Piedmont is one of the twenty Italian regions; it is located in the northwest corner at the border with France and Switzerland and it offers a wide array of local products. Over the centuries, it rich culinary traditions and world renowned wines have made of Piedmont one of the culinary destinations of the world.
It is very interesting to notice how varied the landscape is in Piedmont and how the Alps, the hills, the country side, the lakes, the Po Valley, the cities and the rice fields produce distinct ingredients that have always been part of the local menus, shaping the taste and the identity of this unique region. The different social classes have also contributed to the contrast between the once poor cuisine of the peasants and the aristocratic more refined specialties enjoyed by the nobles.
Today, Piedmont cuisine unites both sides and everybody here pays a lot of attention to the origin of the products, their making processes and certification because they guarantee the food high quality, its flavor and consequently the quality of the local daily life.
Here, food and wine are as important as medications and in order to preserve both traditions and quality, special labels and certifications have been instituted by the Italian government and at the European Union level. This is why in all our posts we always signal if a product has the DOP, IGP (to guarantee the territories where products can be made and labeled with a specific name) and DOC/DOCG (to guarantee the highest quality wines) certification.
