Truffle hunting (and other great flavors) in Northern Italy

When it comes to food, a good rule to follow is: the fresher it is, the better it’s going to taste. The secret to finding the freshest flavors? Go right to the source.

That’s exactly what our travelers Sarah and Lynn did on their Food & Wine Tour of northern Italy. Sarah, the editor at Edible Boston, wanted a trip that would let readers of the magazine taste the best of Italian cuisine. So, she took her group to Italy during the fall harvest, a time when the markets are overflowing and culinary festivals are in full swing.

Whether they were truffle hunting in the hills of Torino or making pasta by hand with a chef at an agriturismo, the local experiences wowed the group (and gave them plenty of mouthwatering memories to look back on). “I was pleasantly surprised to find how keyed-in to the food artisan and farm-to-table community in Italy Go Ahead is, and I am so glad I included these things on my itinerary,” Sarah said.

Check out some of the top moments from the trip, snapped by Lynn on tour.

Chianti vineyard—just one of the many the group visited as they sipped their way across Northern Italy, trying wines from Barolos to Nebbiolos and beyond.

Learning the ins and outs of balsamic vinegar making at a family-run estate, Acetaia Gambigliani Zoccoli.

Agriturismo Salvadonica in the Chianti region, one of the small (and stunning) hotels the group enjoyed staying at.

Cheesing with the cheese at a caseificio, where Parmigiano-Reggiano gets made. The group got a behind-the-scenes look at the process, and tasted aged Parmesan with local wines.

Truffle hunting—and we’re on the scent! Rocky and Jimmy are two specially-trained dogs who can sniff out truffles buried deep underground.

Found some truffles while truffle hunting!

At the Alba White Truffle Festival, truffle-lovers can taste some of the best and purchase rare white truffles (and sip local wine, if you’re truffled out after truffle hunting).

Truffle hunting isn’t the only way to seek out Italian flavors! Here, the group tried their hand at pasta-making at a local agriturismo, Podere San Giuliano. (P.S. get chef and owner Federica’s ragù recipe here!)