Think you hate anchovies?

Well, think again. Our second night in Vernazza we ate at Gambero Rosso, the Red Shrimp, owned by the same family as the better-known Belforte (with outside dining high up overlooking the Ligurian Sea) that the family has owned for three generations. Giordi, one of the family, was our server for the evening and absolutely delightful. At his suggestion we ordered Monterosso anchovies for our antipasto. The chef served them four ways--lemon, pepper, fried and stuffed--and Giordi brought a platter with samples of all. The fish tasted suprisingly mild, especially compared to the anchovies most of us in the US eat. We felt like such culinary adventurers and were encouraged to try many other delicacies during our trip.

Giordi also introduced us to a lovely desert wine sciacchetra.