carpaccio

No this isnt an opera or an Italian painting even though its named after a painter. Carpaccio has a mixed history, some claim it was invented at Harrys Bar in Venice and others claim it was invented in Milan at Savini Restaurant in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

According to Arrigo Cipriani, the present-day owner of Harry's Bar, Carpaccio was invented at Harry's Bar in Venice, where it was first served to the countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo in 1950 when she informed the bar's owner that her doctor had recommended she eat only raw meat. It consisted of thin slices of raw beef dressed with a mustard sauce.

The dish was named Carpaccio by Giuseppe Cipriani, the bar's former owner, in reference to the Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, because the colors of the dish reminded him of paintings by Carpaccio.

According to another story of the genesis of this famous dish, it was born at the Savini Restaurant in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. A wealthy lady, who was an everyday customer, was indeed told by her doctor to eat only raw meat. Unfortunately, at the time, it was not socially acceptable that a lady of her status would order "raw meat" at the most elegant restaurant in the city. It was the waiter who suggested her to use a different name for it. Apparently a painting by Carpaccio was hanging on the wall at the Savini at the time, and the waiter suggested Carpaccio as the "code name" for the dish, so she would not be embarrassed when ordering it. (wikipedia) I dont care who invented it I am glad they did! I made my carpaccio with some thin slices of beef, romano cheese, watercress, lime juice, a lemony watercress mayonnaise, himalayan pink salt, fresh ground mixed pepper, white truffle oil and extra virgin olive oil.