Baldaiassa

IGP Hazelnuts from an 18th-Century Farmhouse

In the Val Rilate near Cortazzone, an 18th-century farmhouse that has specialised in IGP Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnuts for generations — the variety recognised as the finest hazelnut in the world and the one that gives Piedmontese confectionery its particular character. Baldaiassa grows its own nuts, processes them on site and produces hazelnut oil, bagna cauda and daily fresh pastries from the same nuts. The oil is cold-pressed and carries the full aroma of the roasted nut without the processing that strips most commercial hazelnut oils of their flavour.

A working farm that opens its doors to visitors and sells direct from the property, which means you are buying from the person who grew and processed what you are taking home. The bagna cauda — the anchovy and garlic sauce that is the great communal dish of the Piedmontese autumn — is made here with the hazelnut oil as part of the base, giving it a character that distinguishes it from other versions. Open Friday to Sunday; farm visits are available by arrangement.