When I lived in New York, Easter prep would include a trip to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx to buy all the essential Italian Easter goodies: easter eggs, leg of lamb and ham at the famed Biancardi’s butcher shop, the traditional boxed Colomba cake (a dove-shaped cake covered in sugar and almonds) and the Pastiera…
Over the past several weeks I have been encountering several “Easter Trees” in Trieste, some in stores or restaurants and many in people’s homes. Coming from the States, I thought this was another tradition that was commercially induced and most likely born of craft store overstock combined with the ingenious skills of an inventive stock…
On my way to the gym, I walk past a very pretty pastry shop. In contrast to the dark, grey buildings that surround it, the CADENARO shop in via Palestrina emits a golden glow. I finally caved and instead of marching ahead with resolute will-power, I allowed myself to be lured inside to look over…
This past Sunday, the Mayor of Trieste handed over the key to the city to the King and Queen of Carnevale 2019 to signify the start of the festivities. Fat Thursday is this week and already, families (with pets in tow) in matching outfits have taken to the streets with their adorable kids to festoon…
As a carnivorous American with a penchant for good, flavorful meat, I had a hard time finding both a good butcher in Trieste and quality meat. In fact, when I first got here, many locals suggested I go to Slovenia to buy meat. There, I was told in a hushed whisper, the meat was better…
Trieste is inherently tied to Vienna. Having been under Austrian rule since as far back as 1382, when the main citizens of Trieste in petitioned Leopold III of Habsburg, Duke of Austria in order to become part of his domains. Subsequently Trieste gained wealth and importance as the port city of the consolidated Austrian Littoral. It became little Vienna on the…
As a gift to all of you, I thought I’d share my tried and true Christmas cookie recipes that I have been making year after year. Now that I have been living in Trieste for almost 3 years, these cookies have become a way for me to cherish my U.S. traditions as well as share…
In Trieste, every season and holiday has its “must-haves” sweets, whether it’s Titola for Easter, Gnocchi di Susine to mark the end of summer or Fave dei Morti in the Fall. Christmastime is no different and holiday tables will be laden with a variety of baked goods. Here are the desserts that you will surely find at a typical Triestine Christmas:…
Le Fave dei Morti (“The Fava Beans of the Dead”) sounds particularly well-suited to this time of year, now that we’re coming up on Halloween and the Giorno dei Morti, or Day of the Dead. Each year, starting in October, piles of pink, white and brown round treats fill the windows of the local bakeries.…
With the 50th Anniversary of Barcolana successfully celebrated and relegated to the annals of history with a record-breaking 2700 boats and more than 250,000 visitors — summer is now officially over and mother nature seems to agree. Gone are the warm breezy days of early fall, and now grey skies, red sumac and a more…
On a little winding side street, in the old neighborhood of Cavana one finds TERRA MATER, a little gourmet shop specialized in bringing to market small producer delicacies native to the Friuli, Venezia Giulia Region. The shop opened a little less than a year ago under the guidance of Ervin Rama, and with the help…
For a short period of time every year, every store is stocked beautiful blue and purple plums! Find out how they are part of the Trieste cooking tradition on bestoftrieste.com
Trieste is one of those cities that is beautiful to look at; the stunning blue of the sea, the packed marinas, the amazing Piazza Unita’ facing the open gulf, the ornate Viennese style architecture — everywhere you look it seems, there is something new to see and that instantly piques your curiosity. One day, as…
I have had some wonderful meals at the Ristorante Al Monastero, a restaurant in Cividale del Friuli that serves traditional friulian cuisine. The old-style building was once a fraternity house of the order of Santa Maria dei Battuti (a secular medieval order sworn to offer aid and assistance in the form of hospice, shelter and…
Often referred to as the “lungs” of the city, Trieste’s parks and gardens offer pleasant refuge from the dog days of summer and lovely displays of color in spring and fall. Trieste’s main gardens prominently featuring botanical specimens are: The Civico Orto Botanico: Established in 1842 the city-run botanical garden is a small but lush…
