Eat, Drink, Do a Little Business…

Dolcetto, a red Italian grape, has been used by the Piedmontese in a number of creative (and commercial) ways. The wine is a traditional accompaniment to dishes such as tajarin (thin, gold-colored pasta made with up to 40 egg yolks) with butter and sage. But the grapes themselves–unlike most wine grapes–can also be delicious eaten raw as table grapes. They are even cooked down and made into cognà,  a jam served with local hard cheeses such as Murazzano, from sheep’s milk, and Castelmagno, mainly from cow’s milk.  And why not do a little business while you are eating? Historically, the commercially savvy Piedmontese also used dolcetto grapes to barter with neighboring Ligurians for their famous green-tinged olive oil, salt and anchioves.