Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FOOD THAT'S CLOSE TO ITS ROOTS
'Fresh, local and sustainable' has always been a powerful mantra in fertile Piedmont, where small-scale
food producers and family restaurant owners were preaching ethical farm-to-table culinary practices
long before today's generation of celebrity chefs made it trendy. Not coincidentally, the Slow Food
movement was the 1980s brainchild of a group of disenchanted Italian journalists from the Piedmontese
town of Bra, who went on to ignite a global crusade against the fast-food industry whose plastic
tentacles were threatening to engulf Italy's centuries-old gastronomic heritage. The movement rapidly
morphed, inspiring a fresh generation of homegrown back-to-the-landers. Grom, the Slow Food artisan
ice-cream chain, was founded in 2003 in Turin by Federico Grom and his wine-making friend Guido
Martinetti with the slogan 'come una volta', promising ice cream 'like it once was'. Since then it has
sprouted over 60 branches, with outlets in New York City, Tokyo and Paris. Four years later, Alba-born
Oscar Farinetti opened his first multi-faceted food market, Eataly in Turin's Lingotto district, promising
to spread the love of cooking, gastronomy and alti cibi (high food). He did. Eataly now has branches in
Rome, New York City, Chicago and Tokyo. What next? Look out for Turin's artisan baker Andrea
Perino, and new ice cream maker Alberto Marchetti. Food around the world is slowly going back to its
roots and Piedmont is playing a leading role.
Sleeping & Eating
Albergo Cantine Ascheri
( 0172 43 03 12;
www.ascherihotel.it
;
Via Piumati 25; s/d €105/140; )
Built around the
Ascheri family's 1880-established winery, incorporating wood, steel mesh and glass, this
ultra-contemporary hotel includes a mezzanine library, 27 sun-drenched rooms and a vine-
lined terrace overlooking the rooftops. From the lobby you can see straight down to the
vats in the cellar (guests get a free tour). It's just one block south of Bra's train station.
HOTEL
€€
Osteria del Boccondivino
(
OSTERIA
€€
0172 42 56 74;
www.boccondivinoslow.it
; Via Mendicità Istruita 14; set menus €26-28;
noon-2.30pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sat)
Up on the 1st floor of the recessed courtyard of the Slow
Food Movement's headquarters, this homey little eatery lined with wine bottles was the
first to be opened by the emerging organisation back in the 1980s. The food is predictably
fresh and excellent, and the local Langhe menu changes daily.
Information
Tourist Office
(
www.comune.bra.cn.it
; Via Moffa di Lisio 14; 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat
& Sun Mar-Nov)
Has information on both towns and the region.
