Tucked away between mountains and sea in Italy’s extreme northeast corner, Friuli-Venezia Giulia is a veritable melting pot of cultures. Today, the only clear boundary lines are political: those that separate Italy from the neighboring countries of Austria and Slovenia, those that mark the border between Friuli and Italy’s Veneto region, and those that delineate Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s four provinces (Trieste, Gorizia, Udine, and Pordenone). From a cultural point of view, these borders remain somewhat blurred, as there is considerable overlap in ethnicity, traditions, and cuisine. There are, however, three distinct geographical areas within Friuli-Venezia Giulia—the Northern mountains, the Central hills and plains, and the Southern coastline—whose individual characteristics have played a significant role in the region’s culinary history.
Until the mid-1900s, much of Friuli’s mountainous north had been isolated from the rest of the region. The harsh climate and rugged terrain prevented the free-flowing trade of goods that flourished elsewhere. Friulians had to become self-sufficient, making use of wild mushrooms, herbs, fruits, and berries that could be gathered in their forests and fields. Read More
Like their neighbors to the north, the people of central Friuli subsisted on a simple diet of hearty grains and vegetables. The fertile plains of this region have encouraged the development of a booming wine industry, while its rolling hills were found to have the perfect climate for salt-curing Friuli’s famous prosciutto. Read More
The southern portion of Friuli lies along the Adriatic Sea. Naturally, seafood takes center stage here. While the cooking along the western coast shows a considerable Venetian influence, Austrian and Slavic dishes are most pervasive around the capital city of Trieste. Read More