Food & Tradition

The cuisine of the valleys is hearty and down-to-earth. Before Grappa trentina, something substantial comes to the table first: Canederli, bread dumplings with speck or cheese, served in broth or with butter. Alongside these are Strangolapreti made from spinach and bread, and in the colder months, polenta with cheese or mushrooms.

Among the classics is Carne salada, beef cured in salt and spices, served thinly sliced either raw or briefly cooked. Trentingrana, a hard cheese from the province, pairs well with it. The richness and salt call for something clear and dry to refresh the palate. In the Val di Non, Tortel di patate, a potato flatbread, is a staple side dish of the mountain kitchen.

For dessert, apple is the natural choice: Strudel di mele is one of the province's best-known sweets. A small glass of Distillato di mele trentino carries the apple note further. Plums and pears also find their way into cakes and compotes. The corresponding brandies, Sliwovitz trentino and Williams trentino, echo the same aromas in clear, distilled form.

The belief that a spirit after a meal aids digestion is widespread. In fact, alcohol tends to slow gastric emptying rather than speed it up. The sense of well-being after a small Grappa is relaxation, not faster digestion.

The Marzadro house recounts that in its early years, Sabina Marzadro gathered wild alpine herbs daily — nettle, juniper, and dwarf mountain pine — and blended them with her Grappa. Where wine and spirits share the same table, the order is clear: first the meal, with a glass of Teroldego or Nosiola, and only at the end a small brandy made from the pomace of that very grape.

The bittersweet Genziana trentina provides a counterpoint to sweet dishes like strudel and to robust cheeses, as its bitter note cuts through their richness.