Piedmont’s food and drink is a product of its position between the Italian Alps and coastal Liguria. Because of its unique location, Piedmont was once part of the via del sale or “salt road”, a historic trading route that connected the mountains to the sea. Hence the presence of hardy ingredients in Piedmontese dishes such as the popular vitello tonnato – thin slices of marinated veal served in a rich sauce of tuna, capers and anchovies.
Many other Italian favourites were first created here. Sometimes necessity was the mother of invention. For instance, gianduja: a chocolate and hazelnut paste originated in early 19th-century Turin when cocoa shortages inspired a chocolatier to experiment with recipes that included locally grown nuts.
