Restaurants

Piedmont' is a real food wonderland for a number of reasons, most of them historical: there are links with France and the heritage of a common dynasty through the centuries. There are the famous Savoy kings and a mild, sunny climate with an extraordinary rich soil which, produces some of the world's best vines, in hill areas such as Langhe and Monferrato (30/50 miles SE of Turin).

In top restaurants, exclusive retreats and homes in London, Manhattan or Tokyo, bottles of "Barolo" have taken the place of French wines, while white Alba truffle is beginning to become known by gourmets in the USA and UK, getting special coverage on magazines like "Forbes" or London's Channel 4 TV.

In Italy everybody knows great red wines such as Nebbiolo, Dolcetto or the popular, strong Barbera, the farmers' everyday wine. As a result all the other products of Piedmont are now experiencing cult status, from the aforementioned white truffle from Alba (let's just call it "countryside caviar"!), which costs about $10 per gram (almost the same price as gold).

Everything is outstanding in those happy hills: the goat cheeses, the beef and veal from Chivasso (classed amongst the world's finest breeds), the game, chestnuts, Carmagnola yellow peppers, the woods' wild mushrooms ( porcini and reali ), the trout from the Alps' small, unpolluted rivers, the Revigliasco cherries and the dream chocolate and petit patisserie made in the ancient Turin spots like Pfatisch or Baratti & Milano (if you like chocolate, you must pay a visit to places such as these.)