| If you think that Italian food is all about pasta, sauce | | | | Goulash, which originated as a Hungarian dish, has |
| and pizza, then it's time to think again. Some of the | | | | taken on a distinct Italian taste here and can often be |
| most fabulous foods in the entire world are Italian | | | | found in fine Italian food restaurants both in and out of |
| dishes that most people have never heard of. These | | | | Italy. Goulash is very popular in this region and is a thick |
| dishes are most often regional in nature and often take | | | | stew of beef and local vegetables such as onions and |
| on the characteristics of the regions and countries | | | | red peppers. It is very thick and seasoned with paprika |
| bordering the area of Italy where they originate. | | | | and can be served with pasta. Another dish that |
| The trouble with ordering food in an Italian restaurant, | | | | makes a frequent appearance at the beer halls in this |
| like ones in the US, is that the manager of the | | | | area is Bohemian stew made with either rabbit or |
| restaurant needs to cut down the number of dishes | | | | beef. |
| they can serve so that the food can be ready in a | | | | But, the meat used most often in dishes form this |
| timely fashion after you order. What happens often, | | | | region is pork. And if you are ever visiting this are, |
| then is the food that is distinctive but not so | | | | make sure you sample one of their world famous San |
| well-known gets left off the usual menu. | | | | Daniele del Friuli hams. These hams are a staple meat |
| And because Italy is full of small but very diverse | | | | of the local Italian food. The whole region is known for |
| areas, this means that most of the great regional | | | | their spicy bacon and sausages. In fact there is a local |
| dishes simply are never available on the menu. A great | | | | dish called jota that is unique to the region and is a |
| case in point is food from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia area. | | | | stew dish made with beans and bacon. But this is so |
| This is a place right next to the border of the former | | | | very different from the kind of dish served in the |
| Yugoslavia and when you mix that culinary influence in | | | | southern areas of the United States. The pork in this |
| with the Italian love of cooking, you get some fabulous | | | | area is spicy and this may come as a bit of a shock |
| dishes that most people outside of Italy have never | | | | to foreigners not familiar with this brand of Italian food. |
| been able to sample. | | | | The pork is often cooked over an open hearth instead |
| Because this region shares a border with the former | | | | of being roasted, and is seen in many dishes even if it |
| Yugoslavia, the Italian food here is strong with Austrian, | | | | is not the main entree. |
| Hungarian, Slovenian, and Croatian influences. One of | | | | There are so many kinds of Italian food that are not |
| places that this is most apparent is in the beer halls of | | | | pasta with tomato sauce, that it is hard to be able to |
| the area, places you might more typically associate | | | | try them all in one lifetime; but you could certainly try. |
| with Germany or Austria. Here they feature such | | | | Because good food is meant to be good fun. |
| dishes as Viennese sausage and goulash. | | | | |