Top 10 Traditional Foods
in the Province of Alessandria

Piccola Pasticceria is a charming little pastry shop located in Casale Monferrato, Italy. This producer specializes in traditional Italian sweets, using fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Their offerings include a variety of cakes, pastries, croissants, and other delightful treats, often beautifully decorated. The atmosphere at Piccola Pasticceria is warm and inviting, and the staff is known for their friendliness and willingness to recommend specialties. Many visitors return for the authentic flavors and attention to detail in every creation.

If you find yourself nearby, it's definitely worth stopping by to enjoy one of their sweet delights!Expand

Giraudi is a renowned Italian chocolatier based in the Piedmont region, known for its premium hazelnut and chocolate creations since 1907. Family tradition and a passion for artisanal craftsmanship remain the foundation of the brand, which blends local ingredients with contemporary flavors.

Their products are based on IGP Tonda Gentile Trilobata hazelnuts, which they carefully roast and process in-house to preserve their full aroma. One of their signature products is the creamy Giacometta spread, available in both classic and dark versions.

The spread is made exclusively with cocoa butter and contains no palm oil, which contributes to its exceptionally smooth texture and rich, natural hazelnut-chocolate flavor. Handcrafted production, dedication to quality, and the use of locally sourced ingredients make Giraudi a true symbol of Piedmontese excellence. Their philosophy is simple: fewer ingredients, more flavor, no compromises.Expand

Bodrato Cioccolato, established in the town of Novi Ligure, is known for its traditional approach to chocolate making, particularly specializing in the artisan technique called 'boero'. This method involves creating chocolate pralines that are especially recognized for containing liqueur.

The company prides itself on using high-quality, natural ingredients to produce a range of chocolates that respect Piedmontese confectionery traditions.Expand

Krumiri Rossi is a historic Italian confectionery brand based in Casale Monferrato, in the Piedmont region, known for producing one of Italy’s most distinctive traditional biscuits. Founded in 1878 by pastry chef Domenico Rossi, the company originated from the creation of krumiri, a butter-based biscuit that quickly became emblematic of the local gastronomic identity.

The recipe is intentionally simple - flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla - but its character lies in the balance between a firm, slightly crumbly texture and a rich, buttery flavor. A defining feature is the biscuit’s curved shape, often linked to the moustache of King Victor Emmanuel II, which contributes to its strong visual identity.

From its early years, the brand established itself through authenticity and protection of its product, gaining recognition and defending the originality of the recipe. Despite its growth over time, Krumiri Rossi has maintained a consistent focus on tradition, preserving both the formulation and the production approach.

The biscuits are typically consumed with coffee, tea, or dessert wines, reinforcing their role as both an everyday accompaniment and a regional specialty. Today, Krumiri Rossi represents continuity rather than innovation, positioning its product as a direct extension of a late 19th-century recipe that remains largely unchanged.Expand

Banfi, based in the town of Strevi in the province of Alessandria, Piedmont, was established in the late 1970s through the acquisition of a historic local winery and developed with the aim of interpreting Piedmont’s native grape varieties and styles through a modern, technically precise approach. The vineyards are located between Acqui Terme and the Monferrato area, a zone known for aromatic and fresh wines as well as favorable conditions for sparkling wine production.

The focus is on grape varieties characteristic of the region, such as Brachetto, Barbera, and other local cultivars, with particular recognition for Brachetto d’Acqui and sparkling wine styles. The cellar in Strevi combines traditional methods with modern technology, placing strong emphasis on quality control and the preservation of varietal identity.

Banfi stands as a clear contrast to the Tuscan side of the Banfi portfolio, while sharing the same philosophy of consistency, research, and long-term development.Expand

Mazzetti d'Altavilla is a historic Italian distillery with roots dating back to 1846, located in the heart of the Piedmont region. Specializing in the production of high-quality grappa, Mazzetti d'Altavilla is known for its dedication to traditional methods combined with modern innovation.

