Turin – food capital of Italy

28th November 2006

Italian towns are well-known for their wonderful cuisine, and Turin is no exception. In fact, the taste and variety of local dishes make a good case for the city being the Italy's food capital.

Situated in Italy's Piedmont region, Turin is surrounded by agricultural land that produces wheat, maize, rice and wine grapes. In fact, Piedmont contains over 160,000 acres of vineyards which produce wines such as the Malvasia and the Barolo.

But the Piedmontese tradition does not just extend to drink. Turin's many unique foods include bagna caoda (an anchovy and garlic sauce) and fritto misto, a mouth-watering concoction of fried seafood that features fish, squid, crab and cuttlefish.

The Piedmontese cuisine is dedicated to the joys of both preparing and dining, and it comes as no surprise that Carlo Petrini, the food writer who began the popular Slow Food movement, came from the area. With an emphasis on combining numerous meats and vegetables, the cuisine is defined by its blend of tastes and flavours.

Desserts are similarly lavish, with unique white truffles, filed pralines and gianduiotti chocolates being the very definition of guilty pleasures. Those looking for something stronger should try a glass of Vermouth, which was created by Turin resident Antonio Benedetto Carpano in Turin over 200 years ago.

A range of cafes and restaurants queue up to present their Piedmont offerings to visitors. With such a wide and delectable variety of cuisine to savour, it's unlikely that anyone will be returning home on an empty stomach.


© Adfero Ltd

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