Piedmont, The first region in our book 'The Painter, The Cook and L'Arte di Sacla'' is aptly named the foot of the mountain. 

Welcome to 23,000 square kilometers of the most amazing natural abundance: wild mushrooms, truffles, clear rivers and sparkling wines. 

Piedmont isn't just freshwater lakes and flat lowland plains.  It's also gently wooded hills and impressive mountains.  Such scenery.  Such perfect conditions for growing the best rice for risotto and the plumpest cornmeal for polenta. 

This is the centre of every food lover's universe.  And the centre of Piedmont's universe?  The unassuming pepper believe it or not.  Low in calories and bursting with vitamins, a pepper has more Vitamin C than an orange or a lemon, in fact.

In Piedmont peppers get roasted, stuffed, made into the classic peperonata or served with Bagna Cauda; a delicious dip, which even has its own celebratory feast.  Served warm like a fondue at your table it is traditionally eaten at the end of the grape harvest, washed down with plenty of Barbera Novello.

As we know, they take their food seriously here.

On shadowy autumn nights in Alba you might catch the silhouette of a secretive breed of men known as 'trifolau'.  These are the men who use their mongrel dogs to sniff out that elusive underground gold - the white truffle or tartufo bianco.

'The diamond of cookery,' wrote Brillat-Savarin.  Shave a white truffle over a plate of lovingly cooked risotto or sprinkle it over some freshly made tagliatelle and you'll think you've eaten and gone to foodie heaven.

Bollito misto is another Piemontese speciality.  Known as the connoisseur's dish it's a wonderful selection of boiled beef and other meats served hot with delicious emerald green salsa verde, a parsley sauce with capers and garlic.

Although pasta doesn't have a big role here, Piedmont still finds room for its own pasta speciality.  Agnolotti are little 'priest hat' ravioli stuffed with different sorts of chopped meat.  They still serve these on feast days with a little melted butter or delicious meaty sauce.

Tradition doesn't stop there.  Famous wines like Barolo and Asti Spumante pour out of this region and cheeses like Gorgonzola, Castelmagno and Montebore, the magnificent  wedding cake cheese are all part of the bulging gastronomy of this region.

Brittle hazlenut and honey nougat, soft choux pastries oozing cream and cognac, Amaretti biscuits, Brutti ma Buoni literally 'ugly, but good' delicious hazlenut biscuits, Baci di dama and so much more.  Need we go on?  'Of all the Italian regions, Piedmont is the sweet tooth's paradise.'

We do need to mention one more.  Zabaglione is what Piedmont is really famous for.  A heavenly custard of farm fresh eggs, sugar and a good slosh of local Moscato wine.

If you're planning a trip, why not consider Piedmont and sample the never-ending wealth of delectable treats for yourself.