Tramezzini in Montebelluna

Chilly and rainy outside but warm and bright inside, Caffe Club was a beacon of happiness on an otherwise miserably wet Sunday afternoon.  And we got to see first hand how tramezzini are made at this delightful neighborhood bar owned by lovely Lorella and her charming husband Giorgio.

Tramezzini (or tramezzino, singular) are the most popular bar food at this local spot in Montebelluna, a small town about 45 minutes north of Venice. A triangular shaped sandwich made with crustless white bread, one might think tramezzini too simple to be so interesting but how wrong that thought would be.

Lorella has over 40 different types of tramezinni in her repertoire and on any given day, she’s up first thing in the morning preparing at least 14 choices for her customers. We stood there in awe as in a flash she created an amazing tramezzino with tuna, hard boiled egg, vinegar soaked onions and mayonnaise. The combination was terrific and not one I would have ever thought to put together.

Some of her other top sellers, which all include mayonnaise (an added plus) to keep the filling together are porchetta and Treviso radicchio, mozzarella with tomatoes and speck, shrimp and lettuce, baccala,  ham and mushrooms and the popular “Americano” (interesting name) which is prosciutto, hard boiled egg, lettuce and tomatoes.

Originated in Turin as an alternative to a sandwich, Gabriele D’Annunzio coined the term “tramezzo” which means “in between” since tramezzini are a light snack to have between meals. (And supposedly it was easier to say than “sandwich”). Found in many parts of Italy, but very common in the Veneto, tramezzini can be in the shape of a triangle, square or rolled, but whatever the shape, they are marvelous…and that smooth, creamy mayonnaise doesn’t hurt.

Caffe Club – Via Manzoni Alessandro, 23, 31044 Montebelluna, Province of Treviso, Italy