Food and Wine
Now, onwards towards food in the Trentino-Alto Adige region! As you might anticipate after reading about the history, it could seem that “danke schön” would be more appropriate than ‘grazie mille’ to use after meals in this region. For example, goulash, which is said to have originated in Hungary, is quite popular here and in Germany, Austria and Slovenia as well. It was delicious at the Baita Vason, a recommended restaurant. In a small ski village such as Vason, I found it best to stick to comfort food, such as goulash. (For a better selection of ‘foodie quality’ restaurants head to cities such as Trento or Bolzano.)
Another regional classic is Canederli (or knodel), which are potato dumplings, kind of like large gnocchi, that you can find in the goulash or a simple broth. Other regional specialties include polenta with game such as rabbit and deer. According to the Barilla Academy website: “As in all mountain areas, game meat dishes are very common, served the Austrian way, with sauces made with woodland fruits or apples, in a medley of sweet and sour tastes.”
If you are brave enough to attempt this region’s most famous dessert on your own…
Speck, a smoked ham, also hails from this region. It is smoked in a way that allows it to stay fresh for months. Similarly, a particular type of Mortadella, from the Val di Non is a speciality of the local cuisine.
For dessert, do not miss a strudel with the exalted apples also from the Val di non area.
Wine
Santa Margherita in my brother’s wine store in Houston, Texas
Like her neighbor, Friuli Venezia Giulia , Trentino-Alto Adige has the climate for white pinots; look for pinot grigio and and pinot bianco. For example, one producer of Pinot Grigio that has become unbelievably popular in the United States is Santa Margherita. This wine is found around Italy as well, but has really become ubiquitous (and marked up!) on menus in American restaurants. Both types are known for being some of the lightest and freshest wines. On the other hand, criticism can be that some are too light without structure and depth, bordering on a ‘watery’ flavor. In an article published on the Wine Enthusiast website, the writer claims, “the quality bar is higher across the board with Pinot Bianco, which is made in limited quantities compared to Pinot Grigio.” That said, Pinot Grigio is quite synonymous with ‘fresh easy drinking’ and it is a popular crowd pleasure, so you will be white ‘pinot’ rich in this region.
You might also try the grapes with the German names, Gewürztraminer (especially if you like sweeter wine) and Müller Thurgau. They grow well in the shared climate. Even though white wines are more popular in this region, you might seek out the still rather unknown red grape called teroldego; a writer from the New York Times, describes it as ‘esoteric’ (ha). Read more about the characteristics in the linked article.
My friend and ‘natural wine advisor’, Frank, took a trip to this region and visited the ‘cantine’ of Furlani and Pojer e Sandri. These are smaller producers of natural wines in the region, so you can have a wonderful intimate experience always immersed in the surrounding beauty of the region. Like in most of the fertile wine regions up north, namely, Piemonte and Friuli Venezia Giulia, it is advisable to get in touch with the wineries ahead of time to book a visit.