(map) Torino, Piemonte
An exploration of gastronomic delights in Torino wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a bakery. Everywhere in Italy bread is taken very seriously, but here it is definitely a passion. There seems to be a bakery on every block tempting passers-by with masses of assorted loves and rolls and, Torino’s specialty, breadsticks. They are handmade one by one, very long and are delicious, of course. A little cheese and a few crunchy breadsticks would make a lunch fit for a king.
One very scenographic bakery is Andrea Perino (via Cavour 10). Situated in the historic center, this bakery allows a view of its ovens and its freshly baked breads laid out on boards, right from the street. Go in and you will find a vast assortment of breads, fresh pizza and focaccia, breadsticks, rolls of many sizes and shapes, rustic cakes…
Continue through a passageway (lined with cookies!) to the room in the back: it is a café. There you will find more ovens and an array of pastries and sandwiches. Don’t see a sandwich you want? They will make one to your specifications. If you are there for breakfast there will be the morning papers and luscious rolls. It’s not a bad alternative to the cafes!
-- Contributed by Patricia Glee Smith (see bio), accomplished artist and very involved archaeology aficionado based in Otricoli, Umbria. Click here to view her artwork.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Spectacular!!! Mouth-watering!! There is nothing like bread fresh from the oven in Italy!!
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Can’t wait to visit with my small group in September.
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:50 pm
all the baba in rhum look so appetizing,that I could eat quite a few right now.Great Pictures!
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:23 pm
After viewing “The Last Supper” in Milan I will hop a bus for Torino to pick up some mouth-watering bread, some oilo and vino. Thanks Patricia – I’m star-ving! Great story, wonderful pics.
March 3rd, 2010 at 5:35 pm
YUMMY! I was in Torino last September but how could I have missed
this meraviglia!
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Would love a piece of crusty fresh bread with olive oil right now. Love the website. Am going to Sicily in about 8 weeks and cannot wait.
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Yes, Don, the blog has been a long time a-coming. You still in Torino?
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Wow! talk about food porn. I Love your pictorial. Can almost taste the fresh bread. Luckily We have a good bakery About 1 block from the house where I can get a slice of focaccia for breakfast. Not as spectacular as This one but close by.
March 6th, 2010 at 1:56 am
Oh YESss! The Italian breads. We totally agree. What a gift it is, and almost wherever you are, each town has its own special bread, some of which is undateable. Centuries old recipes.
Thanks for this. After living in Italy for 27 years, we also lived in Switzerland (9) and then Germany (2) and we discovered that breads are incredibly varied and incredibly good. We often said we could make a meal with those breads.