Piedmont or Veneto?
Apr 28th, 2009, 09:53 AM
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Piedmont or Veneto?
We are first spending a few days in Bellagio September 16-20 and then have about 4-5 days either in Piedmont region or Verona-Veneto-Padua. We love scenery, wine, good food and walking. Which would you recommend?
Apr 28th, 2009, 10:30 AM
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We have been to the Veneto and I am currently researching a trip to Piemonte. From everything I'm seeing, it looks like the views, winefields, and the food and wine is truly top drawer in Piemonte and I'm getting more excited than I did when we went to the Veneto. The Veneto has the fabulous Palladian villas, but you don't mention architecture, so I'm thinking Zerlina's advice to opt for Piemonte is right on.
Currently Ekscrunchy has just returned from the area around Alba and promises a report, and both Purple Neon and I are planning trips there, so this board should be fairly active on the topic for a while. We'll be there in early October, grape and truffle harvest time. I'm very excited about it.
Currently Ekscrunchy has just returned from the area around Alba and promises a report, and both Purple Neon and I are planning trips there, so this board should be fairly active on the topic for a while. We'll be there in early October, grape and truffle harvest time. I'm very excited about it.
Apr 28th, 2009, 10:43 AM
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I can't wait to read more on this subject. I have only been to Veneto, not Piemonte yet, but my favorite of all red wine is Amarone from the Veneto.
I believe Bobthenavigator has a trip report on Piemonte; I will look to see if I can find it.
I believe Bobthenavigator has a trip report on Piemonte; I will look to see if I can find it.
Apr 28th, 2009, 10:53 AM
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Apr 28th, 2009, 11:08 AM
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Here's another vote for the Piemonte area, given your stated interests. We traveled there for a short time last year, and loved it. The food was fabulous, wines of course also fabulous. The countryside was gorgeous; kind of a more cultivated version of Tuscany (to paint with a very broad brush), bus with mountains in the background. It was so hazy when we were there, that we couldn't see the mountains, though. I wrote a foddie-oriented trip (dining) report that's on chowhound; I use the same name there.
Apr 28th, 2009, 11:58 AM
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We were in Piedmonte in September of 2006. If you are a food and wine person, Piedmonte is the place to be. It is the original slow food area. There is a spectacular restaurant in La Morra called Restaurante Belevedere. You can sit at one of their windows and see the whole Langhe valley. My husband bought and sold fine wines and his Italian wine rep just raved about this restaurant. We stayed in a bed and breakfast in Azzano di Asti, a little hill town 10 minutes from Asti. There was a wonderful restaurant in Azzano called Il Siciliano. Hopefully it is still there.
So my vote is Piedmonte.
So my vote is Piedmonte.
Apr 28th, 2009, 12:28 PM
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Lexma90, is there anyway you can transfer a URL for your report from Chowhound here? I went on the site and tried to search in the Italy forum under your screen name but without success. I am not the most agile little cyber scout so I could be doing something wrong, but I couldn't find it and I sure would like to read it. Our time in Piemonte is starting to sound better and better.
tucsontraveler, was La Morra an ok town? I've been looking at B&Bs and hotels in the Alba area and several that look nice are in or near La Morra, but someone reviewing one of the places on Tripadvisor painted a fairly bleak picture of La Morra. Do you recall it similarly?
tucsontraveler, was La Morra an ok town? I've been looking at B&Bs and hotels in the Alba area and several that look nice are in or near La Morra, but someone reviewing one of the places on Tripadvisor painted a fairly bleak picture of La Morra. Do you recall it similarly?
Apr 28th, 2009, 08:44 PM
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Julie -
Sorry for the misdirection - my restaurant report was on eGullet, not Chowhound. Due to eGullet's rather difficult search function, and the improved search function here, I'm going to post that report here on Fodor's.
I can tell you what I thought of La Morra - I read up on it, because it's near the town (Monforte d'Alba) that we stayed in, and seemed centrally located. While La Morra had lovely views over the countryside, I was surprised to not see more shops, cafes and restaurants. I'm not sure I would call it bleak, but I would suggest to look elsewhere for a charming town!
Sorry for the misdirection - my restaurant report was on eGullet, not Chowhound. Due to eGullet's rather difficult search function, and the improved search function here, I'm going to post that report here on Fodor's.
I can tell you what I thought of La Morra - I read up on it, because it's near the town (Monforte d'Alba) that we stayed in, and seemed centrally located. While La Morra had lovely views over the countryside, I was surprised to not see more shops, cafes and restaurants. I'm not sure I would call it bleak, but I would suggest to look elsewhere for a charming town!
Apr 29th, 2009, 02:53 PM
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Were it me, I would at least give some consideration to Friuli-Venezia.
I prefer the wines of the Veneto, but the food of Piemonte (but even then, it's far from my favorite regional cuisine.)
I think for your other requirements (scenery and walking), much of the Veneto gets the edge, especially near Lago di Garda, and to me it has the more appealing art and architecture, and I think the rural landscape is more varied, since so much of Piemone is given over to industrialized viniculture. (But both regions have significant zones of industry.)
