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THE FOODS
Amid the towering Dolomites of this northernmost region, Latin and Teutonic
cultures mingle but don't always mix. In Alto Adige (or Südtirol, the
German-speaking province of Bolzano), Austro-Tyrolean cooking prevails with
wursts, cabbage, potatoes, rye bread and dumpling soups. In Trentino (the
province of Trento to the south), Italo-Venetian traditions of polenta and pasta
take on Alpine accents with butter, cheese, game and wild mushrooms.
By now, though, many recipes are shared. South Tyroleans may dine on pizza or
spaghetti as readily as Trentini eat crauti (sauerkraut) or canederli (the bread
dumplings called Knödeln in German).
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THE WINES
Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy's northernmost region, is walled in by the Rhaetian Alps and the Dolomites, so that only about 15 percent of the region's land is cultivable and much that is produces fruit and wine grapes. The difficulty of growing vines on steep, often terraced hillsides compels growers to emphasize quality. About three-quarters of production is DOC and a major share of the wine is exported.
Trentino-Alto Adige, with borders on Austria and Switzerland, is split into two distinct provinces. Trentino, around the city of Trento (or Trent) to the south, is historically Italian in language and culture. Alto Adige, around the city of Bolzano (or Bozen) to the north, is known as Südtirol to the prominent German-speaking population. The South Tyrol, historically part of Austria, is officially bilingual.
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