Cheese 2009: Bra, Italy

So here's where it gets interesting. Bra, about a 45 minute train south of Torino. Bra is a small, unassuming city much like a smaller Parma with less glitz and designer shops. But once every other year, the city explodes in an international fervour. There are dialects of Italian even the most versed of Italian scholars cannot understand: Milanese, Parmasean and southern Italian tossed around the vendor's stands like a football. Americans, Brits, Aussies and even South Africans wander the streets, popping tasty morsels into waiting mouths. In this particular niche, Bra is the center of the world for 4 days. This is Cheese 2009.

Cheese 2009 is a biannual... well... cheese festival put on for the last 20 years. Now, it attracts world famous cheese vendors from across the world. Not only is it a venue in which cheese producers can market their product to the global community, but it presents a social attraction all across Europe. The love of the senses here is unlike anything I've seen in America. You don't have to love cheese, you just have to love tasting.

Travel was not gruling, but not enjoyable as I, accompanied by 3 others, took the 4.5 hour train ride from Parma to Torino. We arrived in Torino at approximately 11:00 to the unexpected hustle and bustle of a large city. I suppose I had never really thought of Torino anything larger than Parma. But I was mistaken. No one ever honks in Parma. They honk in Torino like they honk in New York. Walking to our hostel looked like an easy task on the city map. Half and hour later we checked in and prepared for Cheese.

Cheese was put on by Slow Food, the same organization that exists in America, promoting sustainable living and generally organic practices in cooking and food consumption. But Cheese 2009 has no counterpart in America. The closest I can come to a parallel is a US Oktoberfest celebration. The enormity of people was what struck me first. The entirety of the city center was closed to moterists and filled instead with stands and tents for vendors. Most of these vendors, lined up and down the roads, had a sign above, advertising the company name with a card written in Italian and English below explaining the company and primary product. As we made our way, awestruck down literally, a hall of cheese, we sampled premier cheeses from across the globe. In 15 minutes I had consumed more brands and types of cheese than in the previous 21 years.

In somewhat of a sensory overload, we decided to investigate the rest of the affair. Cheese 2009, as we discovered, was much more than lines of stands. Workshops regarding sustainable farming, cheese and wine pairings and the making of cheese occured throughout the weekend. Many other products such as balsalmic vinegar, honey and beer had major representation. And street food could be found everywhere.

We jumped from cheese stand to cheese stand. Looking for souveniers, I sampled beer from approxmately 15 of the dozens of Italian and German breweries represented at Cheese. Communicating with the vendors was often an issue but with key words such as "chiaro" "scurro" and "bionda" I was able to determine enough.

It was bizzare for me to experience so much in such a short period of time. In the two days we were at the festival, my mind was blown time and time again. This was real cheese. The makers of the cheese that actually pretty much invented the variety, not the American knockoffs that do their best to imitate. French brie, Swiss gruyere and of course Parma's Parmigiano-Regiano. I had good beer. I had good wine. And I think my tastes may have even matured a bit in those 48 hours.

I'm pretty sure this is why I came here.