Frasca: A sign of the good taste of tradition di Auri Stilla

Frasca, in Italian, indicates a "branch with its leaves." But in many regions of Italy, "la frasca" has become the symbol of a place where delicacies are consumed and everything is genuine. It is an obligatory stop for travelers seeking nourishment, a place where foods just extracted from the garden behind the house are served along with free-range animals but where wines made in the old style and manner are also available.
The frasca was once exposed in front of the farmer's house and he, by ancient Austro-Hungarian law, was accorded the possibility of selling his products, the best, directly to consumers. The frasca was illuminated by the faint light of an oil lamp, which was kept burning as long as wine was available for sale. The light was then extinguished and the frasca was taken down. The bush has remained over time an emblem of genuineness and many establishments, especially in the northeast of the country, have taken the name as their own.
At Lauzacco, a small community in the vicinity of Pavia di Udine (a few miles from the provincial capital), Valter Scarbolo and his wife, Mariagrazia Beltrame, after having acquired a fine farm property in the sixties, decided to dedicate themselves to the life of restaurateurs. And they named their first place La Frasca. Their service began with the most traditional and simplest of foods, bread baked in a wood-burning oven, a slice of salame and a goblet of wine, all made strictly in the house. Then, with the evolution of travelers' requirements, the products of the estate also evolved. Today, the goods and services offered are such as to satisfy a good part of the needs of travelers. All the specialties (specially selected) of the Friuli countryside are offered along with those of other regions of Italy.
Guests can now choose from a large array of dishes, all prepared with high-quality ingredients. The house produces its own pork, preserved meats and fowl or acquires them from farmers in the same zone. Cattle are carefully selected and beef is obtained from animals that are allowed to graze freely. Sheep and lambs are all New Zealanders. Greens and vegetables come primarily from the house's garden. Fresh pasta, bread and pastries are still made entirely in the house. The menus are written, week by week and season after season, naturally with the products the earth provides. Also naturally, the wines are those obtained from the family vineyard. However, the restaurant's wine list contains the names of other important Friuli winemakers (first of all, Pighin, which operates a vineyard only a few dozen yards away). But there are also the wines of Tuscany, the Veneto and Piedmont.
La Frasca, once a simple establishment serving quick meals, now plays host (especially in the summer) to more than 200 diners in its three spacious rooms. On the ground floor, it can accommodate 50 guests (that number rises to 120 with the use of a well-appointed porch and a garden. There are two additional rooms on the mezzanine. The first of the two rooms accommodates 65 guests, while the second has space for 40. Easy and functional access to the dining rooms is assured for the handicapped with the use of a special elevator.
The kitchen is a model of efficiency. Domenico (Mimmo) Febbo leads the culinary team. He is a cook with international experience and is supported by three cooks and two aides, who guarantee absolute professionalism. Young, dynamic and appealing collaborators tend to service at the tables and the bar.
La Frasca periodically organizes intriguing evenings under the title "Prendiamoci Gusto." These events bring cuisine into contact with culture: entertainment and knowledge. Mariagrazia and Valter regard their customers not as clients but personal guests, an approach that is made possible with the backing of good cuisine and a courteous and timely welcome.

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