Truffles are a bit like oysters in that you either love or hate them. Personally I love them but then I’ve always had exceptionally expensive taste. Served traditionally as thin slices on top of perfectly fried eggs they are superb!

Find out more about the the Fair, the Truffle and other activities during this very busy time by visiting http://www.fieradeltartufo.org/en/. Next year plan in advance and come and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the Alba Truffle Fair.

• Profumo di Vino – This is a Wine Bar and Osteria in Treiso. The owners are the Scottish Chef and Mexican Head Waiter / Wine expert. The food is great, location superb and the prices are not over the top. I enjoyed an excellent lamb main on one of our visits while hubby had the famous local tripe dish. In summer you sit outside on their terrace and in winter the inside is cosy and unpretentious. Popular and full so make sure to book in advance. Ph Italy 0173638017
• Osteria del Maiale Pezzato – Another Osteria located in Sinio. Described as an inn they service typical Piedmonte cuisine. There’s a lovely terrace for summer dining, which is closed for the cooler and winter months. I’d describe this Osteria as rustic with good wholesome food. They also offer accommodation for those who want to explore the area further or can’t drive after dinner. Visit their website at www.maialepezzato.it
• Aria di Langa – This is a restaurant with accommodation. New in 2008 the views are spectacular and their expansive terrace is perfect for an aperitif or dinner in the warmer months. If you feel so inclined and the weather allows it, take a wander amongst the vines. The service is attentive and the food overall was reasonably good. Visit them online at www.ariadilanga.com
• La Lumaca – For anyone who loves snails (lumace) this is the restaurant for you. Located in Cherasco it’s not strickly in Langhe however it’s worth a visit. Upstairs is a bar and small shop with the restaurant located downstairs in the cellar. The food is very good and, not being a snail eater myself, I’m told the snails were excellent.  Book ahead on Italy 0172489421

It always pays to book ahead in this area as people eat out a lot and there are often many visitors from surrounding countries and further afield. Restaurants can often be closed on a Monday and sometimes a Tuesday so watch out for that too.

Let me know if you try them. Buon appetito!

• All the leaves are brown. At least they are definitely turning from their summer green. The hazelnut trees are going a nice nutty brown, which fits well with their purpose in life. The vine leaves start to turn a nice yellow-y colour and as the weeks progress gradually turn more golden finally finishing up a glorious deep red.
• Blue Skies shining at me. We are often blessed during Autumn with many lovely sunny days accompanied by gorgeous blue skies. Perfect to keep those solar panels on the roof happy. While the mornings and evenings can be a little chillier the days can still be warm with temperatures reaching the low to mid 20′s.
• Grape Harvest. As another year draws to a close the grape harvest is well under way. Harvesting can take some time as particular wines require the grapes to stay on the vines for longer. Also with dew in the mornings and the sun disappearing earlier, harvesting will begin later in the morning and finish earlier in the evening to make the most of the warmth and daylight. As you drive amongst the hills you can see vines that have already been stripped bare and others that continue to hang heavy with fruit. It’s still a little early yet to speculate on the quality of this years vintage.
• Anyone for a mushroom? Where there is damp and warmth there are funghi galore and now is the time to hunt them out. Friends are trudging up and down hills and through the bush finding kilos of various eadible mushrooms. Sliced, dipped in egg and breadcrumps, then gently fried they make a superb starter or accompaniment to any meal. Yesterday we were given a basket full – Delicious!
• The Truffles are coming! Alba is world famous for its Truffle Fair in November and truffle hunters will soon be busy with their dogs hunting down those delicious morsels for trade or sale. The prized white truffle can achieve hundreds of euros per gram, which makes the more common black ones much more affordable. Their odour is unmistakably strong and earthy. Truffles are a bit like oysters – you either love them or hate them. I love them, especially when they’re shaved on top of fried eggs. In fact I love them any-which-way. Lip-smackingly good.

Yes, Autumn in Langhe is a really great time of year.

The hazelnuts fall to the ground and are swept into piles awaiting collection. Collecting them involves a tractor of some sort with something like a huge vacuum cleaner on the back that sucks up all the hazelnuts on the ground along with everything else in the pile.  Separation of dirt and leaves from nuts happens later. 

Read more information about the actual process here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazelnut

Ferrero, the world famous chocolate manufacturer located in Alba, uses hazelnuts in many of their products and of course the farmers in Langhe are major suppliers of the raw ingredient.

I’ve recently visited the castle with some friends from the US and we took the tour of the excellent museum learning about Count Camillo Benso of Cavour, one of the architects of the Unification of Italy. The audio guide is part of the ticket price and the display is superb.

Find out more about Castello Grinzane including opening times and events at www.castellogrinzane.com

The Festa di San Lorenzo opens with a theme dinner and this year it is Festa Cubana. There’s a 6 course dinner, display of Cuban dance, and 300+ people attend. It’s great fun and even though we are home around 3am the last stragglers may still be in the square at 7am!

After the first night the rest of the week is taken up with Festa del Grano (festival of grain) with a display of agricultural machinery, the Corsa del Grano (a 8.3km running race for adults and 1.5km one for children), an evening Jazz concert , the Festa della Moto (the motorbike clubs dinner), the Festa della Birra (Beer festival), and on the very last night we (another 300+ people) will enjoy Cena sotto le stelle (Dinner under the stars).

This is just in the village of Rodello. Each village in the Langhe has its own patron saint and its own village party. Even small hamlets have various lunches, events, and dinners.

With the sun shining, hot weather, and festivals galore it’s a really great time to visit and celebrate with all those who have contributed to another successful year in the Langhe.

I haven’t been inside the B&B and do not know the owners however it is located in a good spot, is very reasonably priced. If you want to stay in Alba and enjoy the Saturday market, shops and many restaurants the location couldn’t be much better as everything’s easily accessible by foot.

If you try it come back and tell me what you thought.

If you want more information about the villages that make up the Langhe as well as the main city of Alba you can find it at http://tinyurl.com/m3mxqw.  If you want to find some restaurants, places to stay on the road less travelled, a wine to try, or a festival to experience, add my blog to your favourites.

We (my Italian husband and I) eat out regularly, enjoying long slow-food style lunches and dinners at various Osteria and Ristorante in the area. As we continue to eat and drink our way around the Langhe I’ll be gathering up business cards and adding them to this blog. These will not be restaurant critic reviews but it will give you some options that you wouldn’t normally come by.  If you have a particular question about something just post a comment and I’ll respond to you. I’ll also include some snippets about the various festa (festivals) and events that mark the passing of the seasons. They are fun, colourful, and ancient in their history.

Finally…  Anyone who is interested in holidaying in Italy without doing the tourist thing all I can say is Come see the Langhe!