Every region has its own stories and traditions when it comes to food, but Piedmont has a particularly impressive gastronomic pedigree. Italy is famous the world over for cheeses, wines, meats and truffles – and more than a handful of those come from the soaring mountains and plunging valleys of Piedmont.
Piedmont borders Valle d'Aosta to the north, Lombardy to the east and Liguria to the south. Whilst the southern tip of Piedmont reaches towards Nice and the French Riviera, the north climbs into the mountains of the Rhone Valley, making Piedmont the second largest of Italy's regions (behind Sicily) and arguably the most diverse.
That climate and rocky relief makes Piedmont a world-class wine destination – famous wines like Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d'Asti and Cortese di Gavi are all grown in the foothills around Turin – as well as home to some of the greatest truffles available in the world. When it comes to luxury food, Piedmont undoubtedly tops the table.
This is still, by and large, a very traditional area – whilst Turin is the urban centre of the region, much of what surrounds it is agricultural. Rice paddies are common, and the Piedmontese vary their diets with plenty of cheese, meat and fresh vegetables. If that sounds like your kind of food, read on for more on the gastronomic paradise that is Piedmont.