé as you work your way back to your lodging. A more pleasant aftertaste than your coffee? Again, read on…

Up, or on the rocks? Definitely up…no ice. And served in a small shot glass. They are not typically used in a cocktail, but enjoyed alone, though crafty bartenders are working them into Italy-based cocktails these days. Though served up, some specify that they should be very cold…read the labels.

So, how do they taste? Some are a bit bitter, and these are called amaro (bitter…and amari for the plural) in Italian. To make an amaro, one gathers herbs, flowers, aromatic roots and bark, citrus peel, spices, and whatever. Then you infuse them into a grape brandy. Thus far, you would get a very bitter drink, so sugar syrup is added before bottling and aging. But not all digestivi are bitter. However, all are distinctively aromatic…i.e. they have a recognizable odor.

I’ve now tried nearly all of the amari discussed below. A somewhat typical amaro/bitter example is Branca Menta. This amari tastes very, very, very medicinal. In days gone by in Italy, that medicinal taste led folks to associate it with treating ailments from cholera to upset stomachs. As that habit developed, they decided to work that habit into an after dinner drink to accelerate digestion (and to sell more digestivi one would expect through marketing). Go figure. I mean, in small amounts, it can’t hurt, right? Let’s not work too much at understanding the merits of a digestivo…let’s just accept it as a time-honored Italian tradition to end one’s meal.

There are several varieties of digestivi; and each producer closely guards their secret recipes. And, these recipes are passed down from generation to generation. The only way to know whether you will like a particular digestivo is to try it. It is oh, so simple…right?

The Digestivi

Just below are typical digestivi that you will encounter wherever you dine in Italy:

Limoncello

This is probably the most popular and well known of the digestivi. And of all the digestivi shown below, it is my favorite. It is definitely not medicinal or bitter…just the opposite. And frankly, I’ve always thought of it as an after-dinner drink, without knowing that it was in the digestivo category.

Limoncello is made from lemons, alcohol, water, and sugar. You can see a make-at-home recipe HERE from Giada de Laurentiis.

In the photos below that we took along the Amalfi coast, you can see the ubiquitous lemon arbors terraced up the hills above the Mediterranean. Each of those arbors holds thousands of lemons, as you can see in the second photo taken from under one of those arbors and looking out at that beautiful Mediterranean. In Amalfi town, you have a chance to purchase these lemons (called sfusato), if you haven’t already picked some from a close-by arbor.

Though you and I would most likely just purchase a bottle of limoncello, many it Italy (and here in the US) make their own. And trust me when I say that no matter who has made their own limoncello, it is always “absolutely the best limoncello in Italy”. Our boat driver for One Fine Day, Gian Carlo, claimed that the best limoncello is made by his mamma.

Purchase your Limoncello and you often get a nice, shapely bottle thrown in, like these below.

Amaro Nonino

“Obtained from the union between Antonio Nonino’s ancient recipe and the experience of the Nonino family in the Art of distillation. Elegant, with an extraordinary scent of herbs, ennobled by ÙE® Nonino Grape Distillate aged in barriques.”

— Nonino Website

That quotation is directly from their website which you can see HERE.

Amaro Nonino’s creation is explained as: “In 1933 Antonio Nonino, a distiller by tradition, makes his passion for the best traditions of Friuli come true, creating through the art of alchemy infusions based on Grappa and herbs from Carnia. Drop by drop, Amaro Carnia is born.”

But then, in 1984 the family made a major change in the Amaro Nonino Carnia formula when grappa (as the base alcohol) was abandoned in place of a Nonino family creation called Grape Distillate ÙE®. Their own creation is made by distilling the skin, pulp and grape juice in a single operation. So, there you have it.

How does it taste on its own? One has described the taste as, “Scent of orange zest, bitter orange marmalade, thyme and menthol, with exotic notes like mango. Nice mix of sweet and bitter on the palate, perceptible pepper and licorice; cocoa aftertaste.” I’ll tell you what I thought below.

Modern mixologists have crafted cocktails from Amaro Nonino, like THAT’S AMARO!, which is Amaro Nonino, Ice, a slice of orange, all finished with sparkling wine at pleasure. Or, there’s the PAPER AIRPLANE, which is concocted with equal parts, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice, bourbon, and Aperol…all shaken, not stirred.

Here is something interesting…at least I think so. You know that I explained above that digestivi were considered to be medicinal? That is why their bottle looks rather like an old apothecary bottle.

Averna

“Since 1868, Amaro Averna has represented true Sicilian craft with a story rooted in heritage and tradition. Its recipe transmits the flavors and aromas of the land it comes from and has become a staple in every Italian home, passed down from generation to generation.”

