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August /September 202 2 XIII MAGAZINE present in 120 countries. And it’s always about fried chicken with Jollibee, a chain founded in 1978 in the Philippines by Tony Tan Caktiong , today among the market leaders in the fast-food sector with more than 1400 outlets, 1201 of which are in the Philippines itself and 274 in Asia, Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom. Continuing on the trail of delicacies is Dunkin’, another US chain specialising in coffee and doughnuts (donuts) founded in 1950, in Massachusetts, by William Rosenber . Not to be overlooked is the cuisine of the Rising Sun, perhaps with Giappo, a SushiBar franchise that has been present for more than 10 years, inspired by typical Japanese cuisine with hints of fusion. __________________________________ BOX Starbucks and Russia The war issue led Starbucks to pull out of Russia altogether, suspending 130 franchise locations. However, the coffee giant has guaranteed that it will pay former employees their salaries for several months and then support them in finding new employment. Along the same lines is McDonald’s, which opened in Moscow back in 1991. __________________________________ BOX For intolerances A special focus on the dietary needs of those with allergies or intolerances. In this there is Junior Pizza Chef® Gluten Free, a dynamic and quality format where it is possible to eat in accordance with various needs without giving up taste. __________________________________ BOX A touch of freshness There is no getting away from yoghurt, a favourite food of Italians. Here is La Yo- gurteria & Bubble Tea, the leading Italian yoghurt franchising network, present since 2007 and today active throughout the country with as many as 72 points of sale. Many are the proposals: frozen yoghurt, natural yoghurt, milkshakes, lactose-free yoghurt, but also crepes, hot chocolate, waffles and Sicilian brioche. __________________________________ AT PAGE 42 ON THE ROAD Piedmont – Flagship of Italian food and wine FROM THE AMALFI COAST, QUALITALY’S FOOD AND WINE TOUR HEADS NORTH UP THE BOOT TO ITALY’S MOST AUSTERE AND ‘REGAL’ REGION, PIEDMONT by Alessandro Vergallo The people of Piedmont are very attached to their region, which is why they are conservative and proud of their origins and traditions that they hand down from father to son. Piedmont is a fertile land, rich in water thanks to the Po and its tributaries. The cuisine in this part of Italy is rich in typical local dishes and products, many of which boast the PDO, IGP, PAT (Prodotti Agroalimentari Tradizionali), Stg (Specialità Tradizionale Garantita) labels, and the region has 36 Slow Food presidia, including vegetables, dairy products, animal breeds and grape varieties. Piedmont cuisine is varied because it spreads across a varied territory from the Alps to the plains; the ingredients are diverse and give rise to sub-regions of cuisine, each distinguished by their own local dishes. And we at Qualitaly, in a land so rich in food and wine products and typical dishes, have put our trust in Alessandra Oliviero , a nationally renowned specialist, owner and expert sommelier of le Cantine Meana, a restaurant located in the heart of Susa, a small town in the province of Turin, nestled in the splendid setting of the Cottian Alps. A restaurant whose dishes are based on territorial tradition with a few regional variations elaborated by the ‘resident’ chef of Sardinian origin. LOCAL PRODUCTS In this corner of the earth, cheese is the prince of the table. The tome, for example, are diverse: they range from the classic to the mature to the one made from sour milk that the natives of Val di Susa call Lait brush , a raw cheese from which Castelmagno, typical of the Cuneo area, is made, excellent eaten with honey or sweet sauces. “Ours is a predominantly territorial cuisine,” says Alessandra, “These are typical dishes of the valley that have almost been forgotten, such as tripe, rabbit alla cacciatora... the products we use are all freshly bought from the nearby mountain pastures. Another typical local toma cheese is Blu del Moncenisio , made from whole cow’s milk, sometimes with a small percentage of sheep’s milk, whose paste is straw-coloured and compact, similar to gorgonzola but not creamy, offering a strong, intense flavour on the palate, with notes of stable and penicillin. Other important typical Piedmont PDO and IGP cheeses include Castelmagno , Bra , Bettelmatt and robiole, with Roccaverano being one of the most prized. It would be absurd, almost a sacrilege, to speak of Piedmont cuisine without mentioning mushrooms and truffles, especially those of Alba and Cuneo. The Alba truffle , now known throughout the world, can undoubtedly be considered white gold. Its price is around 450 euro for a 20-gram size. Recent estimates put the market for processed and preserved Italian truffles at around 500 million euros. It is best consumed on hot dishes as it releases its natural aroma without covering it. It is ideal with egg, risotto or grilled steak. The climate in these valleys creates the ideal environment for mushroom growth, and the