Piemonte / Cuisine

Typical Piemonte food

Lately Torino and the region have been gaining a leading role on a national and international level within the food community thanks to the agrifood culture and tradition present on the territory. Here Slow Food - the association working in favour of the safeguard of the local culinary art and the agricultural production which counts more than 86.000 members and headquarters all over the world - was founded. Torino also hosts the Salone del Gusto, the international fair dedicated to quality enogastronomic specialties and Terra Madre, the intercontinental convention for the food community attended by some 5.000 farmers, artisans and fishermen, while Pollenzo is the seat of the Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche, the one and only University of Enogastronomic Sciences.

All this is not by chance: the Piedmontese region is worldwide famous for its top-class delicacies. Barolo and Barbaresco wines, the white truffle of Alba and the PDO hazelnut and cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Grana Padano, are exemplary produce of its history and tradition and can conquest any fine gourmet.

The Piedmotese wines, the refined and sumptuous reds (Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Barbera), the deep and scented whites (Erbaluce, Roero Arneis, Gavi, Cortese), the sweet and temping wines for desserts (Asti Spumante, Bracchetto, Moscato d'Asti, Malvasia, Caluso Passito), are the perfect match for the many local cooking specialties. The territory can count on 43 DOC (i.e with controlled origin) and 16 DOCG (i.e. with controlled and guaranteed origin): as a whole, the certified quality production reaches 80% of the total.

One of the symbols of the Piemontese cuisine is the truffle, an underground mushroom. The most appreciated in the world is the white truffle of Alba, but many more species can be found on the hills of Southern Piemonte. Many fairs and events promote every year the use of this precious product: the National fair of the Truffle of Alba, the Regional Truffle Fair in Asti and the famous International Auction of the White Truffle that takes place in Grinzane Cavour.