— Averna Website

Wow, that’s a pretty big statement in that quotation box when they say that Amaro Averna is a staple in every Italian home. But then, I’ve been in only one Italian home and the subject of Averna never came up, though we did have a nice Vin Santo…thank you Diana!

Their website (HERE - the introductory video is quite nice) is so poetic that I’ll let it speak for itself:

“In 1868, the recipe was gifted by the monk Fra Girolamo to the textile merchant Salvatori Averna as a token of gratitude for his commitment to the local community. He began producing it in his family farmhouse for guests and by the early 1900s the recipe and business were passed to Salvatori’s son Francesco who spread the word at fairs in Italy and abroad.”

The traditional recipe, unchanged since 1868, includes a lengthy infusion process, as most of the digestivi do. They say that, “The process begins by combining the specially selected herbs, roots and natural spices. Then all ingredients, such as pomegranates, and the essential oils of bitter oranges and lemons, are ground and lastly mixed and infused with pure alcohol for the intense aromatic blend. The liquid is then mixed with water and sugar until it reaches the right alcohol content, and is subsequently filtered and mixed with more of the same ingredients. The mixture is then left to stand until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Once the ideal intensity of taste and smell is reached, Verna is ready to be bottled and enjoyed.”

That’s fine and good, but how does it taste? It is said that it has a mouthcoating and bittersweet taste, carrying hints of orange and licorice, balanced with notes of myrtle, juniper berries, rosemary, and sage. “It stimulates the senses, instantly transporting you to the island of Sicily.” I would call that taste-a-portation at its best.

You know, as I wrote these descriptions, with the help of their own websites, I got a yearning to visit our local wine store to create a collection of digestivi. Which I did.

Chinato Borgogno

“Everything starts from an ancient and secret recipe of Casa Borgogno, which originates in the 1920s. ”

— Borgogno Website

I’ve had a chinato before. It’s tasty. A friend served it up in a cocktail at the restaurant he managed. It turns out that there is not just one chinato, but several, each being produced by secret recipes. I’m focusing on this Chinato Borgogno because it is readily available, and it is very popular.

A word about the ‘chinato’ itself. ‘China’ [key-nah] in Italian refers to quinine from the Cinchona [cheen-konah] tree bark. If you are familiar with tonic water, it is quinine based and comes from the same tree bark.

As I’ve done with the previous digestivi, I’ll rely heavily on the producer’s websites, which universally suggest that their product is most excellent…obviously.

“Everything starts from an ancient and secret recipe of Casa Borgogno, which originates in the 1920s. We start with two wines, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC and Barbera d’Alba DOC, mixed up together. Meanwhile, in order to produce this aromatized wine, we create an infusion of 46 aromatic herbs (some grinded, some roughly broken-up, some othesr crumbled), that is put in maceration into hydro-alcoholic solutions, from 35 to 70 days. From the most common aromas such as vanilla, cloves, gentian, rhubarb, to the more uncommon sandal, cardamom, calamus, mace. We won’t reveal them all though… that’s a secret! Protagonist of this aromatized wine is obviously the quinine (China) from the Cinchona tree bark, of which we use two different varieties: Calisaya & Soccirubra.” There are, “Notes of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and bitter-sweet orange.”

I’ve found it to have a very pleasant, not-at-all bitter taste. Further, they say that “Cesare said that this is a ‘natural restorative’, something that restores strength, restores life… perfect!” So, if you want to be like Cesare and need some sort of life restoration, go with Chinato Borgogno.

Mirto de Sardegna

“The typical Sardinian liqueur is obtained exclusively from fresh Sardinian myrtle berries, harvested by skilled hands who know the impervious places of the island, where this spontaneous shrub grows, the fruit of which ripens inland and along the sunny and windy coasts of the island, exclusively on wild shrubs.”

— From the Campari Group Website

Sardegna is that island off the western coast of Italy. It’s not a little island, oh no. It is big. And it’s not just a short boat ride from the Italian mainland. In fact, its almost exactly 150 miles from that mainland. Think of it as an 8-hour ferry ride.

Rather than act like I know all about it by putting things in my own words, I’ll let the Zedda Piras website speak for itself…and by the way, they are part of the Campari Group now.

“Passion, experience and care are the authentic and genuine values that guide Mirto Zedda Piras, a house founded in 1854, produced in Sardinia in Alghero following the traditional recipe: only water, sugar, alcohol and wild Sardinian myrtle berries.

