Walking around Bra in search of flavors
Visiting Bra to see, taste and buy!
Visiting Bra at Christmas, and more!
We are used to considering Alba the most important center of our trips to these areas. But I want to tell you a secret, not even so secret anymore! The charm of Bra Piemonte (in case you didn’t know!).
Over time this small town (about the size of Alba) has managed to retain an elegant flair and a certain originality in its stores. The streets of Bra feature well restored old houses, stores with beautiful storefronts, old doorways that conceal beautiful courtyards, and houses that hide from passersby.
The streets to wander around in search of shopping ideas, Christmas and otherwise!, are Via Cavour, Via Vittorio Veneto and Corso Vittorio Emanuele: the street names already give you a royal idea! Many artisan workshops but also small stores that have made product research their pride. Beautiful showcases of clothing, shoes and gorgeous leather accessories will make you lighten your wallet in cheerfulness.
We had a goal: to buy cheeses for Christmas lunch. Because a Piedmontese lunch cannot be considered finished without a wonderful selection of cheeses! The visit with a walk and shopping in Bra was therefore “necessary.”
After some Christmas shopping we stopped at LOCAL, a delicacy store, for a warming Vin Brulè. I leave you the recipe for making it at home on winter afternoons. Warning. It can have “giggly” effects on the whole family!
Recipe for homemade mulled wine.
– Orange and lemon, untreated and well washed: cut the zest without the white part
– One apple, washed and cut into small cube
– A few cinnamon sticks, cloves, grated nutmeg, star anise
– 3 or 4 tablespoons of sugar
– 1 liter of good red wine
Put everything in a large pot. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes and serve. Heaven for palates!
Cheeses to complete the Christmas meal.
Our goal was cheeses. So we ended up at Giolito’s, a cheese retailer in Bra with a long tradition. They do more than just resale: research, selection and aging of cheeses are their mission. They have a store that hides a wonderful aging cell of Piedmontese cheeses.
The hard, aged Bra, which in the past was an excellent substitute for Parmesan. The soft bra, the various tume, goat’s cheeses and mixed sheep’s milk cheeses. Herbs for all palates and various sauces and jams to accompany the cheeses.
A great plate of Piedmontese mixed cheeses will be a worthy completion to our Christmas Lunch! I also purchased a few French cheeses, because our friends and rivals also have many interesting ideas-I cannot deny it.
SlowDays includes Giolito in its Food Tours because it fully marries the pursuit of tradition, love for the excellence of the territory and passion for their work. A weekend of discovery in the Langhe and Roero will definitely not be all about wine.
Let’s not forget that Bra is the home of Cheese, SlowFood’s magnificent and unique Cheese Fair. Here is an article in which I tell you about Cheese and SlowFood and SlowDays!

What to see in Bra if you have a couple of days?
It’s okay that I’ve brought you here to shop for Christmas Lunch, but while I’m at it, I’ll point out a few must-see goodies! Bra city-heart of the Roero-is full of beautiful streets, lovely old and stately stores, and plenty of art cues to discover.
You will definitely stroll along Corso Garibaldi and Via Cavour: you will pass under the Ala, where the market is held (every Friday). You will find yourself in front of the Palazzo Comunale. Here will be the most beautiful historic cafes in Bra.
If you feel like climbing a bit then you will meet La Zizzola. In a beautiful park you will not fail to be intrigued by a “strange” building. It has an octagonal plan. It is imposing and massive. They called it the Villa of Delights and the story goes that it was a gift from a nobleman to his mistress!
There are also some beautiful Museums that are worth a visit, I remind you of them: Historical and Archaeological Museum, Museum of Mechanical Writing, Museum of Natural History.
Bra what to see and what to taste!
Visiting Bra brought me to the conclusion of my Christmas Lunch journey. The recipes I have chosen are those that stir memories of my family. They are a tiny part of the recipes of traditional Piedmontese cuisine. Those who come to Piedmont will bring home many flavors in their memories but also in their shopping bags! Impossible to resist buying so many delicacies.
Next week I will give you a surprise for Christmas: stay tuned!
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