I feel like the entire region is lesser known compared to the rest of the country. So I wouldnt be surprised if there are places in Piedmont that only locals travels to. We all know about Turin, the lakes, Langhe, etc. What other parts, villages, restaurants would you recommend to people who want to see more of the region. Is the food different when you get closer to the coast, France, Switzerland.
The simple answer is everywhere. Industrial and commercial centers like Cuneo and Alba are filled with great markets, shops, and restaurants. Study the menus carefully. However, I lean towards towns that urban Italians appreciate but are avoided by tourists. Vernante and Limone Piemonte for example. Or how about Carru or Dogliani instead of Barolo?
Historically, the food has been different in the mountains and the vinyeards - the coast is so far away that it’s hard to think of it as nearby. But today, motor vehicles and culinary colleges have made things much more similar.
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Could we include Val d; Aosta in this discussion? Without looking at my map, I believe it is an adjacent area beloved by Fred Plotkiin, author of one of the bibles of Italian food.
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It’s possible that Fred Plotkin is the only American that’s ever visited.
I was at this hotel around ten years ago. The final few days of a trip through Piemonte, where we were also in the Langhe. But I really liked this area, almost 45 min to the east from Alba. No foreign tourists and great food everywhere.
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Wow! Not only a beautiful looking town but a strange fascination with Pinocchio, and a Venchi outlet minutes away
During this trip I heard about the underground “cathedrals” of Canelli right near this hotel
Yes, the Venchi outlet that rules them all!
As for Pinocchio, I thought that the guy who created him was either from there or lived there. It was explained to me in Italian and I didn’t get much of it.
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Carru is near Piozzo, home to Casa Baladin, the birthplace of beer legend Baladin. With all that wine I couldnt stomach the most underrated beer in Europe, but next time…
Good grief! This is among the world’s best microbrews - even better than Troll in Vernante. I’m realizing that the HO crowd is not only skipping bar and street food, they’re passing the beer by too.
Get with the program!
Fancy wine and rich food aren’t a sliver of what Piemontese food is all about!
A grilled steak and a beer at Troll with a candy or two from Venchi on the way home is what I think of when I eat what I want to in this area.
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BTW … in downtown Cuneo, there are better artisan chocolates than Venchi but I don’t want to overwhelm you.
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Good “grief’,” Brian, you are funny…shall we take it that Fred had reason other than travel to fall in love with Cogne…?
I’ve got everything planned for three weeks with rental car in Puglia for May, only to learn that I would have to travel solo on this trip. A shorter trip, on which my partner could go along, has piqued my interest…(to another area)
But as you imply, there is not much out there on Cogne except for Dear Fred…could be a great thing, or a dead end, literally!
Piemonte…all great, but not so much so for a solo American driving–drive to x, eat a fab lunch, return to hotel, next day set out for restaurant "2. And I would not have wineries on my agenda…
I feel so comfortable in the south…maybe cause I’ve been so many times…northern Italy…anything north of Rome, is new territory for me. I’d even attempt a week in Venice but cannot imagine that June is a great time in that city… sorry for the rambles!!!
Do wish that Fred Plotkin could join us here; if there is anyone not familiar with his ITALY FOR THE GOURMET TRAVELER, here it is, although the one update did not add as much as many would have liked. Plus, Fred is an opera fanatic!!! He’s written in-depth guides to Ligura, FVG, and a few other regions of Italy and several books on Italian opera.
To make it even worse, the only beer I drank on this trip was some Grape Ale in La Morra. Feh!
Thats why we are here man. To get with the program. Its the same as what I tell people visiting NYC. You’ll only start to understand this city after your third visit.
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I hate driving in Piemonte! Instead, throw on your hiking boots, head up the trail to a mountain hut, enjoy a bowl of pasta and a bottle of beer for lunch, finish up at a similar place with a dinner of polenta, wild boar, peporanata, and a fistful of chocolates and sleep in the dorm.
You’ll grasp the lay of the land, make lifelong friends, and eat real, traditional food.
“but I don’t want to overwhelm you”
Would it help if I show you the amount of chocolates I bought on this trip. This is after I gave away much to the kids and ate my share. I keep it in the safe
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I don’t think any of these are from Cuneo (city) and I don’t even know most of them.
Mostly from Turin and Alba
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When I think Val d’Aosta I think not of Plotkin but of Manzini.
Erica, if you’ve not read those books or watched the series, one of the great pleasures is the scenes where the Roman transplant/exile Rocco Schiavone and his pals dine at local restaurants. They are just utterly perplexed by the food.
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Even small towns like Borgo san Dalmazzo have great local chocolates. The more I think about it, the more I realize that you don’t really have to go anywhere special once you’re in Piemonte.
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Let’s not forget this one!
Cucina Piemontese by Maria Asselle and Brian Yarvin from Hippocrene Books
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