The harvest of myrtle begins in November, a centuries-old, unique and precious tradition - like its homeland, Sardinia - which is renewed year after year to create Mirto Zedda Piras. The typical Sardinian liqueur is obtained exclusively from fresh Sardinian myrtle berries, harvested by skilled hands who know the impervious places of the island, where this spontaneous shrub grows, the fruit of which ripens inland and along the sunny and windy coasts of the island, exclusively on wild shrubs.

Produced in Alghero, Mirto Zedda Piras takes its intriguing character from wild berries picked when ripe and left to macerate in alcohol. The small purplish blue fruits, which dot the Sardinian landscape with the arrival of winter, characterize its color and taste. Thus was born a genuine liqueur, with an intense color and the characteristic scent of Mediterranean scrub.
Perfect at the end of the meal, it best expresses its characteristics served iced and in slightly frosted glasses. Ideal for any occasion, it brings with it the flavor and aromas of Sardinia spread by the Mistral wind and recalls the carefree atmosphere of dinners in company.”

Pretend I just came up with all of that on my own, please.

Sambuca

Finally, here is a digestivo with which I am very familiar…Sambuca. I’ll have to rely less on a distillar’s website for this one.

Licorice! If you don’t like licorice, you won’t like Sambuca.

If you’ve tried slivowitz, ouzo, pernod, anisette, Jägermeister or pastis you’ve experienced a similar taste…though I would have to say that those are a bit more severe…Sambuca is much more subtle, in my opinion.

If you buy Sambuca, don’t forget to have a sip occasionally. I had neglected my bottle of Sambuca for a bit. When friend Scott and I were about to have a sip, it had crystallized and the taste was very much off.

Branca Menta

I mentioned Branca Menta above in an introductory paragraph. I don’t want to even talk about this one, but I feel that I have to give you the scoop based on others’ input.

One online site suggests “Branca Menta is a minty Italian Amaro [that] is based on the original recipe of Fernet Branca and is a refreshing herbal liqueur. Branca Menta [has] a delicate minty note”. I am incredulous that they use the words ‘refreshing’ and ‘delicate’ and ‘minty’ to describe the taste. Maybe my taste buds have been twisted around by a lingering Covid. Maybe. But, maybe not.

The Branca Menta website cries out that it is “a product that surprises its consumers and aficionados with its ‘thrill of intense pleasure’ at every sip.'“ They cry out…I just cry.

I know you want to prove me wrong, so go ahead and give it a try. Maybe make…”the irresistible Mintonic cocktail… muddled lime, a spoonful of brown sugar and mint leaves add crushed ice, pour 1/5 Brancamenta and 4/5 of tonic water and garnish with mint leaves.”

I’ll wait to hear from you.

Liqueur Strega

Strega Liqueur (Liquore Strega) is an herbal Italian liqueur that I’ve purchased and tasted. It has a distinctive bright yellow color. It's a digestivo made from a secret recipe (obviously…otherwise we could all make it…right?) that includes about 70 botanicals. It is produced in the town of Benevento, Italy, where ‘bene vento’ means ‘good wind’.

As the word ‘strega’ translates to ‘witch’, it is known as ‘the witch’s liquor’. I envision those witches gathered around the caldron about 30 miles northeast of Napoli (Naples to us), as they mix up a concoction of eye of newt and tongue of snake and such (again, one of those secret potions that we just can’t seem to duplicate) whilst they enjoy a gentle and refreshing breeze. But hey, those witch’s are spot on…this one isn’t half bad. I’ve purchased it and I liked it.

It began production in 1860, and that distinctive yellow color comes from the presence of saffron, of all things. Bottled at 80 proof, it has an alcohol content comparable to most hard liquors. Among its approximately 70 herbal ingredients are mint, fennel, juniper, cinnamon, and obviously a bunch more herbs and spices.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I just love reading marketing and promotional literature created by Italians. They have such a way with words! Here is an excellent example from the Liquore Strega website. “The production process begins with the milling of about 70 herbs and spices, characterized by special aromatic properties, imported from all over the world and selected with great skill. Among them we can mention: the cinnamon of Ceylon, the Iride Fiorentino, the juniper of the Italian Apennines, the mint of Sannio, which grows spontaneously along the rivers of the region. Its characteristic yellow color comes from the addition of the precious saffron to the distillate of aromatic herbs. The liqueur Strega, is aged for a long time in ash barrels in order to assimilate an expressive breadth and elegance of the bouquet as an expression of many different aromas originating a liqueur obtained by distillation of the aromatic component, from the alcohol content of 40% vol. It is only after completion of this maturation that the liqueur is bottled and distributed throughout the world.”

You enjoyed that didn’t you? I know you did.

