Piedmontese cuisine is the style of cooking in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont, which borders France and Switzerland. Piedmontese cuisine is partly influenced by French cuisine, as demonstrated by the importance of appetizers, a set of courses that precede what is traditionally called a first course and are aimed at whetting the appetite. In France these courses are fewer and are called entrées.[1]
It is the region in Italy with the largest number of cheeses and wines. The most prestigious Italian culinary school, the University of Gastronomic Sciences, was founded in Piedmont. Similar to other Northern Italian cuisines, veal, wine, and butter are among the main ingredients used in cooking.[2]
Some well-known dishes include agnolotti, vitello tonnato (also popular in Argentina), and bagna càuda. Piedmont is also credited for the well-known pasta dish tagliolini (tajarin in Piedmontese).[3]Tagliolini are a type of egg pasta normally made fresh by hand. According to Italian writer and journalist Massimo Alberini, tagliolini was among King Victor Emmanuel II's preferred dishes.[4]
The Slow Food Movement was started in Piedmont by Carlo Petrini who was from the town of Bra, Piedmont. The movement greatly benefited the region by highlighting Piedmont's diverse cuisine. The Slow Food Movement offices are still headquartered in the town of Bra.
Between the Alps and the Po Valley, featuring a large number of different ecosystems, the Piedmont region offers a refined and varied cuisine. As a point of union between traditional Italian and French cuisine, Piedmont is the Italian region with the largest number of cheeses with protected geographical status and wines under DOC. It is also the region where both the Slow Food association and the most prestigious school of Italian cooking, the University of Gastronomic Sciences, were founded.[7]
Piedmont is a region where gathering nuts, mushrooms, and cardoons, as well as hunting and fishing, are commonplace. Truffles, garlic, seasonal vegetables, cheese, and rice feature in the cuisine. Wines from the Nebbiolo grape such as Barolo and Barbaresco are produced as well as wines from the Barbera grape, fine sparkling wines, and the sweet, lightly sparkling, Moscato d'Asti. The region is also famous for its Vermouth and Ratafia production.[7]
Castelmagno is a prized cheese of the region. Piedmont is also famous for the quality of its Carrù beef (particularly bue grasso, lit.'fat ox'), hence the tradition of eating raw meat seasoned with garlic oil, lemon, and salt; carpaccio; brasato al vino, wine stew made from marinated beef; and boiled beef served with various sauces.[7]
The food most typical of the Piedmont tradition are agnolotti (pasta folded over with roast beef and vegetable stuffing), paniscia (a typical dish of Novara, a type of risotto with Arborio rice or Maratelli rice, the typical kind of Saluggia beans, onion, Barbera wine, lard, salami, season vegetables, salt, and pepper), taglierini (thinner version of tagliatelle), bagna càuda (sauce of garlic, anchovies, olive oil, and butter), and bicerin (hot drink made of coffee, chocolate, and whole milk). Piedmont is one of the Italian capitals of pastry and chocolate in particular, with products such as Nutella, gianduiotto, and marron glacé that are famous worldwide.[7]
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