Flavors of Friuli A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy by Elisabeth Antoine Crawford Hidden from tourist mobs in Italys northeast corner, tiny Friuli-Venezia Giulia boasts one of the countrys most distinctive regional cuisines. With influences from Austria, Hungary, and Slovenia, the Friulian people cleverly merge humble, local ingredients with exotic spices from foreign lands, resulting in a cuisine that, while often surprising in its blend of sweet and savory flavors, never ceases to delight the palate. In Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy, Elisabeth Antoine Crawford has compiled eighty of Friulis traditional recipesincluding frico (Montasio cheese crisps), cjalsns (cinnamon-laced ravioli), and gubana (dried fruit and nut spiral cake)and presents them with clear instructions that any home cook can easily follow. Much more than a cookbook, Flavors of Friuli explores the regions history and intermingling of cultures that have contributed over centuries to its unique fusion of cuisines. Readers will experience Friuli through the eyes of a traveler, visiting food festivals, favorite local restaurants, and not-to-be-missed tourist sights. Explore Friulis three distinct geographical areasthe Northern mountains, the Central hills and plains, and the Southern coastlineeach with its own particular character and culinary traditions. From Carnias sweet-and-savory cjalsns and crispy frico to Cividales dried fruit- and nut-filled gubana to the seafood, goulasch, and Viennese-inspired pastries of Trieste, there is something to entice everyones palate. Travel through Friulis charming villages, including Bordano, home to Europes largest tropical butterfly garden; Aquileia, famous for the ancient Roman mosaics that adorn the towns basilica; and Sauris, where time stands eternally still amid verdant Alpine peaks. Visit popular restaurants such as Osteria Al Vecchio Stallo in Udine, Ristorante Salon in Arta Terme, and La Subida in Cormns, as well as one of Triestes oldest bakeries, Pasticceria Penso. Discover Friulis many artisanal products, including Montasio and ricotta affumicata cheeses, Illy coffee, Tocai and other wines of the Collio, and of course, the famed prosciutto of San Daniele. Experience local festivals that celebrate wild berries, mushrooms, asparagus, and pumpkin, then revel in Muggias eccentric Carnevale parade. Learn about spice merchants called cramrs, folkloric sbilfs who inhabit Carnias forests, and the nearly obsolete Furlan language still spoken in Friulis remotest corners. Flavors of Friuli is beautifully illustrated with 450 color photographs, including one for each recipe. The book offers a magnificent voyage through the snow-capped mountains of Carnia, the rolling hills of Friulis wine country, and the dramatic Adriatic coastline. Along the way, readers are invited to sneak a peek at life in small towns, admire the architecture in the cities of Trieste and Udine, and become enamored with the many irresistible flavors that FriuliVenezia Giulia has to offer.