I am going to do my best to find something in my everyday life where I can say that it assimilates an expressive breadth and elegance of the bouquet as an expression of many different aromas. And, I challenge you to do the same. For me, maybe bacon. Yes, definitely bacon!!!

Vecchio Amaro del Capo

I’m a bit stumped by the name of this digestivo. If my translator is correct, it seems to mean ‘bitter old boss’, but maybe it’s lost in translation. Ask yourself, “Why was the boss bitter?”.

This is also one that I’ve tried. I’ll recount that experience a bit later. In the meantime, let’s go to the Capo website to see what it has to say. Let’s break it down…

First, “Vecchio Amaro del Capo is at its best when enjoyed icy cold. At a temperature of -20°C, mint, anise, liquorice and all herbs included in its exclusive recipe become stronger, giving body and taste to a truly unique pleasure.” Ok, we have herbs that are pretty strong at room temp getting even stronger when it’s icy cold. And -4°F must be the optimal temperature for unique pleasure. Let’s move on…

“Each one of the herbs used to produce Vecchio Amaro del Capo has a specific harvesting time. This is why they are harvested one by one during the course of the year.” I couldn’t agree more that it is best to harvest the herbs at specific times during the year. And one-by-one makes a lot of sense. But wait, there’s more…

“All the macerations and infusions take place immediately at the time of harvesting, to capture the freshest aromas and keep intact the organoleptic properties of each ingredient.” I know that I’ve certainly had a hard time with my own organoleptic properties, so reading that has made the time it took to read it well worth that time. And finally…

“Vecchio Amaro del Capo is the most famous liquor produced by Distillerie Caffo. It is the result of a century of experience, hard work, scrupulousness and passion. Over the years, the most prestigious juries in the world have recognized its uniqueness.” I would definitely not want to be seen sipping a liquor that was made with unscrupulousness and in a dispassionate way.

The Results are In!

So, you want to know how wonderful these digestivi taste, don’t you? Well, I was going to say that “you’ve come to the right place” but there must be something seriously flawed with my taste buds. Reading the web literature above, they must all be magnificent, but I just don’t get it.

All of the 15 or so guinea pigs that I challenged to taste and rate these nine digestivi have come to the same general conclusions in their taste ratings. Below are the results, with the most popular first, and the least popular at the end:

Universally, all agree that Limoncello is delightful, though a few said it was a bit on the cloyingly sweet side. But, the fact that you can easily make your own means that you can cut back on the amount of sweetness invested in its preparation. Amalfi is the home of Limoncello, so my next quest there will be to find a Limoncello tasting adventure to find “…the very best in all of Italy”.
For those who enjoy the flavor of licorice, Sambuca was very popular. I had never thought of it as a digestivo, though I’d enjoyed it after a meal whenever Nelya was given permission to bring me a taste…though it was evidently often to be found in “Milo’s truck”.
Strega was well received. It was not offensive to any of my tasters.
About one-half found Chinato Borgogno to have a nice taste. It did not verge on the amaro (bitter) digestivo. And, it has the added benefit of helping you to meet your daily requirements for quinine!

Now, we move to the digestivi with a more bitter and medicinal taste:

I found the least offensive taste to come from the Averna…but it was still medicinally flavored.
The Bitter Old Boss (aka Vecchio Amaro del Capo) convinced me that she was bitter because she was required to drink it on the job. Did you ever have a performance review where you were dinged because you didn’t drink enough at work…I certainly hope not.
Near the bottom of the list is Amaro Nonino. But with their marketing by use of an apothecary bottle, at least you are forewarned.
The least favorite is Branca Menta. No grazie!

I’m sorry to say (I think!) that I was not able to find the Mirto de Sardegna in any of our liqueur stores; however, as aforementioned, we will be in Italy this fall and I’ll seek out a taste so I can report back to you.

Ok, that’s it for the final installment of Eating in Italy. Here is the complete list of articles concerning this super fun pastime.

and of course today’s article, which you are already reading: Eating in Italy: Digestivi

The Ignominious Past of Venice

Index of Articles

“The Jewish ghetto originated right there in Venice”

Ignominious? Yes, ignominious. I’m sorry to say that I have to use that word here today. When was the last time you used the word ignominious? I hope it was waaaay in the past. But for me today, I have no choice.

Here is the ignominious, disgraceful thing that marred the Venetian past: the first Jewish ghetto originated right there in Venice.

It turns out that our English word “ghetto” or “getto” is from a Venetian word “gheto” which stemmed from the specific location of that first ghetto.

Though it was ultimately disbanded, there is still the site and the memory of the ghetto in Venice. Just how did that dissolution come about, and who do you think caused that to happen? Hmmm…read on dear reader.

