Exquisite desserts in Turin

As the city is full of charms, the café is full of exquisite mini desserts. The art and varieties reminds of the dessert in Paris. I guess the French left their pastry influence through the history. But they are not cheap: 1 euro for each tiny piece (the small ones on the white plate). Yet it totally worth it! They melt in your mouth with perfect texture.

Nutella

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut-based sweet spread registered by the Italian company Ferrero at the end of 1963.

“At the time, there was very little chocolate because cocoa was in short supply due to World War II rationing. So Mr. Ferrero used hazelnuts, which are plentiful in the Piedmont region of Italy (northwest), to extend the chocolate supply.”

http://www.nutellausa.com/history.htm

“Nutella conquered the world soon after it was invented in Piedmont, the northwestern Italian region of which Turin is the capital, and went onto the market in 1964. But the combination of hazelnut and chocolate predated Nutella by a couple of centuries, and, like much brilliant inspiration, was born of necessity.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/15/dining/15turin.html

The first time I saw Nutella was in Lyon. A friend has a giant container of Nutella on her kitchen table. That explains how much she loves it. I was reluctantly to try because I do not have sweet tooth. Finally my last day in Milan, a friend Alice convinced me to try it before leaving Italy. She spread a thin layer on a toasted piece of bread. I have to say: it is really good! Nutty flavor with the crispy bread! Now I understand why people are crazy about it.

Peyrano -The pioneers of chocolate in TURIN

They say Turin’s chocolate is the best in Italy and it has a long history:

“By the late 18th century (about 150 years after Cortes had introduced chocolate to Spain in 1528) Turin was an international chocolate capital, thanks to trade relations between the ruling House of Savoy and the Spanish court. Turin's chocolate producers exported 750 pounds a day to Austria, Switzerland, Germany and France, according to Sandro Doglio's "Il Dizionario di Gastronomia del Piemonte" ("The Dictionary of Piedmont Gastronomy," Daumerie, 1995). Swiss chocolate-makers came to Turin to learn their trade.”

Peyrano-Pfatish and Gobino, the two most famous chocolatiers in town. Peyrano and Gobino chocolates are available online (at peyrano.com and Gobino from the New York-based www.gustiamo.com).

“… the one that says Turin to the rest of Italy — is the foil-wrapped mini-ingot called giandujotto. Biting into one isn't like eating any other kind of chocolate. The flavor of roasted hazelnuts comes through every bite, with the fruity high notes of fine Central American chocolate in the city's best. The depth of the hazelnuts balances the fruit of the chocolate, and anchors an experience that with the vinification of chocolate has become all too ethereal.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/15/dining/15turin.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

I only visited one chocolatier: Peyrano. It has an amazing store full of exquisite delicacies, and of course hand-made unique chocolate objects, such us comb, perfume bottle and chocolate necklace. Speaking of food art, this is surely a place to wander.

Hand-made chocolate in Market

In the same Genova weekend market, I am surprised to see some well-made artistic chocolate. Normally you would think only fancy chocolate store sell them, not in a market. I know, they are make from moulds, but it is nice to had varieties. It also shows that people generally appreciated artistic work, not only in big cities. It is great for artists keeping pushing new ideas and designs.

Of course in the market, the price is relative cheap as well. I bought the small square dark chocolate with different flavors and they are simply amazing! As for the other artistic ones, I think they are more for the eyes to enjoy. I doubt there are different fills for each piece.

Socca in Nice

“Socca is a specialty of southeastern French cuisine, particularly in and around the city of Nice. After being formed into a flat cake and baked in an oven, often on a cast iron pan more than a meter in diameter, the socca is seasoned generously with black pepper and eaten while hot with the fingers. Socca is considered by some to be a chickpea crepe, as the preparation and consistency of the batter is similar. Many brasseries in Nice, especially in the old section (Vieux Nice) near the waterfront, sell a filling portion of socca for €2-3.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socca

Although I had Socca monthly before I tried Farinata, I still remember the taste. They are quite similar. The only difference is where I bought the socca: in a open-air market in Vieux Nice from a over colorful make-up Spanish lady. My friend said she make the best socca there. But eve in bought socca from her, she did not like to be in the pictures.

Farinata in Genova

“Farinata (which literally means floured) is a thin, crisp, pizza-like pancake from Liguria, Italy which its variations are eaten in many different Mediterranean countries and beyond. It is similar to the socca from Nice, France.

It is made by stirring chickpea flour into a mixture of water and olive oil to form a loose batter, and baking it in the oven. Farinata may be seasoned with fresh rosemary, pepper and sea salt. Traditionally farinata is cut into irregularly shaped triangular slices, and enjoyed (with no toppings) on small plates with optional black pepper, or stuffed into small focaccia. It is usually sold in pizzerias.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fain%C3%A1

I ordered one with slices of onion on top. It was very thin and quite tasty when eating hot and fresh. It does remind me of Socca in Nice.

Funky cheese in Genova

At weekend I went to Genova, one hour by train from Milan, a city close to the seashore. I was wandering around the weekend open-air market in the center and saw many amazing funky cheeses. Like other Asian tourists, I can’t help to take tons of pictures of those “alien food”. Of course, the Italians were laughing at me. They were joking about 5 euro for each picture. They are so kind and let me take all pictures without buying anything. Not like those low-mannered Chinese just yell at me: no pics!