Tanja and “Il dolce del Carso” (pastries from the Carso)

( Ph. "Le Monetine" with wild fennel of Karst of Puress.Oil )

Tanja is a versatile, creative and eclectic girl. Class of ’82, she graduated from the Ca’ Foscari University in Venice as a Russian translator, and then started working in graphic and design. To indulge in her passion for cuisine, she followed a few master classes in haute patisserie, both in Italy and Slovenia.

“My project was born from a walk” she tells me “I spend most of my free time exploring the areas of the Carso; I love its beauty, I study its plants and the changes it goes through with the seasons”. And by exploring these wonderful landscapes she was inspired to create a series of pastry products influenced by the Karst’s nature. That’s how “Il Dolce Carso” (“The Sweet Karst”) was born, a pastry boutique that follows three main themes: nature, typical products and reinvention.

The karst valleys called "doline" in a vanilla & chocolate cream biscuit

Her project is more than a simple passion; for this young girl from Gorizia in fact, it’s an original way to promote local production and create a network to support the inside sector. “Producers are glad to be part of my pastry creations and I’m happy to act as a channel to publicize their products with my creativity” says the young pastry maker.

She uses local products in all her recipes, like oil from San Dorligo, DOC wines of the Karst (Kante, Zidaric and many others), milk from the plateau, eggs from local farmers, honey from Gorizia, herbs and fruit from the Italian and Slovenian Karst.

Terrano cake

"Small coins"

"Small coins"

Soon the pastries from the Karst will be available in some bakeries and other shops in Trieste and Gorizia. The eclectic girl is also working to start a pre-order service and to have a newsletter with all the latest news on sale-points and events. Because Tanja is also a pastry chef, and she works for weddings, as a caterer and she organized guided tasting sessions.

She’s definitely an all-around artist.

Ph. Tanja Tuta

Dessert sweet & savoury inspired by the Duino cliffs in Northern Italy

Apfelstrudel

Traditional strudel of Trieste edited in a biscuit version with dried apples, raisins & pine nut

Strudel herbs and honey from the Karst