The Jewish Community

First, we need to understand that the Jewish identify in Venice was very complicated. Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Muslims from Spain in 1492, freeing them from Muslim rule after nearly 800 years. Shortly thereafter, they issued the Alhambra Decree, mandating that all Jews be expelled from the country. To stay in Spain and to avoid punishment by the Inquisition, some Jews were baptized by force, or they feigned baptism. But many of the Jews of Spain moved to Venice. And because Venice was the worldwide (I have to use the word ‘worldwide’ very loosely here, as Columbus was just starting to head west from Spain) capital of commerce and economy, many Jewish sects were attracted to Venice, like the German Jews, the Italian Jews, the Portuguese Jews, the Levantine Sephardi Jews, and others.

Because of their importance to the Venetian economy, some Jewish groups were more accepted than others, and they were allowed certain freedoms that other Jewish inhabitants didn’t have. Though the Jewish sects tended to keep to themselves, they had not been forced to do so in segregated areas.

Unfortunately, outside pressures regarding the Jewish freedoms were put on the Venetian government by trade partners. For example, the newly formed government of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul (formerly the eastern hub of the Catholic church known as Byzantium and then Constantinople until it was taken over by the Turks on May 29, 1453) insisted that to maintain their trade partnership, the Venetians must sequester the Jewish population of Venice. As Venice was more of a religion of empire than a God-centered one, they bowed to the pressures of other governments by segregating the Jews of Venice.

So, it was in 1516 that Doge Loredan and the Venetian Senate compelled the Jews to live in a segregated area of the city. However, it couldn’t be just any area within the city. It had to be an area where the Jewish population could be forcibly contained. After all, Franciscan preachers at the Frari denounced the corruption of Venice by “heretics, schismatics, witches, wizards, and Christian women who have amorous filtrations and sexual congress with Jews”.

Where to Put Them?

The ‘island’ known as the Ghetto Nuovo , or New Ghetto

The goal was to put the Jews somewhere so that they couldn’t mingle with the Christian population. Islands in the lagoon were considered, but the easy access to boats for those amorous flirtations nixed this idea.

There was one unique area of the city proper that fit the bill. It was an “island” in the Cannaregio sestieri which was surrounded by canals (remember that there are over 100 islands that make up the city of Venice, with over 400 bridges connecting them) with only two bridges to the island. As an added bonus, there was no parish church there that would complicate things. Perfetto! This photo shows this unique island and the two bridges that were available at the time are shown in the red circles.

So, the Christian residents were forced out of the apartment buildings of the island while the Jews were forced in. Since the buildings that were there had windows that overlooked the canals surrounding the island, those had to be bricked in to avoid the inhabitants climbing out into boats and mixing with the non-Jewish population. Any opening onto a canal was walled off. Christian guards (paid for by the Jewish community of the island) were placed on the bridges to assure that they didn’t mingle by foot. Each morning when the great bell of the Campanile known as the “Marangona” rang to start the workday, the Jews were allowed to leave their island for work, but they had to be back on their island by nightfall. There were strict penalties if one was caught out after nightfall…unless you were a doctor of the Jewish faith. I mean, the Venetians needed to maintain their health didn’t they…and those Jewish doctors were the best.

Here are a few photos of the Venetian ghetto of today. These photos were not taken by me, but were harvested from the depths of the internet.

The Name “Getto” or “Ghetto”, or Even “Gheto”

That island just discussed was slated to be the site of a new metal foundry. This foundry was to replace an older foundry on an adjacent island. The new foundry was to be used to make canons of brass for the Venetian empire. The forced movement of Jews onto the island put a kink in that plan, so the foundry was moved to the Arsenale, a military section of Venice where the naval shipyard was located.

A metal-working foundry needs a gas jet to melt the brass for casting into the canons. The Venetian word for this gas jet is ‘getto’ or ‘ghetto’. Thus, a foundry had become to be known as a getto. And, the forced habitation by Jews in a small area anywhere in the world became known universally as a getto, or ghetto or gheto…your choice on the spelling.

When Was The Ghetto Disbanded?

In the late 18th century, the French invaded Italy…and a lot of other places it seems. The French Army of Italy was commanded by a 28-year-old general by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte. When his army occupied Venice in 1797, the Venetian Republic was finally dissolved. And then, on July 11th of that year Napoleon abolished the separation of the Jews and the forced habitation on the island ghetto. Gone, but not forgotten.

The Ghetto Today

How about today? The Ghetto Nuovo island is still a center for Jewish worship and living. Synagogues there still conduct their services. And like most of the Christian churches of Venice, these synagogues are beautifully appointed, as these internet-captured photos attest.

