In gastronomic terms, the traditional fare of Trentino-Alto Adige is a satisfying blend of hearty central European cooking allied with the finesse of Italian cuisine. Menus at its many country taverns are often written in both Italian and German

A popular regional appetizer is a gnocchi-like ravioli stuffed with spinach and sauteed in bacon and cream. Also a favorite is polenta served with mushroom sauce. During the fall months mushrooms and truffles grow here in abundance. Another seasonal fall favorite is roast chestnuts.

Entrees might include fresh trout from the area's numerous lakes and rivers, or roast chamois, a small deer that roams the higher slopes of the Dolomite Alps. Most famously, though, there is speck, a pork flank cured in spiced brine before being smoked and cured.

For those with a sweet tooth, Trentino-Alto Adige offers some of the most appetizing desserts found anywhere in Italy. More than a third of Italy's apple harvest originates here so, not surprisingly, apple dishes feature on virtually every menu, together with a wide range of mouthwatering Viennese-style pastries, rich in fruit and cream.