ingredients

5 large apples, 200gr flour, 2 eggs, 3 glasses of milk, half a glass rum, 40gr caster sugar, 1 grated lemon peel, 100gr butter for frying, 1 sachet of vanilla sugar or cocoa or cinnamon powder

making it

Core and peel the apples, then slice them into pieces which are not too thin. Place the apples slices on a large plate and soak them in the rum. Leave to one side for 10 mins.

The 'Festa della Transumanza' at Caldonazzo takes place in the 3rd week of September and celebrates the return of the cattle and other animals from the high Alpine pastures to lower ground for the end of the summer.

This traditional type of pasta will certainly keep you warm in the mountains during the cooler months.

ingredients

1 glass of water, 1 litre of milk, 100g flour, 50g flour 'granoturco', 1 egg, salt, butter

This recipe for 'Ruffòi Cimbri al Burro' was provided by the APT Val Sugana, which is the next valley to the Val di Cembra.

ingredients

500gr of fresh pasta, 700g of Savoy cabbage, 40g smokey bacon, 40g parmesan cheese, 20g egg yolk, 50g butter, 80 papavero seeds.

A recent television programme on RAI 2 highlighted the Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi and, in particular, the zone of San Martino di Castrozza.

The producers flew a helicopter over the snow covered mountain tops and into the deep valleys. It was interesting to find out that the protected zone offers pristine skiing conditions and has been doing so since the 1930's.

Riva del Garda seems a good place to live. Not only does the microclimate allow such non Alpine crops as olive, cyprus and even lemon trees to grow, the Lake is also blessed with a wind called the 'Ora' which has encouraged the growth of sailing and windsurfing centers.

The Alta Valsugana valley is located in eastern Trentino. The valley winds its way down the chain of summits called the Lagorai and extends all the way into the Valle di Fiemme, a distance of 180 km.

Walking fans may like to base themselves in the Valle dei Mòcheni, an ethnically German area sitting some 2006 meters in altitude.

Moena falls inside an area known as the "Tre Valli". They are Moena Alpe Lusia, Passo di San Pellegrino and Falcade. The territory is reachable via the Val di Fassa and all roads in this part of the region head towards Selva Val Gardena and the mythical Marmolada mountain.

Many of the weird and wonderfully dark tales and fables from the region obviously predate Christianity. They may even have been inspired by figures such as the mysterious 'Man in Ice' at the Museo Archeologico dell Alto Adige at Bolzano.

You know the ski season is over when the 'stagione balneare' opens. Typically, that's the third week of April at Plan de Corones in the Val Pusteria, Alto Adige.

The waters of the mountain lakes might be a bit nippy at 2°-3°, but why not hire a rowing boat and soak in the sun at the very least. To celebrate the change in the seasons the local tourism authorities lay on the 'Lackenfest' or 'Festa della Pozza' spring event.