A few weeks ago I received a special invite to discover one of Venice’s best glass-wear artisans and its treasured partnership with one of the city’s most unique dining venues. The Italy Deep Dive has always been dedicated to discovering places through their unique local gastronomic products and the people who safekeep traditions. In this issue we’ll be doing the same—but for craft rather than food. Don’t worry, plenty of food is still involved in the story!
Murano Glass
Venice has been celebrated for being the capital of glass production since antiquity. Murano itself was founded by Ancient Romans as they escaped the Empire during its fall, who brought with them their expert know-how on glass production for domestic and decorative uses. Centuries later, the lagoon islands began being populated by immigrants from Costantinopoli (modern day Istanbul) who also had vast knowledge on glass production methods. Venice slowly and steadily morphed into a leading global center for glass production and innovation. One of the most impactful innovations by hand of the Maestri Vetrai was the creation of a formula to produce the first examples of transparent glass, cristallo veneziano, in 1400, changing the world forever.
LagunaB & Vini da Arturo: a treasured friendship
Stepping into LagunaB’s atelier and away from Venice’s drizzle and gloomy late winter mornings feels like entering a Willy Wonka world of colourful glass.
LagunaB was founded in 1994 by Marie Brandolini and her desire to merge her passion for design and creativity into Murano glass. The atelier has stood out for its unique approach, fresh interpretations of historic glasses and quality from the get-go. My visit was an eye-opening experience into understanding the vastly intricate and slightly magical world of glass production.
A few minutes walk - or boat ride - from LagunaB is Vini da Arturo, a wood-panelled ristorante founded by Ernesto Ballarin that hasn’t changed an inch since its opening, 50 years ago. Stepping inside Ernesto’s kingdom - with seven tables each dressed with pristine white tablecloths and a wooden dispensa - instantly reminded me of the true meaning of the term “hospitality”.
You might be wondering what a Murano glass-wear atelier has to do with a tiny historic restaurant tucked away in Venice’s calle.
First and foremost, friendship. A long-standing relationship of mutual admiration that began between Ernesto and Marie in the 90s and has strengthened through the years into the new generations: Marcantonio for LagunaB and Hani for da Arturo. Second to friendship, the element that unites the two realms is the desire to strive for a different, unique approach and the unparalleled high quality that defines both ventures.
La Braciola e il Berlingot
Two elements above all else embody the innovative essences of Vini da Arturo and LagunaB: la Braciola and il Berlingot. Although one is a meat dish and the other a mouth-blown glass, they share the same story: an interpretation of local, traditional products.
Let’s start with the former, Ernesto Ballarin’s celebrated Braciola. Ernesto invites me into the kitchen and dives into a detailed explanation of how his signature dish is made and why. A thick pork steak is “butterflied” to resemble what Italians call an orecchia di elefante, then meticulously coated in flour, egg mixture and breadcrumbs, then back into the egg mixture followed by breadcrumbs a second time before being deep fried in vegetable oil. The third - and vital - phase of cooking is to soak the Braciola in boiling vinegar, a step which gives the meat an indistinguishable taste and consistency. Da Arturo’s Braciola - inspired by the traditional Venetian preparation of saor - is a symbol of Ernesto’s unique vision: to run a meat-based restaurant in a city constellated with ristoranti di pesce and baccalà mantecato.
Similarly, LagunaB’s Berlingot drinking glass stems from a traditional Venetian craft product, the goto, interpreted first by Marie and subsequently by Marcantonio in a series of iconic collections, which Ernesto and Hani at Vini da Arturo showcase with pride. The candy-striped Berlingot glasses are produced by applying melted sticks of coloured glass on a red-hot mass of glass, which is subsequently blown into shape by the skilled Maestri Vetrai. Ernesto enjoys mixing and matching the Berlingot glasses on his pristine table cloths - from Marie’s timeless, classic striped pieces to Marcantonio’s opaque interpretations of his mother’s design - allowing guests to experience the intimate pleasure of drinking from the lightest crystal glass they will ever hold.
The glasses are so unique, what we have come to expect from Italian artists!