Turin is one of the great walking cities of Europe, but dont take our word for it. Others more mighty than us have explored the city and left their mark. Not least some of the greatest writers of the last 200 years. Perhaps it is not by chance that one of Italy's greatest publishing houses, Einaudi, was established here in 1933.

A Literary Tour of Turin is a booklet we picked up last time we went. Among those who feature include Primo Levi, Italo Calvino, Cesare Pavese, Mario Soldati, but also non Italians such as Henry James, Gustave Flaubert, Tolstoi and even Erasmus of Rotterdam, remember him?

But a little more about  three lesser known pen pushers:

Following the Wine Route of the Tortona Hills, or Strada del Vino dei Colli Tortonesi, is the perfect way to discover not just the Doc Colli Tortonesi wines of this zone between Tortona and Voghera but fabulous typical products such as mushrooms, strawberries, cheese, salami and truffles. In fact, it is the only part of Piemonte which produces three types of truffles: white, black and 'summer' or Tuber Aestivum Vittadini.

The wine route was established in the early 1970's to take in the hamlets of Tortona, Viguzzolo, Castellar Guidobono, Volpedo, Volpeglino, Berzano di Tortona, Pozzol Groppo, Monleale, Monperone, Casasco, Brigano Frascata, Sarezzano, Cerreto Grue, Spineto Scrivia, Montemarzino, Avolasca, Montegioco, Carbonara Scrivia, Costa Vescovato, Paterna, Villaromagnano, S. Agata Fossili, Villalvernia, Cassano Spinola, Gavazzana, Castellania, Carezzano, Stazzano, Sardigliano and Casalnoceto.

Three good reasons for visiting the provincial capital of Piemonte? The home of Fiat; of course! 'Juventus', Italy's most supported football team; maybe not! And the third ...

We like the delightful cafés and pasticcerie or cake shops where you can sit in elegant surroundings and taste the good life as it must have been 100 years ago.

Although we don't recommend an extended walking tour of the city's cake shops, maybe you could look for one of these famous landmarks where you can order a chocolate dessert or a sticky bun.

The Bra cheese festival is an essential appointment for all of us passionate about eating well, not only in Italy. Described as the biggest collection of quality cheeses in Italy each year, 'Cheese' is organised by Slow Food, the City of Bra and the Ente Turismo Alba, Bra, Langhe and Roero.

The event is usually held over the 3rd weekend of September every two years, 2009 .. 2011 etc, and attracts around 150,000 people and the organisers expect them to eat 400kg of Swiss Cheese and buy 1200kg of Italy's finest mozzarella.

The whole of Bra is involved with stands lining the length of the 'centro storico'. The overall aim is to promote regional producers and local products who are under threat from inevitable market forces.

From late December to just before Christmas, the white truffle is king in Alba. It commands the attention and money of locals and visitors, who hunger to buy or taste it. In the shops, it is displayed under glass and sold by the gram at about € 400-500,00 per one hundred grams.

To be honest, the truffles these days dont necessarily come from the local woods around the Ferrero Chocolate Factory, but more likely the unspoilt zones of the Monferrato area in the south-eastern part of Piedmont. Yet Alba remains, as it always has, the key market for the commercialisation of the product.

These simple carnival sweets found across the Italian regions are more than probably named after the word 'castagna' or chestnut. When done they are similar in size and colour to your average conker.

We have decided to locate this recipe in Piemonte due to the two towns of Castagnole Piemonte in the province of Turin and Castagnole Monferrato in the province of Asti.

ingredients

400gr flour, 4 dessert spoons of olive oil, 3 eggs, 4 dessert spoons of sugar, 1 lemon rind, 2 spoons of rum or cognac, 1 spoon of yeast in water.