So, that’s the ignominious past of Venice. Isolation of a non-Christian faith to satisfy the wants of commerce. And of course, to avoid those amorous flirtations.

If the Venetians had spent more time reading their Bible than their ledgers and budget sheets, they would have known that they were not only to love their God, but they were to “love your neighbor as yourself”. Oh, what a better world we could have with such obedience and that change of heart. It’s said that people can change, and though you can’t change others, you can certainly change yourself. I work on that day-by-day, and I will continue to do so. Join me?

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Something Completely Different - Birds

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In my last article, you saw flowers, with a few butterflies mixed in. Those were all taken in Florida during a workshop conducted by Jackie Kramer of Luvblooms.com, with assistance from Linda Torbert. If you did not see last week’s article, please take a look to see exactly why I want to photograph like Jackie!

Now, I give you birds…mostly.

Where Are We?

Today, we will be in Sarasota and St Augustine, Florida. Both have beautiful gardens, and access to beautiful birds…and more!

We’ll start off in Sarasota.

And as always, if you click on an image, you will get a full-screen view

Sarasota

Sarasota is located on the gulf coast of Florida. It’s just south of Tampa, about half-way down the state. Whilst there, we visited two gardens, as well as the beach.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

These lovely gardens are home to several exotic flower species. Non-captive birds are in attendance, but they are not the star of the show at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. There is also a koi pond, a stand of bamboo, a fern garden, and banyan trees. Several of the floral photos from last week’s article were taken here.

Koi

I found the koi pond to be either a beehive of activity, or a languid experience with each fish doing their own, leisurely thing.

Activity picks up as one tosses a handful of fish-food pellets into the pond. This stirs up the action as everyone knows it’s meal time.

For this photo, I intentionally used a long exposure to capture the frenetic motion of these fish, producing a colorful abstract photo.

The Stalker

Though there were few birds, there was this one bird…kind of creepy…it was the way it moved that mesmerized me. I watched for about five minutes as he very, very, very slowly (you get the picture, right?) moved through a grove of bamboo.

Though his body moved forward, his head seemed to float along. His piercing eyes had an eye on the prize, which I had not yet seen. Here is what he looked like in his creepiness. Being a creeper, he crept…slowly…ever so slowly. What is it that he spies?

All the rage these days is the carryout meal. I’m pretty sure that this guy invented the carryout meal. He was adept at it, to say the least.

I asked him to hold up a bit for a portrait, and he obliged. He did seem to be a bit distracted though, as it had just turned noon, and time for lunch. After the photo session, he walked away, much to my delight.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

The Sarasota Jungle Gardens are located about 4 miles north of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. The main attraction for us were the flamingos, though there were a few ‘show birds’ present, too.

The flamingos walked among us. Though we could reach out and touch them as they moseyed by, we didn’t…they get a bit cranky.

I’ve taken a bit of artistic license with the next photo. I call this one, ‘Family Chat’.

I never knew that flamingos had such an unusual tongue…actually, I never knew much at all about flamingos. Kind of spiky…for rooting around in the muck, perhaps?

Now we move on to the show birds. Their handler encouraged them to display their antics. For a fee, you could have them sit on your shoulder. Since I was broke, I just photographed.

Saint Augustine

What is it about St Augustine, Florida? I have faint memories of learning something in history class about this area, but it’s rather hazy. That’s the way I showed up. What I learned whilst there surprised me. Do you remember anything about this town?

It is our oldest, continuously inhabited, European-established settlement in the USA. It was founded in 1565, which is almost 460 years ago. The ‘ownership’ was back-and-forth as Spain, then Britain, then Spain, and then the US each had a hand in governance. I don’t expect it to change hands again.

The city itself is now on my ‘favorites list’. I had no idea that it was to be so beautiful. The old town has those charming narrow streets and the absolutely fabulous Flagler College and churches are a highlight. Add to that its location right on the Atlantic coast and you have a place that should be on your own bucket list. But, enough travel log.

Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

Located in the city limit of St Augustine, this is the historic site of the first settlement in the USA. In addition to being an interest to history buffs, if you like peacocks, you’ll find several there strutting their stuff. Like this guy.

The waters of the Fountain of Youth seemed to have dried up, but Ponce looked marvelous!

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

I promised you birds, so it’s time that I deliver on that promise. You may be wondering why I put birds under the heading of an alligator farm…I certainly had no idea why we would be photographing birds there before my arrival. But then, it all became clear.

Within the boundaries of this park (founded in 1893), there is a rookery. I knew that a rookery had something to do with birds, but as I looked up the word ‘rookery’ a dictionary states, “a breeding ground for gregarious birds”. And ‘gregarious’ for animals (includes us, right?) means, “tending to form a group with others of the same species, and enjoying the company of others”.

