Trentino-Alto Adige is separated from Veneto by the dramatic Dolomite mountains at Italy's northernmost edge. Although the two areas are geographically united, from a gastronomic perspective, Trentino and Alto Adige are two distinct regions.

Trentino's cuisine is decidedly Venetian. Polenta is a staple, often accompanied by some of the region's overwhelming array of mushrooms. The harvest of wild mushrooms, in which the Dolomites are rich, includes porcini, chanterelles, chiodini, and a host of others. In the summer and autumn, Trento has a fabulous mushroom market, with hundreds of different varieties. Everyone in this region seems to be a mushroom expert. Even some members of the police are micologi (mushroom experts), who inspect mushrooms in the market to make sure they are safe to sell.

The northernmost part of the region, Alto Adige is marked by Austrian influences, including an emphasis on ham and the use of rye flour. Street signs are written in both German and Italian. The single traditional pasta dish is ravioli alla pusterese, in which the ravioli dough is made with rye flour, something unheard of elsewhere in Italy.

Trentino and Alto Adige's endless apple orchards--mostly Golden Delicious--produce more than 30 percent of Italy's apples. Because of the excellent apples and the Austrian influence on the region's cuisine, strudel is omnipresent here.

Click here to see