A visit to Turin without stopping by Al Bicerin for a bicerin - Turin staple coffee drink - or a hot or cold chocolate wouldn't be complete!
For this 8th edition of Turin Epicurean Capital we met with Mr Alberto Landi, president of the association Locali Storici d'Italia or Italian Historical Italian Businesses and also owner and current manager of the oldest coffee house in Turin and it nearby chocolate shop.
As you can hear during his presentation, before being in the current location, the Bicerin was actually born in a different building back in 1763. Since then it's always been managed by ladies, no male barista or waiter have ever worked there so that all the ladies could feel safe and enjoy their coffee break.
Intellectuals, politicians and different celebrities have since paid many visits, but Turin owes to Mr Landi's late wife, Signora Marité the real renaissance of this living museum as he calls it. Marité did put all her heart and soul to make of the Bicerin THE coffee house we all know today, with a renewed menu of Piedmontese sweet specialties from small local producers and artisans.
Naturally when bicerin, the coffee drink, was born in the 1700s there was no espresso yet, and Mr Landi didn't share his secret family recipe with us, but he let us understand that it is still quite authentic as it was back then because they use a coffee brewing technique that reminds us of that old coffee style.
Liquid chocolate and cream still layer gently on top of the coffee to provide us the pleasure of three flavors, temperatures and textures.
We couldn't avoid including a visit to the Bicerin chocolate shop where you can buy artisan gianduia chocolate lingots and cremini, small nocciolini di Chivasso to float in your glass of bubbly, dragées of all kinds, huge jars of artisan chocolate spread, flourless hazelnut cakes, artisan chocolate liqueur all Bicerin brand that guarantees the highest local quality of both ingredients and process.
Needless we add, these make a great souvenir from Turin 😜
For those of you amici who love Italian language and culture we also filmed in Italian to help you visualize your next travel over to Torino with more accuracy. Of course, you'll include a visit to this stargate to the 1700!
Whether a coffee addict or not, at the Bicerin you will always find something scrumptious you'll love: a real 'Turin style' extra dense and velvety hot chocolate, served cold in the hot months, different kinds of zabajone, including one with lemon zest and many other delicious local specialties, all while experiencing the thrill of the truest Italian history and culture!
Turin is waiting for you 🙆
For tours and privates, e-mail Lucia: turinepi@gmail.com
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