8 Essential Foods of Piedmont 

The foods of Piedmont are among some of Italy's most esteemed ingredients. In an age-old debate, Piedmont is one of the two contenders vying for the unofficial title of Italy's best food region, the other being Emilia-Romagna. It's no surprise, given that Piedmont's wines are extraordinary and also considered among Italy's best.

So here are eight essential foods of Piedmont to keep an eye out for at your specialty shop or the next time you're in town. 

1. Castelmagno
This DOP cow's milk cheese has been produced since the Middle Ages. It may contain a small percentage of sheep or goat's milk. It has a semi-hard interior, and its creaminess and intense flavor render it popular in dishes like gnocchi and risotto. If it's produced in the mountain pastures, it's protected by Slow Food Presidium.

2. Piedmontese Beef
Also known as Fassona, Piedmontese beef is among Italy's most prized meats. It's leaner than that of other breeds, resulting in flavorful, tender cuts that enhance regional preparations such as carne crudo all'Albese, a carpaccio preparation; vitello tonnato, or veal with tuna sauce; and mixed boiled meat.

3. Hazelnuts
The PGI-protected hazelnuts are mostly cultivated in the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato areas, and they star in some of Piedmont's most famous desserts. Their success can be credited to Napoleon, who blocked cocoa imports from England in the early 19th century. This upped the price of chocolate, prompting Turin pastry chefs to maximize the little they had by mixing it with hazelnuts. Gianduia cream was born followed by inglot-shaped gianduiotti chocolate solids. In addition to comprising gelato, cakes, and nougat, the hazelnuts are often grounded and incorporated into savory cheese and meat recipes.

4. White Truffle from Alba
The world's most prized truffle, as evidenced by the ever-increasing prices at the Alba White Truffle Fair auction every year. Its delicate, unmistakable aroma is best with the simplest of foods, like egg pasta noodles with butter, raw meat, and fried eggs.

5. Robiola di Roccaverano
This soft cheese made from pure, raw goat's milk has DOP protection. It may occasionally be mixed with cow milk. The robiola has a delicate, slightly acidic flavor and becomes more complex the longer it ages. It's usually seasoned with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of chili or used as a part of a pasta filling. 

6. Montebore
Tiered and wedding cake-shaped, Montebore was the only cheese served during the wedding of Isabella of Aragon with Gian Galeazzo Sforza in 1489. Protected by the Slow Food Presidium, the cheese is made with raw cow's and sheep's milk in a small area in the province of Alessandria. It has a milky, chestnut, and grassy flavor, and it's excellent alongside fresh or dried fruit.

7. Grissini
It seems that a Turin baker invented the long, thin, crispy breadsticks at the end of the 17th century, having prepared them for Duke Amedeo di Savoia who apparently had a hard time digesting bread crumb. The Grissini instantly caused a sensation – even Napoleon established a courier service between Turin and Paris to have them on his table. The rubatà version, which is between 40 and 80 cm (15 - 30 inches) in length, is considered the best. They're worked and rolled by hand, then placed side by side. The stirati version, for which the dough pulled by the edges instead of rolled out, is of more recent origin. 

8. Salsiccia di Bra (Bra Sausage)
This beef sausage was originally created in the 16th century for the Jewish community of Cherasco. This sausage went on to become so esteemed, that it was exempt from an 1847 royal decree that prohibited beef sausage production.  Today, though, it also contains some pork fat. Delicate and spicy, it's consumed cooked, either in a pan or on the grill, or raw.