Caffè Florian is renowned as the oldest coffeehouse in continuous operation in Italy. It was established in 1720 and overlooks Piazza San Marco, the Campanile and the Basilica San Marco in the heart of Venice.

This elegant Venetian café was where some of history's most revered writers — including Goethe, Lord Byron, and Charles Dickens hung out. It’s a truly majestic place to enjoy the ambience of the square with its quartet playing ambiently and where one can indulge oneself with ‘golosessi’ (as the Venetians refer to the treats that lead to the sin of gluttony). It’s proper old school and hasn’t changed in centuries.

Typical of Venetian pastries served here is zaeti (zaleti), a biscuit made from cornmeal and raisins. The name is derived from the word zało meaning yellow as cornmeal is used in the dough which not only gives the biscuit a lovely colour but also a crumbly and crunchy texture. The biscuits often contain golden raisins (sultanas) and orange zest.

Back in the day hawkers would walk around Venetian taverns with portable display cases with zaeti and esse Buranei (see recipe) biscuits to dip in vin di Trani, a sweet, strong wine. So I’ve plumped the sultanas in Aperol, an Italian bitter apéritif made with gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, among other ingredients. It’s named so as the French slang word for apéritif is apero. Rum or grappa can be substituted or alcohol can be left out entirely but the end result won’t be quite the same. #June2026 #CA2025