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.

We recommend this tour to discover the area and food around Lake Maggiore in Piemonte. Start at Stresa having taken in the 'Isole Borromee and the Villa Pallavicino.

The mountains start getting very big at Ivrea and the city is the ideal place from where to discover the Canavese territory. It is a fertile area of hills, woods and lakes, perfect for the cultivation of vines.

The most interesting wine area, however, is nearby Carema where Piemonte borders Valle D'Aosta.

The 'Fiera del Riso' or rice festival take place in Crocera di Barge in the province of Cuneo. The zone sits at the feet of the Monviso hills a few kilometres from the source of the River Po and beside the sturdy Abbey of S.Maria di Staffarda.

The fair takes place in the last week of April and offers a chance to find out more about rice production in Italy.

Truffles are especially mysterious and secretive things. Whether black or white, do we know really enough to bluff our way through a Piemonte wine book launch.

The 'Charter of Specific Qualties for the Tuber Magnatum Pico' by the 'Associazione per Il Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo' in Alba reveals all, and we have a copy. Here are a few tips we are happy to share.

Optima Roero is the name of an annual food and agricultural market or fair which takes place in Canale in the province of Cuneo.

It is usually part of November's 'Sapori d'Autunno' and the event will be chance to promote the typical products of the area and, above all, the quality of the produce from one of Italy's most prestigious food areas.

Strangest of all the typical products from the province of Novara area, apart from donkeys, is Bettelmatt cheese produced in a single pasture near the Alpe Morasco.

It is the most famous cheese from Ossola and only 100 or 150 vats of the stuff is made each year.