Burgundy: An Epicurean Journey on Two Wheels

To start reading about how this trip was conceptualized and how it all began, click here.

While most of the destinations on my extravagant itinerary were centered around food and a few like Champagne were planned with wine in mind, Burgundy was an exception. Known for its rich cuisine and widely regarded as one of the great wine regions of the world, a visit to this part of France was inevitable. I strategically chose Beaune--close to the Cote de Beaune wine region and home to some excellent restaurants-- as my base.

Usually, the first foods that come to mind at the thought of French cuisine are Burgundian-- think coq au vin, beef bourguignon, escargot or Dijon mustard. Though I did find the best places to sample these, the lesser known specialties of the area are what truly piqued my interest.

Piedmont: Unearthing the Truffle

To start reading about how this trip was conceptualized and how it all began, click here.

Tartufo. Even the name has a precious ring to it, doesn't it? It is perhaps the most expensive ingredient in the world and having previously worked with truffles, I felt it important to visit the region that boasts of having the world's best kind.

The town of Alba is particularly renowned for its white truffles, which are rarer and dearer in price than their black counterparts. It is also just a few kilometres away from Barolo and Barbaresco, which are among the top wine producing regions in Italy-- definitely enough reason to pay a visit.

White truffles

Truffles have a pungent fragrance akin to fresh earth soon after the first rainfall; the aroma of a good quality fresh truffle will permeate through a room instantly. While it is dry, crumbly, and almost tasteless when eaten on its own, thin shavings of truffle when added to a salad or atop pasta provide a certain umami-like flavor that mirrors it's aroma.