In Italian, pie means "foot" and monte means "mountains," an apt name for this landlocked region at the foot of the Alps. Sharing a border with France on Italy's northwest edge, Piemonte is a land of high mountains, soft hills, rich cities, gentle farmers, and picturesque vineyards.

Piemonte was part of the royal House of Savoy until middle of the 19th century, and the French occupation left a rich and indelible mark on the region's cuisine--characterized by both the opulence of the nobility and the simplicity of the peasant. With its low, flat fields, Piedmont is one of the most important rice-growing regions of Italy, and in this region risotto certainly outshines pasta. Dairy products are another important component of this cuisine, including robiola and ricotta. Alba's world-famous delicate white truffles, sniffed out by trained dogs, are shaved over all manner of things. Meat and game dishes also figure prominently and are often stewed in rich red wines.

Antipasti is a hallmark of Piemonte cuisine; there may be as many as 20 antipasti served at a restaurant in the city. The area's most famous antipasto dish, bagna cauda (vegetables dipped fondue-style into a "hot bath" of oil, anchovies, and garlic), combines both the Piemontese passion for garlic and their love of vegetables.

While most of Italy is not associated with sweets, Piemonte is a hotbed of small artisan candymakers, including Leone of Torino, Laboratorio Artiginale del Giandujotto of Torino, and Davide Barbero of Asti. Puddings, cookies, and cakes also play a large role in Piemontese cuisine, with krumiri, crema cotta and zabaglione among this region's culinary claims to fame.

Most Piemonte wines are made with grapes found only in this region: Arneis, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, and Nebbiolo. The region's most famous wines are the rich and complex Barolo, the dramatic Barbaresco, the full-flavored Barbera, and the dry, fruity Dolcetto-- all wines that stand up to the region's gutsy, flavorful foods. Most of the region's superlative wines are produced on family estates with small plots of land.

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