the chocolate museum

After many long years of wishing and praying, soft whispering and hoping, the Turin chocolate museum finally opened and with Alex Futter - a long time friend - we went to take a look for you!

Bridgerton vibes at the chocolate museum too

The Holidays in Turin

Galleria San Federico

And just like that it is December 2022 and the Holiday season has officially kicked off some time in November when many Italians decided it was time to put up their tannenbaum. By now, the only decoration Turin is still missing is her official Christmas tree that will be placed in the 'royal piazza' in front of the royal palace, where the elephant and the novice were in the summer, on December the 8th. 

This year the Turin Christmas tree won't be alone as a tiny wood of 20 smaller decorated trees will surround it. They will be out till January 8th, so Befana can enjoy them for a couple more days too.

Turinepi22 with Alex Futter

 At Turin Epicurean Capital we like to keep in touch with all our friends, guests and collaborators.

Alex Futter and Lucia enjoying food in Turin

Alex Futter has been a LONG time friend and we are lucky enough to have him visiting Turin quite frequently. Over the years, he has brought over his closest friends, family and girlfriend and by now, he can easily navigate Turin without a map!

In short Alex is a Turin expert!

This is why we included his top Turin recs in this 9th edition so you all can take notes and visit these must-see and must-eat-at places in town:

As many people still wonder about what Turin Epicurean Capital is and what we actually do, in the following clip, Alex played Stanley Tucci in Searching for Italy and exclusively interviewed Lucia Hannau, the mind behind all you see on the turinepi accounts:

Thank you so much, Alex, for helping us sharing what we do and how this project was born! Despite all predictions, Turin is still very much under the radar but luckily, even in this sultry hot summer, we can hear more and more international languages downtown.

Alex with Toret our Turin symbol

Needless to tell you, we are waiting for you, Alex, in Torino next time you fly over, and who knows what movie they will be filming in Piazza San Carlo, what new gelato flavor you'll enjoy and what you'll try at Osteria Rabezzana 😋

One thing is for sure: you'll feel at home!

Thank you so much again for being our very own Turinepi Stanley Tucci!

il sole tra la nebbia

Tra le giornate buie, uggiose e nebbiose, quando il sole pallido traspare dalle nuvole ci porta grande gioia, la stessa che vogliamo portare a tutti gli amanti di Torino, del Piemonte, della lingua e della cultura italiana a cui questo racconto è dedicato.

turinepi21: final thank you

 

Bicerin: history, coffee, chocolate

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.

Turinepi21

 Just one week to our 8th edition of Turin Epicurean Capital, a second virtual edition but in a new form!

Gennaio: elfi a Torino

Questo racconto è dedicato a tutti gli amanti delle atmosfere natalizie e che ogni anno vivono male Gennaio. Nel 2021 Gennaio è un mese molto particolare e va considerato come un primo Febbraio che precede il Febbraio vero 😉

Novembre a Torino

Come la nebbia che avvolge Torino dal 20 Novembre in poi, e gli effluvi di cioccolata calda che salgono dalla tazza, questo racconto è dedicato a tutti coloro che amano le atmosfere autunnali e il confort food piemontese dei mesi freddi e umidi. La canzone da ascoltare alla fine è sempre quella di Giusy Ferreri, il cui vidoeclip è girato a Parigi perchè Torino è così 😎

TurinEpi18 day 2

The second day of the fifth edition of Turin Epicurean Capital started with a quick tour of the Roman lanes and a coffee stop at Al Bicerin for the ultimate Turin coffee experience!
Our guests took advantage to visit the Bicerin chocolate shop and the beautifully renovated Consolata Sanctuary right in front of the coffee shop.
Then, we proceeded through the Roman lanes toward the Porta Palazzo market aka the largest outdoor market in Europe!
It was an intense foodie morning, the market was busy and full of colors; our guests could see the different sections of the market: produce with the egg stall where you can buy quail, goose and different varieties of Italian hen eggs; the covered deli section with the butchers and 'gastronomia' counters. We then walked through the farmers' section and stopped at the cheese stall of an artisan cheesemonger who makes his own toma cheeses high up in the mountains. Finally, we walked through the clothes section with African and Chinese vendors into the covered fish section.

Chef Marco Giachello and Jan Egan on the left, Andrew Dunne, Clare Reed and Georgie Knaggs on the right

bear coffee? Orso

Turin is definitely renown for its many royal coffee shops, all more or less centrally located and the total lack of international coffee shop chains. This translates into a city with only indie coffee shops... yet in terms of coffee blends and brewing methods, you will find virtually only Italian style coffees: espresso, cappuccino, latte, marocchino and bicerin, caffé ristretto and corretto or lungo.

Epicurean week-ends

1. Read the list and count how many you know and like:

espresso, all Martini & Rossi beverages, Italian fashion, Juventus, Italian cars, Cinzano, Fiat 500, gelato on a stick (like Magnum), chocolate, Lavazza coffee, vermouth, lady fingers (cookies), lady's kisses (cookies), alpini, aperitif, Italian design, RAI tv, Cirio pasta sauce, Robe di Kappa, grissini breadsticks, risotto, arcades or porticoes, the Shroud of Turin, Salone del Gusto - Terra Madre (Slow Food), IED, panna cotta, polenta, tramways, agnolotti, tajarin, Mole Antonelliana, Italian cinema, Italian sport, Egyptology, Sandokan, brutti ma buoni (cookies)

2. If you marked at least 10 you MUST come over to Turin, home of all the things listed above 🙌

Foodies, wine lovers and lovers of all things Italian: you'll easily get hooked on Turin and will crave for more 😎

Turin's bicerin coffee

Turin more than any other city in the world is so characterized by its own coffee culture to have its own coffee: bicerin.

The word bicerin comes from the local dialect and it means small glass because back in the 18th century it was served in a small glass and at a small price to allow everyone to enjoy it.

This decadent coffee drink includes chocolate and frothed cream and it's the evolution of "bavareisa", another 18th century popular drink, served in large round glasses and enjoyed mainly by aristocrats and wealthy people.

According to the local custom, the bicerin's identity stays in keeping the three layers of coffee, chocolate and cream unstirred so as to fully taste them separately. After all, this is not a cappuccino, a cafe' moka or any other kind of similar coffee you can enjoy anywhere else.

bicerin and the cookies to dunk: torcetti, baci di dama, canestrelli, krumiri and lady fingers

Most likely it was invented in a tiny coffee shop that today carries its name: Caffe' Al Bicerin, located in Piazza della Consolata, between Via Garibaldi and the Porta Palazzo market. This is the only place in the world where they still serve it following the original and secret recipe. 

Anywhere else in Turin, you will still be able to order it but... the ingredients, their amounts and preparation will not be exactly like the one enjoyed by the Count of Cavour, the very first Italian Prime Minister and all the other prominent people of the past like Picasso and E. Hemingway who adored it!

Turin: love at first taste!

Our food and travel blogger friend Patty Boner talks about her love at first taste with Turin! As her guest post is very detailed, you will be traveling with her while enjoying her writing and pictures!

Patty is the author and photographer of delish Foodie Sneak Peeks where you can find all her culinary adventures around the world and at home!

Turin's chocolate wonders

It may be news to many but Turin has actually been having a long lasting and very steady chocolate love affair.

Caval 'd Bronz window for Easter 2013