The city of Trieste falls within the borders of Italy; however, anyone visiting will undoubtedly find the city to be just as much Slavic in nature as it is Italian. Located in the far northeast, and surrounded by the stunning Adriatic Sea, Trieste is one of Italy's most culturally varied and distinct cities and has been for hundreds of years.
Trieste's beginnings can be traced back to before Julius Caesar. As it is only 100 miles away, Trieste competed with the widely popular and renowned city of Venice from the ninth through the 15th centuries. In more recent times, the city was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and was the Empire's chief seaport. Many guidebooks have described Trieste as being ¨more tied to Vienna than Venice.¨ Trieste fell to the Nazis in 1943 and following the end of the Second World War, it wad turned over to Yugoslavia. Trieste did not become part of Italy again until 1954.
Although Trieste is largely unknown to the many tourists who visit Italy and who pay homage to the ¨ubiquitous three¨, Rome, Florence, and Venice, at one time it was one of Europe's main intellectual centers. Beloved Irish author James Joyce spent more than a decade in Trieste and penned his classic works The Dubliners and Portrait of an Artist there. Trieste was also home to Sigmund Freud and poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Today Trieste´s cafés are perfect for enjoying a cappuccino while breathing the fresh sea air, and it is easy to imagine Joyce, Freud, and Rilke having done the same a century before.
Trieste´s cuisine is representative of its ethnically varied past. Strudel and goulash are dishes just as common as pasta and risotto. One can experience the food an culture of Central Europe, while still savoring the music of Vivaldi and hearing the language of love.
Trieste is one of Italy´s best kept secrets, and it is a place that one should make every effort to visit. It is a city that will enchant its visitors with its remarkable mélange of cultures and stunning scenery. Although it may not have Venice's canals, or Florence´s David, or Rome's Trevi Fountain, it has its own unique offerings that can only be experienced by visiting Trieste.
And of course a great way to experience any part of Italy is through their food. So here is a traditional recipe from Trieste- (it's a healthy one also).
Orzo and bean soup
(or in the dialect of Trieste-Minestra "orzo e fasoi")
Ingredients ( 4 servings):
- 1 cup of orzo
- 1 cup of dried beans
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- extra virgin olive oil
- vegetable broth
- parsley
- basil
- salt
- pepper
Method:
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Place dried beans in a bowl of cold water and let soak for 12 hours. Be sure beans are covered with water.
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In a large soup pot place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in sauté pan with chopped celery, sliced carrot, chopped onion, finely chopped garlic. When the onion starts to turn golden, place in the drained beans and the vegetable broth...
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Cook this at low heat for 2-3 hours. Then add in fresh parsley and basil, orzo and salt and pepper to taste. When orzo is cooked, drizzle a bit if olive oil on top of soup. Remove from heat and serve. Each serving can also be topped with a small drizzle of olive oil
