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Cooking and Wines

Langhe and Roero district

 

Thanks to the improvement and enhancement of the resources of the territory, the districts of Langhe and Roero have an extraordinary natural calling to excellence in all that refers to food and wine. Local products that are the real treasures of one of the foodies’ paradise.

It is therefore no chance that the SLOWFOOD (www.slowfood.it) movement was founded just in Bra “to promote the right to pleasure, defend the centrality of food and its correct value”. The movement commits itself to protect bio-diversity against the homogenization of culture and taste, mass agriculture, and genetic manipulation.

In this district, again, in the town of Alba, there is one of the eight three-star restaurants recommended by Guide Michelin in Italy, the “Piazza Duomo” restaurant, the realm of chef Enrico Crippa (www.piazzaduomoalba.it).

 

The University entirely devoted to Culinary Science

It must be noted that in this district, the first University entirely devoted to Culinary Science was established at Pollenzo (www.unisg.it). This institution - unique of its kind all over the world – is located in the suggestive Royal Farm, one of the holiday resorts of the kings of Savoy (www.residenzereali.it).

Culinary excellences

Among the culinary excellences of the territory we wish to point out :

Alba's White Truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico): a rare and extremely precious tuber, which grows in the marl and the limestone of the land of this district under poplars and oaks, reaching its complete ripening in late summer-early winter. Differently from the more common black truffle, it cannot be cultivated. Every year, between the end of October and the beginning of November, the world fair of the Alba truffle is held in the town (www.fieradeltartufo.org).

Nocciola tonda Gentile delle Langhe IGP (Langhe’s PGI Round Hazelnut): the quality hazelnut production of Langhe and Roero, and of Piedmont in general, is almost completely reserved to the confectionery industry, and is transformed into spreads, nougats, biscuits, cakes, and chocolates.

AND ALSO...

As to dairy products, it is worth mentioning: the PDO Murazzano cheese (made of pure sheep milk or with the addition of 40% cow milk), the PDO Robiola di Roccaverano (soft cheese made of raw goat milk), the Bra cheese (young or aged mountain cheese). In the odd years, in September, an international event called “Cheese – The Forms of Milk” takes place (www.cheese.slowfood.com/it).

"Agnolotti del plin”: small ravioli made of a very thin pastry (8-12 eggs/kg of meal) filled with veal or pork roast, spinach, borage and herbs, sealed by a pinch (“plin” in Piedmont dialect) to be seasoned with a meat sauce or simply with melted butter and sage.

Cherasco escargots, bred in the Italian capital of snail breeding

Bra sausage: made exclusively of beef without pork meat. It can be consumed either raw and very fresh as a delicious appetizer, or cooked for tasty ragouts.

GREAT VINEYARDS FOR GREAT WINES

The vineyards and the landscapes of Langhe and Roero, due to their “outstanding universal value” were recently declared a UNESCO Human Heritage Site. In this region, from man’s clever and capable encounter with nature, most of the great wines of Piedmont are produced. The prince of red wines, Nebbiolo, originates in turn two of the most prestigious Italian wines (Barolo and Barbaresco), in a position to compete at par with the most famous French wines. To be also mentioned: Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto (d'Alba, di Diano d'Alba, di Dogliani). Among the white wines it is worth mentioning the world-famous Moscato, Arneis (the Roero Arneis originates from), and Langhe Favorita.

GREAT WINES

To better enjoy this extraordinary wine heritage, we suggest you to discover the vineyards and the wine cellars of the region, and pay a visit to the following institutions: