1. Bra is a city in the Cuneo province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Piedmont borders Liguria to the south and Lombardy to the east, France to the west and Switzerland to the north which makes it a unique culinary melting pot of varying influences.

2. Slow Food’s founder, Carlo Petrini, established his organization in this town in 1986. In 2004, the movement inaugurated the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) in the town of Pollenzo (near the city of Bra).

3. Bra is accessible by train from the city of Turin, via Torino Porta Susa station. Tickets can be bought at the station or online for under €6 euro and the journey is approximately 54 minutes. There are trains departing every hour. The last train to/from Torino departs around 20:00 (8:00 pm) so make sure to plan accordingly. Remember to validate your ticket in the stamping machines at the entrance of the station, failing to do so can lead to a hefty fine. You can also purchase tickets online through the app “Trainline” and have them scan your ticket.

4. The car drive from Turin airport is about 45 minutes and a taxi would cost around €160. “Taxi Bra” is a local Taxi company. You can reach them at +39 338 8951533 and ask about fixed rates to your destination. Beware that parking in the city of Bra is really limited and is even more restrictive during the cheese festival.

5. The city website is a good resource to learn about museums, local culture, history, and food.

6. During the Cheese Festival there will be a couple of events in the city of Bra and some in Pollenzo; you can find out more on this website.

7. You can ride buses 1, 2 and 66 departing from Bra to get to Pollenzo or you can also reach the university by car. With some tickets, you’re able to return for free within 1.5 hours so check with your bus driver. The bus system is reliable and schedules are up to date when using google maps. You will want to have small change/bills for the bus.

There will be many stalls in the town with producers from all over Italy, Europe, and the USA. However, if you want to see a cheese store in town, you can visit Giolito Cheese owned by Fiorenzo Giolito and his son. Try their fresh goat’s milk cheeses and those made by Beppino Occelli.

1. Bra Duro is probably the best known cheese from this region.

2. Bra Tenero, which is normally how the locals eat this cheese, is slightly younger and creamier.

3. Gran Kinara is a grana style cheese made with thistle coagulant.

4. Robiola di Roccaverano PDO made with goat’s raw milk, also made with 50% goat’s milk and a mixture of cow’s and/or sheep’s milk.

5. Robiola Bosina, and many others made by Caseificio dell'Alta Langa.

6. Castelmagno is an ancient, Roman-influenced mixed-milk cheese from Piemonte. The cheese is primarily cow’s milk with the addition of some goat or sheep’s milk. The curd style and texture resembles a hand-ladled cheese and the flavor is uniquely tangy for a semi-firm cow’s milk cheese. Natural blueing occurs throughout the paste, the natural rind is earthy and Castelmagno is often used in local risotto dishes.

Classic Piemontese dishes:

1. Salsiccia di Bra made with local high quality veal (about 80 %) and pork (about 20 %). This dish is often served with a house-curated blend of spices to give it a unique flavor and is always made with high-quality meat to assure freshness. This sausage is served raw, but can also be found cooked in some dishes. Don’t miss local Piemonte beef tartare called “Fassona”, often served alongside Salsiccia di Bra.

2. Vitello tonnato is a dish made with thin slices of veal topped with a tuna/caper mayo-based sauce. It’s served cold and is often served as an appetizer along with “Insalata Russa”–another local Piemontese appetizer.

3. Bagna Cauda is a dip made with anchovies and garlic, often served warm. It is accompanied by raw vegetables for dipping. This may sound like a strange dish but, with the influence of Piemonte’s southern neighbor Liguria, Bagna Cauda exemplifies the perfect umami balance of high-quality anchovies and local garlic in a savory broth. This dish is often augmented slightly with the chef’s special recipe depending on the restaurant.

4. Plin is a small, rectangular, ravioli-like pasta filled with meat or cheese/vegetables. It is most-often served in a butter and sage sauce.

5. Tajarin is another local pasta, thin and egg-yolk based (30-40 yolks per batch!!). It’s often served with red meat sauce (ragu), usually containing local veal.

6. Rabbit dishes (coniglio) are typical of the region.

7. Polenta is a northern Italian dish made with ground corn. You can eat it with sauce (sugo), with cheese, or mushrooms. Polenta con coniglio is a popular Piemontese combination.

8. Sformato is a savory flan, often made with local vegetables and topped with fonduta: a fondue-like cheese sauce.

9. Risotto dishes are also popular in this region. Canaroli and Arborio rice varieties (used in Risotto) are grown ubiquitously in Piemonte.

10. Focaccia di Recco is a Ligurian dish also widely available in Piedmont. This unleavened focaccia is thin and stuffed with a local mild, soft cheese called Stracchino.

11. Nocciola means hazelnut. Try local hazelnuts in their full form, cooked, in pastries and gelato or even in savory dishes like risotto.

12. Bonet, Budino, and Panna Cotta are three amazing desserts from the region.

13. Albicocce al forno is a cooked apricot, served with amaretto cookies and chocolate or gianduja.

Wines:

Francia Corta is a sparkling white wine using the champagne method (double fermentation)

Arneis (white)

Barbera (red)

Nebbiolo (red)

Barolo (red)

Amaro (digestivo-fortified wine made with citrus, herbs and spices)

Wednesday + Friday farmer’s market - Open from 8AM to 12PM. You can get fresh produce, clothes, knick knacks, and cooked food. If you go, try the cosce di pollo (chicken thigh) from the rotisserie truck in the main plaza by the train station—get pickled pepper spread condiment from the olive stand closer to the other side of the parking lot and get a beer or a bottle of wine somewhere and try them together.

All around Bra at the bus stations and elsewhere you will see fliers with peoples faces which are obituaries and memorials. The fliers represent the deceased and a way to remember loved ones. The cemetery in Bra has dreamy construction, floral arrangements, and crafted tombstones. It is open to the public.

The Civic Museum of Bra is worth checking out for the architecture, but also the collection including a large taxidermy exhibit.

If you have time, visit the towns of La Morra, Cherasco, Barolo, Alba, and Moferrato d’Alba, where you can also find many wineries and local products/restaurants. Worth a detour is Cappella del Barolo - La Morra CN, Italia, this small church, painted by American Artist Sol Lewitt, provides a beautiful yet stark contrast of bright colors against the surrounding vineyards.