PDO is the abbreviation of ‘Protected Designation of Origin,’ PGI of ‘Protected Geographical Indication.’ These appellations are given to high-quality European agricultural products and foodstuffs. Both indicate the unique combination of human and environmental factors that are typical of a given area.

Italy is the European country that has the highest number of products registered and protected under these schemes, acknowledged by the European Union. This is further proof of Italy's high-quality products, but also of the strong bond between excellent Italian agricultural products and foodstuffs and their place of origin. At the same time, there is great respect for the protection of the environment, because the inextricable link with the area of origin also demands to preserve the ecosystems and the biodiversity. Moreover, thanks to this Europe-wide scheme, consumers have more guarantees: these products are safer and it's easier to know their origins compared to other products.

PGI Piedmont hazelnuts are grown in a 7,000-hectare area in the Piedmont region, one third of which is located in the Langhe area. This variety is universally acknowledged as the best in the world due to its high quality. Due to their shape, these hazelnuts are also called Tonda Gentile Trilobata: round, delicate, and with three lobes. They are grown at altitudes of between 150 and 750 metres above sea level and their main features are their aroma, their texture, and their extraordinary versatility in pastry making, because they are easy to shell and to preserve.

Eight rows of corn along a long and narrow cob, almost red in colour, with bright grains and unique organoleptic characteristics due to the proximity of the Tanaro river. The eight-row corn from the Langhe is a fine corn variety, once called melia do re (i.e. ‘the king's corn’), because King Victor Emmanuel II was one of its most dedicated fans and had it grown at his estate in Pollenzo. It was traditionally used to make flour to prepare the typical polenta, but today it's widely devoted to manufacturing egg pasta, breadsticks and meliga pastries.

In the southern Langhe area, also called Alta Langa, livestock farming has been one of the main sources of income for centuries. The animals reared mainly consisted of two local breeds: Delle Langhe sheep and Roccaverano goats. Their wool and meat were used by the family, while the milk was turned into cheeses that were exported in southern Piedmont.

Today, these cheeses are acknowledged as excellent local food products. Murazzano toma cheese, an ancient Langhe product, is made purely with sheep's milk or blended with up to 40% cow's milk. This cheese is compact and dry, it fits in the palm of your hand and it's a few centimetres in height. Robiola cheese from Roccaverano, on the other hand, is made purely with raw goat's milk or blended with up to 50% sheep's and/or cow's milk. It is usually softer and moister.

Thanks to the perfect balance between flavour and nutritional properties, Piemontese fassona is one of the most sought-after and appreciated breeds among chefs and consumers worldwide. Its distinguishing trait is muscular hypertrophy: a genetic mutation resulting in meat that is almost without fibres, hence it's very lean and particularly tender. Thanks to the elegant aroma and flavour, it's particularly tasty. Usually, only the animals that are at least 48 months old, fed on hay and cereals and bred in full accordance with nature and the local area are destined to be slaughtered.