Walking around Trieste, you will notice that many butcher shops have signs advertising the availability of steak tartare on Fridays and Saturdays. This struck me as unusual in more ways than one; having grown up in an Italian-American family, Fridays was rigorously a “no meat” day in the Catholic practice of self-discipline and penance. And…
(*)DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a Triestine dish but rather, a regional dish belonging to the Friulian ancient tradition, similar to Friulian agnolotti. I had my first taste in Cividale del Friuli at the restaurant, Il Monastero. It was a revelation; here was a seemingly savory pasta dish but with the first bite, I tasted layers…
One of the things I love about Italy and the Italian language is that there are so many ways to describe emotions… particularly when you feel out of sorts…stranito to mean “feeling a little off” or “weird” is one of my favorites. Of course, Trieste not only has a word, but a whole character and…
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
Just north of Trieste, next door to Opicina, lies the town of Monrupino (Repentabor in Slovenian *). It is marked by the Sanctuary of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin which can be seen perched atop the hill overlooking the Karst. This is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike as, from here, you…
Trieste is famous for its “buffets”. No, not the American style, all-you-can-eat self service brunchy buffet you’re thinking of…. In Trieste, buffets are an institution, a legacy from the days under the Austro-Hungarian Empire of which the city is still proud. The buffet is a “democratic” eatery equally loved by workers, students, retirees and ladies…
My favorite thing about Easter in Trieste is the delicious Titola. A traditional Easter cake that makes its appearance for a brief time right around the holiday, it is wrapped in cellophane and colorful bows. It is as pretty as it is delicious with its colorful easter eggs nestled in the shiny, moist braided dough.…
Carnevale is just around the corner. Store fronts are filled with glittery masks and brightly colored costumes and bakeries are showcasing the typical holiday fried fare consisting of crostoli, bugie ripiene, frittole, castagnole and other goodies! Everywhere you walk, you see the remnants of early celebrations; confetti and streamers scattered and balled up in street…
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 to 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. These…
While visiting the Museo Diocesano in Udine recently, I came upon an unusual collection of small paintings. Each one depicted a particularly gruesome scene; someone falling from a rooftop, someone being gored in the eye by a bull, someone being trampled by a carriage and so on. They reminded me of the terrible illustrations…
Where do Triestines go when they are looking for authentic home-cooked meals? Look no further than Mariabologna. I have often passed by this shop in Via Cesare Battisti and and immediately sensed that there was something special about this shop…that somehow time had stood still here, preserving all that was good. From the vintage whimsical…
Easter in Trieste is beautiful, the fruit trees are ending their bloom and spreading their last blossoms, like confetti, on the passersby. Cascades of wisteria pour over terrace railings, pergolas and retaining walls of villas perched on Via Commerciale. And everywhere the scent of jasmine and blossoming laurel grows more intoxicating as the sun gets warmer.…
