Piedmont Cooking & Turin
Our hands-on foray into the world of Piedmont cuisine will begin with a bit of shopping, as we pick up some of our supplies at the local markets. We’ll then begin our cooking lesson at a restaurant in Avigliana, preparing the dishes which we’ll enjoy for lunch. Our meal will feature such traditional local specialties as risotto made with Valle Susa blue cheese, Valle Susa polenta cake, and other dishes made even more unique thanks to our chef-mentor’s personal touch. After lunch, we’ll walk up to the Sacra di San Michele, a spectacular monastery-fortress that overlooks the entire valley.
On the second day, we’ll visit Turin, former capital of the long independent Piedmont state. We’ll begin in a most deliciously civilized manner, over a scrumptious hot chocolate at a classic café in the city center. Energized, we’ll then walk through the heart of the city, with its splendid baroque architecture, and take a guided tour of the magnificent Royal Palace of the Savoy family. After lunch, we’ll head to a well-known chocolate factory for a tour of their production facilities and, naturally, a tasting, and finish the day with a visit to architect Filippo Juvarra’s masterpiece, Superga Basilica. The basilica overlooks the entire city, and if we are lucky enough to be there on a clear day, we’ll be able to see the great curve of the Western Alps, and the snow-covered peaks surrounding us on three sides.
