Food and Wine
Some of the most famous foods from the region of Piemonte are Vitello tonnato, Agnolotti, grissini, and finally panna cotta. The vitello tonnato is thinly sliced veal covered in a sauce made from tuna and cappers. It doesn’t sound that appealing by description (depends on your tastes, of course), but the manifestation is quite delicious, and it is a classic Piedmontese dish. You will find this on the menu as a ‘secondo’ in traditional piemontese restaurants, and now in restaurants around the country as well.
Agnolotti is a typical pasta, a popular ‘primo’, from this region; they are plump little pockets (resembling ravioli) which can be filled with meats, cheeses and vegetables. Specifically, you will see ‘Agnolotti del Plin’ on menus around the region. ‘Plin’, in local dialect, refers to the way the chef must ‘pinch’ the pasta together to create the little pouch.
Similar to, but even more popular than, the Puglian taralli, the classic Italian breadsticks (I grissini) come from Piemonte. The story goes that they were invented in the 17th century for the young Duke Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy, as he had trouble digesting traditional breads.
Finally, you might know the cream-based dessert known as panna cotta, and which also calls Piemonte home. Look out for these classics on menus while in the Piemonte region, and give them a try! And for a bit more of the sweet side of Torino, this region has something in common with Umbria as being a siren for chocolate lovers.
How to make Gianduja
The distinctive Gianduiotto chocolates have become another symbol of the city; they are shaped as a ingot (a block of steal, gold or any other metal) and they are made with “Gianduia (or sometimes spelled gianduja) is a sweet chocolate spread containing about 30% hazelnut paste, invented in Turin during Napoleon's regency (1796–1814).” The legend goes that coco became difficult to import from South America during Napolean’s reign; therefore, adding the hazelnut helped the chocolate go further. One of the best places to try the best chocolate Torino has to offer is Guido Gobino. Read more in the cafes and contemporary bars post.
Wine and Regional Features
First, in terms of the wine regions, I have the impression that visiting Piemonte is still (somewhat) reserved for those with intermediate to expert proficiency in wine knowledge. Many American visitors still perceive Toscana to be the primary wine region in Italy, and perhaps it does still offer a more equalitarian and even accessible experience. (That said, I firmly believe every travel experience is ‘accessible’ if you do proper research and approach it in the right way!) To explore this wine region in Piemonte, I have friends and relatives that have taken different approaches. Booking a wine tour or experience is one way. I have to be honest that I cannot personally vouch for any of these at the moment, but I will share how I would do the research.
Explore a number of personal websites such as this one called Italianna.com, cross check reviews on Tripadvisor and Google. Then, contact the guide personally and see if she or he could arrange the type of experience you are looking for. (Anna looks pretty solid by the way!) Another friend who is very impassioned and informed about natural wines took a trip to this area and visited only producers who specialize in natural or organic/ biodynamic wines, providing more of a niche experience. In any case, it is best to personally contact wineries in this region ahead of time. It seems the walk-in experience is not common in this wine region, and, depending on the experience you want, this could be an incentive or deterrent.
The celebrity wines in this region are Barolo and Barbaresco, both made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Barolo boasts the lofty moniker ‘king of wine’, and it is full bodied complete with ‘mouth drying tannins’. This wine is also famous for its aging potential and many of them should be aged for 5-10 years to reach their potential. The neighboring Barbaresco is made from Nebbiolo grapes that ripen earlier because of the soil and climate; they are generally less tannic but still ‘age-worthy’ with plenty of acidity. While Barolo is gendered as the dominant and robust ‘king’; Barbaresco is oft described with adjectives that have feminine associations such as ‘elegant’, ‘refined’ and even ‘perfumed’. Thus, you will see the latter playfully identified as the Queen.
Roero Arneis
If you have read some other wine sections, you might know I am partial to whites, although I try to give representation to all colors (red, wine, rose and orange). I recently tried a white from Piemonte called Roero Arneis. The grape is Arneis, and Roero is the small DOCG district. I thought it was absolutely delicious, and according to the Wine Searcher website, they have ‘earned the nickname Barolo Bianco (white Barolo)’.
Good choices for a base between the regions of Barolo and Barbaresco (the names of wines and the DOCG growing areas in which they are located) would be the cities of Bra or Alba. Read more about the specific area in this article published by Italy Magazine. On the subject of Bra, this town also happens to be the headquarters for the Slow Food movement. The movement was founded by Carlo Petrini and can be defined as “a global, grassroots organization, founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions.” Thus, be prepared to find delicious eateries that pertain to the philosophy that ‘good’ is wrapped up in ideas of quality and health; the food will be fresh, seasonal but also produced by methods that are ‘good’ for the environment. Sounds good, right? Find out more in another Italy Magazine article focused on 'the rise' of the Slow Food movement. Additionally, the New York Times recently added a 36 Hours in Barolo feature, which could be another good resource in planning a trip to this region.