If it makes a difference, while all of Northern Italy retains the influence of Northern Europe in its cuisine, Piemonte trends toward the French/Swiss and the Veneto toward the Austrian/Germanic.
I think Torino is a marvelous city, if that makes a difference.
I prefer the wines of the Veneto, but the food of Piemonte (but even then, it's far from my favorite regional cuisine.)
I think for your other requirements (scenery and walking), much of the Veneto gets the edge, especially near Lago di Garda, and to me it has the more appealing art and architecture, and I think the rural landscape is more varied, since so much of Piemone is given over to industrialized viniculture. (But both regions have significant zones of industry.)
If it makes a difference, while all of Northern Italy retains the influence of Northern Europe in its cuisine, Piemonte trends toward the French/Swiss and the Veneto toward the Austrian/Germanic.
I think Torino is a marvelous city, if that makes a difference.
Apr 29th, 2009, 03:24 PM
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We loved driving around Lago di Garda, shared between Brescia, Verona and Trento provinces, stopping at those small villages along the shores. You will find great wine and food either in Veneto or in Piemonte. I would pick Verona and Mantova as cities to visit. You did not mention Venice !!?
Coming to the northeast, for the scenery I would pick the small region Valle d'Aosta, between Piemonte, Swtzerland and France. There is a main wide valley and many smaller wonderful lateral valleys. If you drive the entire main valley you will come in front of Monte Bianco, the tallest mountain in Europe, border shared between Italy and France.
Coming to the northeast, for the scenery I would pick the small region Valle d'Aosta, between Piemonte, Swtzerland and France. There is a main wide valley and many smaller wonderful lateral valleys. If you drive the entire main valley you will come in front of Monte Bianco, the tallest mountain in Europe, border shared between Italy and France.
May 5th, 2009, 12:50 PM
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Its a simple choice actually, do you like white wines then go to Veneto-Friulia, if you like Red then go to Piedmont! Foodwise Piedmont is famous throughout Italy for its cuisine, rivaleld only by Emiglia Romagna (Bologna, but thats a question of taste. Piedmont is NOT all industrialised viniculture, although some of the famous wine areas (Langhe and Barolo and Barbaresco and S.Monferrato) are wall to wall vines, there is a charm and romance especially as seen from the many hilltop towns and castles, however the Northern Monferatto is still a land of vines, forests, hilltop towns and mixed agriculture and then Piedmont has mountains, lakes (Orta and Maggiore) is close to Liguria for a day's outing on the seaside and Turin is a great undiscovered city with many attractions (and not just the headquarters of Chrysler-Fiat).
May 5th, 2009, 01:15 PM
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I have not seen all that much of the Veneto outside of Verona and Venice, but having just returned from Piedmont I can tell you that I echo the very positive comments above!
As for Turin, what a lovely city! It may be an industrial capital but there is no evidence of this in the city center--elegant gentility is what would come to my mind. With amazing architecture, many museums, and............food!
As for Turin, what a lovely city! It may be an industrial capital but there is no evidence of this in the city center--elegant gentility is what would come to my mind. With amazing architecture, many museums, and............food!
May 5th, 2009, 01:25 PM
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Would it were that simple!
Wine is really meant to be matched with food in Italy, and whether you enjoy the red wines of Piemonte will have a lot to with whether you like the cuisine of Piemonte. But even when it comes to reds, the Veneto produces outstanding wines.
And the idea that Piemonte's cuisine is only rivaled by Emilia-Romagna is -- to put it mildly -- nonsense. I'd rather eat in Sicily before eating in Piemonte -- just for starters. I'd also rather eat in Napoli and Roma, and of course I prefer Liguria, where I live. "Sampaguita" runs a business in Piemonte, no doubt out of love for Piemonte. But I don't run a business in Liguria, but I still think the food here beats Piemonte's, with the exception of Torino.
Sometime ago, in an exchange among food writers in the New York Times, someone attributed to Fred Plotkin, who has written many books about Italian cuisine for gourmet travelers, the belief that Piemonte cuisine and Emilia-Romagna cuisine were the two outstanding cuisines of Italy. Fred Plotkin was very quick to e-mail back that he was being misrepresented. He said that Piemonte excels in appetizers and desserts -- and I think that nails it. Although I love tajarin with butter, I think the primi and secondi of other Italian regional cuisines far surpass what's on the table in Piemonte. And you can -- as Plotkin points out -- eat it more happily every day than you can the VERY heavy foods of the Alpi foothills.
Meat eaters who've grown up in Anglo-Germanic influenced cultures often swoon for the big breakfasts and heavy meat meals of Piemonte -- but it's not to everybody's taste.
Taste is the key issue. I went to Piemonte expecting to be bowled over. I left with an uneasy stomach, and no real interest in going back for the food. I think I preferred eating in Torino possibly because I had was walking off that heavy food. Driving around the countryside after a Piemontese lunch was not one of my favorite experiences.
Wine is really meant to be matched with food in Italy, and whether you enjoy the red wines of Piemonte will have a lot to with whether you like the cuisine of Piemonte. But even when it comes to reds, the Veneto produces outstanding wines.