So, it’s a place where birds can gather in groups to have a good time…and a good time they had! It was mating and nest-building season during our visit in early March.

Roseate Spoonbills

I fell in love with these birds. Their pinkish coloring is something that I had not seen in birds. And, they didn’t appear to be as serious about life as the egrets, who were busy doing this and that to get their nest in order. The Spoonbills were hanging out and having a good time. That’s the way I saw them, so that’s they way I present them in my photographs.

The next photo shows the flight sequence of a Spoonbill just going from here-to-there.

*When We Die We’ll Catch a Roseate Spoonbills Wing, and We Will Fly Away to Heaven*

I said that I found them a bit whimsical, so here’s some whimsy, brought to you by Roseate Spoonbills as they were actually seen and overheard at the rookery…

And now on a more serious note…

One of the photographers that I follow is Doug Landreth. I love the way he takes a simple image and, using texture and composition, makes it into a photograph that I would certainly place on my wall. He has a photograph with flowers that I emulate below, and I substitute Roseate Spoonbills for his yellow daffodils. You can see Doug’s creative original version here. This photo is titled, “Homage to Doug Landreth”. All of the elements of the photo came from the rookery.

The Great White Egret

Now we come to the Great White Egret. These magnificent birds of the heron family were in the midst of building their nests and doing the mating that goes along with that. They are monogamous for the season. The male selects the nest area, starts a nest, and then attracts a female through it’s up-and-down movement and plumage display. They then complete their nest together, with one flying out time-after-time to gather sticks that are passed to the other to complete the next. During our visit, some of the males had success in attracting a mate, while others were still energetically working at it.

Here’s the thing: to me they didn’t just seem to be going through the motions…they were serious about their task, and I felt that they were serious about each other.

Below, you will see birds that seem to be in a state of true love. I saw this over and over. Maybe you’ll get the same feeling that I did. I’ll let you be the judge of their demeanor.

In my last article, I showed some examples of how I transformed a snapshot of a flower into a fine-art photograph. Today, I do the same, though with photos of the beautiful egrets.

In this first comparison, you see the original image, which has a lot of distraction due to the upper branches of the tree. In the accompanying photo, you can see that I’ve removed that foliage, and that I’ve added mood through texture and atmospherics (i.e. clouds).

In this photo, there is a good bit more transformation. Using a bit of software magic, I’ve converted the photo of the blue heron into a stained-glass photo, complete with framing.

Here is an egret flying away from the nesting area in search of a stick. One stick. Just one stick at a time, please. And, not too large.

Heading Out for a Day of Stick Gathering

Time and again a stick is fetched and brought back to build a nest…or should I say, a bird home.

Below you see several exchanges of a nest-building material. Is it just me, or does there seem to be a strong sense of cooperation and anticipation as the stick is transferred?

As afternoon begins to turn to evening, the flyway begins to be a bit congested.

And, that stick retrieval flyway can get quite congested! I call this photo, “YIKES!!!”.

Earlier I suggested that there is a nature of true love between these mates. These two interlocking beaks are enough evidence for me.

And this gesture?! I rest my case.

Here I’ve placed three of my photos into a triptych…or what I call a ‘lovetych’.

Black and white images seem best to capture the plumage of these males that still need a nestmate.

Success will lead to as many as six bluish green eggs, which both sexes will incubate.

What’s so important that this guy didn’t even put his stick down? Oh…I see now.

Other Birds of the Rookery

Just a few of the other bird species at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.

Alligators

I did mention that we were at an alligator farm, didn’t I? Here are a few of those denizens.

It is very fortunate that these alligators get along, otherwise there would be no rest for these weary reptiles.

That grouping in the upper right…stacked up like cord wood.

I crept up on this big fella to see if he was asleep. Do they sleep with their eyes open? I sure hope so.

At the Beach

During our workshop, we photographed at beaches in Sarasota (sunsets) and St Augustine (sunrises). Here is a smattering of those photos. Padma Inguva was our guide during these excursions.

That wraps up my travelogue for flowers and butterflies from last time, and today’s display of koi, birds and gators. Thank you loyal followers for hanging in there on this Luvblooms workshop journey across Florida. Next time, I promise to be back to Italy, Our Italy. Until then I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Late Night at the Produce Stand

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What if there was a drink that you could enjoy after your Italian meal that would help with digesting that scrumptious experience? There is! At least, these liquids are claimed to accomplish this.

