You’ve probably been to Italy, wandered round the Colosseum, tasted some delicious food and enjoyed an Aperol spritz or two, possibly been to the opera or taken a Tuscan wine tour. All fantastic experiences, but for those of us working in hospitality it’s valuable to have different experiences, get off the beaten track and see a side of Italian food and drink that we might ordinarily miss.
The city of
Gorizia in the north-eastern corner of the country, in the Friuli region, straddles the Slovenian border. Surrounded by hills, its vineyards produce some excellent wines, and its cuisine is heavier than that of the south, and you can pick out Austrian and Slavic influences.Come September the city comes alive with a vibrant and eclectic food festival called Gusti di Frontiera (Tastes of the Borders) where every corner of the world is represented across nearly 300 separate contributors, nestled into the winding cobbled streets.You can expect stalls from Calabrese heaving with meat, and smoking hot grills charring racks of ribs from the Baltics. Authentic French raclette, Huge German pretzels covered in cheese and various meats, Austrian strudels and all manner of beer, wine, cakes and sweets and a joyous, festive atmosphere throughout.With the current proliferation of street food that’s swept through the restaurant scene in the UK, this is the kind of event that inspires those who create menus or restaurant concepts, by being a reminder of the joy of authentic techniques and simple, quality ingredients.
EP runs a number of different food tours to Italian towns and cities and we’re looking to include Gorizia in our range of destinations from this year.For more information please contact Amy Lainchbury.