The distillery uses select grape pomace from some of Italy's most renowned wine regions, crafting spirits that reflect the essence of the territory. With a wide range of products, from classic grappas to aged varieties and liqueurs, Mazzetti is celebrated for its craftsmanship, attention to detail, and commitment to sustainability in production.Expand

Teo & Bia is a small Italian organic manufacturer based near Alessandria, specializing in the production of premium spreads made from hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios. Their entire approach is rooted in simplicity, transparency, and deep respect for the raw ingredients they use.

Each product is handcrafted in small batches, using only carefully selected, organically grown ingredients. Their range includes spreads with a high percentage of nuts - such as hazelnut cream, almond cream made from Sicilian almonds, and pistachio cream. These products are ideal for breakfast, desserts, fillings, or as part of a balanced meal.Expand

Novi is a renowned Italian brand based in the town of Novi Ligure, founded in 1903. It is part of the Elah-Dufour Novi food group, yet operates as an independent brand with a strong identity and over a century of tradition.

Their commitment to quality is reflected in the use of 100% IGP Piedmont hazelnuts and carefully selected cocoa beans sourced from Latin America and Africa. One of their flagship and best-selling products is Crema Novi, a luxurious chocolate spread containing as much as 45% hazelnuts and made without palm oil. Novi is known for overseeing the entire production process - from raw materials to finished product - ensuring consistent quality and authentic flavor.

In addition to spreads, Novi produces a wide range of chocolate bars, gianduiotti pralines, and chocolate with whole hazelnuts. The brand continues to invest in innovation while staying true to classic recipes and the core values of Italian chocolate-making tradition.

Novi products are widely available throughout Italy and exported to many countries, where they are appreciated for their high quality and trusted ingredient sourcing.Expand

Baci di dama, meaning lady's kisses, are traditional hazelnut butter cookies with a layer of chocolate-hazelnut spread sandwiched between them. They originated in pastry shops in Tortona, Piedmont (famous for its hazelnuts), in the second half of the 19th century. The name of these cookies refers to their visual appearance, since it is reminiscent of two mouths kissing, or the mouth of a lady (ladies didn't use to open their mouths while kissing, as it was considered crude). Baci di dama is often used as a holiday cookie, and they are sometimes even referred to as the Italian version of popular Oreo cookies.Expand

Krumiri are typical Piemontese cookies dating back to 1870, when they were invented by a confectioner named Domenico Rossi. These handmade cookies are made with a combination of fresh eggs, flour, sugar, butter, and vanilla. When the texture becomes just right, the combination is left to breathe for a day before baking. They are shaped in the form of a bent cylinder with a rough surface. It's believed that the shape is made in honor of the mustached King Victor Emanuel II. Krumiri are said to taste the best when dunked into tea, sweet wines, chocolate liqueurs, or zabaione.Expand

Often regarded as a French dish, chicken Marengo is believed to have been created in honor of Napoleon's victory at the battle of Marengo, Italy in June 1800. According to one of the legends, after the battle, in one of the local country taverns in Marengo, Napoleon was served chicken with mushrooms and crayfish, sautéed in butter and braised in Madeira wine. Napoleon allegedly liked the dish so much that he demanded this new culinary invention called poulet à la Marengo to be prepared after every battle. Over the years, the original recipe had changed while its origins and authenticity have repeatedly been questioned, but one of the oldest versions, though a very basic one, was found in Pellegrino Artusi's cookbook La Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiar Bene, published in 1891. Eventually, being a popular fare of northern Italy, pollo alla Marengo became listed as a typical Piedmontese dish by the Italian Academy of Cuisine. Today, chicken Marengo is prepared differently around the world, but in Italy, it is most often found slow-cooked in wine-flavored tomato sauce with the addition of mushrooms and either crayfish or river shrimps, and it is typically served with a sunny-side egg topped over toasted bread.Expand

This simple, rustic Italian cake hails from Monferrato, the hilly area near Asti. It's usually made with apples, pumpkin, sugar, chocolate, rum, eggs, amaretti, and dried figs, although there are numerous recipes for this cake. Due to the fact that it contains no flour, once baked, the cake is so damp that it almost melts in your mouth. It's recommended to serve it with a glass of Vin Santo. Torta alla Monferrina is especially popular during the autumnal Piedmontese celebration called festa della zucca.Expand