Those are the words that I had planned to start with today, as I was to end my series on Eating in Italy by covering the ‘Digestivi’ of Italy (not sure what that is? Then come back next time to find out). But hey, something came up that will significantly add to the discussion of the aforementioned ‘Digestivi’. So, that discussion will wait just a short while for things to play out. In the meantime, please enjoy my transformation of a produce stand…that sounds strange doesn’t it? To see of what I speak, read on…

“ I’ve seen my friend Mike reaching to test the ripeness of a fig at a produce stand...only to have his hand slapped”

My goodness, it’s gotten late…and dark. I’ve spent a bit too much time exploring Canareggio this afternoon after returning from a day on the Venetian lagoon-island of Burano, which you can experience here.

Many of the shops of the day turn out to not be shops of the night. However, the neighborhood produce stand is still open. There, I see a woman asking about the produce…and she is in the process of getting a reply from the purveyor.

It’s late afternoon and what I see is not that interesting, so as I process my photos, I want to give this image more a late-night look. And, I want a more intimate repartee between the buyer and the seller. So, I’ve got work to do! Let’s get started.

The Basic Snapshot

As usual, I present to you the original snapshot. There’s a bit too much illumination for what I want to create. So, I’ll create a scene that would occur later in the evening. And do you see intimacy I’m looking for here? No, I don’t either.

Let There Be Dark!

I’ve now made this woman’s stop to purchase her supper a bit later…I hope I haven’t spoiled her evening.

Let There Be Two!

Four persons in the photo don’t lend the image the sense of intimacy that I’m searching for. The other two characters in this tableau have to go. Those who were walking in the background have now mysteriously disappeared…poof!

Now, 2 are gone…and 2 remain.

Exposure Adjustment

It’s time to adjust the lighting in certain parts of the image. You’ll notice above that the highlights are much too bright. We call that being ‘blown out’ in the digital darkroom. I’ll make some adjustments to the lighting, now.

Convert to Black & White

An old photographic axiom is that when colors are not essential to the scene, convert to black and white. I’m invoking that axiom now.

When we say ‘black and white’ in the photographic world, we rarely actually mean that. A photo that has only pure black and pure white would be an extremely high-contrast photo, wouldn’t you agree? That has a place in photography, but not here. To illustrate that point, I’ll show you a version of the photo above which has only pure black and pure white.

Ouch! That doesn’t do much for the intimate mood I’m after…more like a harsh encounter.

Below, we now have a grayscale image that has almost completely black in the shadows, to almost white in the lights of the produce stand. Looking at this image below, you may think that there are portions that are pure black and maybe some that are pure white…but there aren’t. My software says ‘No’, and it doesn’t lie. So, we now have an image with a nice gradation of grays, or greys, if you prefer.

The Final Photo

OK, here it is. I’ve cropped it to a more intimate scene. There appears to be a good interchange between the late-night shopper and the fruit vendor. I’m happy with this final version of “Late Night at the Produce Stand”.

The final version of ‘Late Night at the Produce Stand’

Can you tell what he is showing his customer? He is demonstrating the quality of a large mushroom…probably a portabella by the looks of it on closer examination.

By the Way, What Does That Sign Say?

There’s a sign occupying the center of the photo. I was going to remove it, but I think it relates an important point to you, our Venetian-produce-shopper-of-the-future.

The sign shows a hand reaching out with a “nope, don’t do it” symbol overlaid. And the words, “Por favor, no toque”. Translated it says, “Please, don’t touch”…and this particular sign is in Spanish, by the way, not Italian. There is also a “Bitte nicht beruhren” for the German shoppers. And, there’s even a “Please, don’t touch!” sign for us English speakers, or I should say, readers. You can see those other two signs in the original photo at the top of this page. Why is there not a sign like these written in Italian? Because, they know better.

This is typical of the Italian produce market, and much different than the markets in the US, where one can touch the produce to your hearts content. I’ve seen my friend Mike reaching to test the ripeness of a fig at a produce stand on Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo (that’s Saints John and Paul, but they’re not who you think they are, but that’s another story) only to have his hand slapped with a harsh, “Non toccare!” So, Mike was relegated to pointing out the figs he wanted, without the benefit of giving them just a little bit of a squeeze to see if they were ripe. So, ‘buyer beware’, and ‘as is’, is the way of the day.

Thus ends another transformation. This one was a bit gentle, with no major changes in construction of buildings, boats, doors, windows, and such.

There will be a time when you might see me at a produce stand in Venice, as I try to sneak a gentle fruit-squeeze to test the ripeness of a chosen delicacy. Maybe we can work together, as you divert the seller’s attention, perhaps asking, “How do I get to Piazza San Marco?”. Let’s do it! But, until then, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

p.s. Mike’s figs were ripe and tasty!

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