The regional food of the Aosta Valley can be described as a simple but traditional cuisine composed of hearty, creative and authentic flavours. Due to it’s position in the extreme North West of the country, the Aosta Valley mixes some of the best of traditional Italian food with a healthy dose of mountain flavours and ingredients.
The region is renowned for the quality of its local salamis and meats giving rise to specialities such as carbonada, a dish composed of stewed meat wine wine, onions and spices. The cheeses are equally famous and include the symbolic cheese of the Aosta Valley, Fontina which is the most well known outside of the valley and gives rise to dishes such as Fonduta Valdostana and the typical soup of the Aosta Valley made with savoy cabbage, Fontina and stale rye bread.
With the region’s micro-climate allowing vines to grow up to 3,937 feet, any first time visitor to the Aosta Valley will be stunned with the quality of wine on offer with over 20 wines being designated as originating from the valley including Donnas and Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle. The Valle d’Aosta Route des Vins is a route through vineyards and wine cellars – in contact with enthusiasts and vintners – that uncovers the specialities and qualities of mountain wines and allows the visitor to experience all the wines in their locality.
The website, Great Italian Chefs, has also recently published a guide to Aosta Valley wines.
Whatever your taste, any visitor to the Aosta Valley will return home happy and well sated.
For more information and recipe ideas click here
For suggestions on where to eat click here