Every year, in October and November, the city of Alba (CN) celebrates the White Truffle: one of the most wanted and valuable products.
The beating heart of the fair, opened from the 7th of October to the 26th of November, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., is the “Truffle world market”.
The typical smell of the “trìfola”, pungent and intoxicating, drives the visit through the stands of the covered market.
The visitors can buy newly-harvested truffles, oils, cheese or salts with truffle and other Piedmont typical products like: baci di dama, breadsticks, cheese from Alpine pasture, hazelnuts, mushrooms and cured meats, …
You can also taste local wines in a big wine cellar on the bottom of the market, eating at the same time some typical Langhe’s dishes: Fassona’s chopped raw meat, Bra’s sausage, tajarin with truffle or ragu, cheese or fresh salami.
Next to the “Truffle world market” there’s the “Alba Truffle show” with show cooking, sensorial analysis and conferences about Piedmont’s wines.
Open-air thematic markets, folkloristic commemorations, shows and small concerts animate each weeks the historical center of the city.
Some suggestions for “a day in Alba”:
“Osteria dei sognatori” – for a cheap and simple lunch: social tables, local products, traditional recipes.
“T ristoro” – a tea-room with a big choice of infusions and herbs, small pastries and delicious cakes, from the simple apple pie to the cheesecake with fruit jam.
“I love BA” – a small place for an happy hour with a good and original wine selection and mixology’s experience. They always offer finger food, cheese and local cured meats.
By Giulia Gattiglia
