Caraglio, garlic in the DNA

Caraglio is a town of about 6,800 inhabitants in the province of Cuneo, 13 km northwest of the capital at an altitude of 575 m. SlM Even if the inhabited center is in a mainly flat area, at the mouth of the Grana Valley of which it is considered the entrance, part of the municipal territory affects the attack of the hills that introduce the Cuneo Alps. As evidenced by findings dating back to the Iron Age, the first populations to settle there were the Ligurians and Celts, then it was the turn of the passing Roman centuries who found favorable climatic conditions for the cultivation of garlic, a circumstance for some from which derives the name of the city. During the Second World War, the village played an active role in the events of the partisan struggles in the actions of the fight against fascism. It is a center with a predominantly agricultural vocation but at the same time it is home to numerous craft activities with some small industries. The commercial activity is flourishing, just go to Via Roma in the center of the country to find yourself almost in an open-air outlet. Caraglio is also a tourist city, being characterized in the urban fabric by prestigious historic buildings such as Palazzo Marchetti and the most important Piedmontese silk factory, the spinning wheel, renovated twenty years ago. An important building, almost the symbol of the city, is the majestic Parish Church of Maria Vergine Assunta, in Baroque style, dating back to 1300. And, like any tourist center, gastronomy is particularly important, particularly cured and linked to the territory. Among the DOC dishes stand out the Culumbòt, a small pigeon cooked in a casserole on a wood stove with a side of fried potatoes in a pan, the Tajarin, small taglierini cooked with the livers of the pigeon, the Cotechino with sauerkraut, the Salty Cake with Pumpkin, Castelmagno, typical cheese, Madernassa pears, cooked with wine and flavored with cinnamon and Hazelnut and Bitter Almond Cake. All specialties that alone are enough to attract tourists to this village to admire.