And the idea that Piemonte's cuisine is only rivaled by Emilia-Romagna is -- to put it mildly -- nonsense. I'd rather eat in Sicily before eating in Piemonte -- just for starters. I'd also rather eat in Napoli and Roma, and of course I prefer Liguria, where I live. "Sampaguita" runs a business in Piemonte, no doubt out of love for Piemonte. But I don't run a business in Liguria, but I still think the food here beats Piemonte's, with the exception of Torino.
Sometime ago, in an exchange among food writers in the New York Times, someone attributed to Fred Plotkin, who has written many books about Italian cuisine for gourmet travelers, the belief that Piemonte cuisine and Emilia-Romagna cuisine were the two outstanding cuisines of Italy. Fred Plotkin was very quick to e-mail back that he was being misrepresented. He said that Piemonte excels in appetizers and desserts -- and I think that nails it. Although I love tajarin with butter, I think the primi and secondi of other Italian regional cuisines far surpass what's on the table in Piemonte. And you can -- as Plotkin points out -- eat it more happily every day than you can the VERY heavy foods of the Alpi foothills.
Meat eaters who've grown up in Anglo-Germanic influenced cultures often swoon for the big breakfasts and heavy meat meals of Piemonte -- but it's not to everybody's taste.
Taste is the key issue. I went to Piemonte expecting to be bowled over. I left with an uneasy stomach, and no real interest in going back for the food. I think I preferred eating in Torino possibly because I had was walking off that heavy food. Driving around the countryside after a Piemontese lunch was not one of my favorite experiences.
May 5th, 2009, 03:26 PM
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Just for the record, this is what Fred Plotkin said, in full. (Plotkin is the author of Italy for the Gourmet Traveller):
“For a few years now, when people ask me to rank food regions, I do not name one, but three top. Alphabetically they are Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Liguria. E-R is the most opulent, FVG the most varied and sophisticated, and Ligurian is the food I would eat every day if I could only pick one. It is so bright, delicious, healthful and pleasing.
“After these three regions, I add four more: Campania, Piemonte, Sardegna, and Sicilia. Then come the others, and I absolutely prefer Lazio to Toscana, unlike many people. I spent a couple of weeks in the Marche last summer and had a lot of wonderful food. It was like tasting Trattoria Monti on its home turf.
“When it comes to wine, there are the big three — FVG, Piemonte, and Toscana, with Alto-Adige charging hard, and Trentino and Veneto following. Then there are all the rest. Every region makes good wines. Even Liguria makes some excellent wine, but so little is planted and they have Piemonte, Toscana, and E-R (provinces of Parma and Piacenza) at their border, so great wine is right next door.
“If I were to name regions in which both food and wine are at an equally high level, then Friuli-Venezia Giulia is first and Piemonte is second, and I think that Alto-Adige, Lombardia and Sardegna would follow. That issue of balance is important.
“My issue with Piemonte food, which I think is excellent, is that the meal slides from outstanding antipasti to excellent primi to just a handful of tasty meat-based secondi (I too like Finanziera), before reviving with the cheeses and chocolate and nut-based desserts.”
Of course, since taste-buds and food preferences are subjective, not objective, many people will react differently than Fred Plotkin to regional Italian cuisine. But when one speaks of "rivals" to Piemonte cuisine, many professionals -- not just Fred Plotkin -- see many rivals to Piemonte cuisine for sure.
“For a few years now, when people ask me to rank food regions, I do not name one, but three top. Alphabetically they are Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Liguria. E-R is the most opulent, FVG the most varied and sophisticated, and Ligurian is the food I would eat every day if I could only pick one. It is so bright, delicious, healthful and pleasing.
“After these three regions, I add four more: Campania, Piemonte, Sardegna, and Sicilia. Then come the others, and I absolutely prefer Lazio to Toscana, unlike many people. I spent a couple of weeks in the Marche last summer and had a lot of wonderful food. It was like tasting Trattoria Monti on its home turf.
“When it comes to wine, there are the big three — FVG, Piemonte, and Toscana, with Alto-Adige charging hard, and Trentino and Veneto following. Then there are all the rest. Every region makes good wines. Even Liguria makes some excellent wine, but so little is planted and they have Piemonte, Toscana, and E-R (provinces of Parma and Piacenza) at their border, so great wine is right next door.
“If I were to name regions in which both food and wine are at an equally high level, then Friuli-Venezia Giulia is first and Piemonte is second, and I think that Alto-Adige, Lombardia and Sardegna would follow. That issue of balance is important.
“My issue with Piemonte food, which I think is excellent, is that the meal slides from outstanding antipasti to excellent primi to just a handful of tasty meat-based secondi (I too like Finanziera), before reviving with the cheeses and chocolate and nut-based desserts.”
Of course, since taste-buds and food preferences are subjective, not objective, many people will react differently than Fred Plotkin to regional Italian cuisine. But when one speaks of "rivals" to Piemonte cuisine, many professionals -- not just Fred Plotkin -- see many rivals to Piemonte cuisine for sure.
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