You are probably familiar with Carpaccio if you are a regular diner. Among the most popular versions on restaurant menus today are beef, fish, beetroot, and kudu carpaccio. But where does this dish originate?
As an adaptation of the Piedmont speciality carne cruda all’albese, carpaccio was created by Giuseppe Cipriani and named after Renaissance artist Vittore Carpaccio, renowned for his use of brilliant reds in his paintings. Carpaccio is made up of thin slices of raw beef, served with Cipriani’s “universal” sauce of mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcester sauce, cream, salt and pepper. Cipriani described it as universal since it can be served both with meat and with fish.
To honour the painter whom there was a lot of talk of in Venice that year, due to the exhibition, and also because the colour of the dish, which recalled the shade of the artist’s red, I called it ‘Carpaccio’. Inventions always come by chance
https://www.cipriani.com/carpaccio
The story goes that Giuseppe originally made Carpaccio for Countessa Amalia Nani Mocenigo after her doctor recommended a diet rich in raw meat to combat anaemia. During the 1950s she was a regular customer at Harry’s Bar, owned by the Cipriani family until this day. The history of Harry’s Bar dates back to the 1930s, and in addition to Carpaccio, it is also home to the famous Bellini.
Harry’s Bar is a world-renowned bar located in Venice, Italy. Founded by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1931, it has become an iconic establishment that has attracted a host of famous patrons over the years. The bar is named after its benefactor Harry Pickering. It is a well-known fact that Giuseppe lent Harry Pickering 10 000 lire, money that he was saving to buy a bar of his own. Harry however repaid the loan fourfold and so Harry’s was born.
In the course of his work as a barman at the Hotel Europa-Britannia, Giuseppe met Harry, his aunt, and her lover, visitors to the hotel who spent their time on the terrace and in the hotel bar. Harry and his aunt had an argument during their stay, and she, along with her boyfriend, booked out, leaving Harry with a large number of unpaid bar bills.
As Harry’s bar visits diminished, Giuseppe inquired on one rare occasion whether Harry was having health or financial problems. As a gesture of goodwill, Giuseppe lent Harry 10000 lire to help him pay off his debts. He departed Venice, but returned months later to repay his debt, and the rest is history.
Feeling inspired? Check out the full Carpaccio recipe here.
The ideal dish during South African load shedding times 😁