On Nov. 13, the truffle equivalent of the Oscars takes place in the Castello at Grinzane Cavour, where huge examples are grandly displayed on red velvet cushions. Last year, a Hong Kong businessman splashed out €100,000 for one that weighed 900 grams.
Finding white truffles (tuber magnatum pico, to be precise) depends on the luck of passionate truffle hunters and their well-trained dogs. If you want to join one, Giuseppe Marengo and his dog Diana will take you along.
In Piemonte, you’ll never go hungry.
Alba is a city for serious foodies. The must-try grand restaurant is the pink-walled Piazza Duomo, Piemonte’s only three-star Michelin restaurant, with whimsical frescoes by Francesco Clemente. Innovative chef Enrico Crippa is noted for such standouts as his intricate Insalata 21, 31, 41, etc, depending on how many vegetables, flowers, and herbs are in it.
Downstairs is La Piola, a casual bistro with a daily chalkboard menu that offers traditional Piemontese dishes, such as carne cruda (raw beef chopped so fine, it’s creamy textured), agnolotti del plin, and tajarin (tagliatelle). But order wine from the Piazza Duomo wine list.
In Monforte d’Alba, Trattoria della Posta serves up ultra-typical Piemontese cuisine in a country house atmosphere.
But Piemonte is more than Barolo. At the end of your stay, head to the Barbaresco sub-region northeast of Alba, about 40 minutes away, and dine at one-star Michelin La Ciau del Tornavento in Treiso; it offers one of the area’s most beautiful dining rooms, with amazing views of the vines. The Piemontese comfort food classics and a sommelier tour of the 60,000-bottle cellar will make you vow to return for harvest season next year.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.