Pesto represents ingredients that come from the land, especially basil and olive oil, while seafood obviously reflects how connected the region is to the coast. Eating seafood while sitting so close to the Mediterranean made that connection feel much more obvious than simply reading about it.
My experience with food in Piemonte has been different. Vitello tonnato is a traditional Piedmontese dish, and veal shows up in many foods from the region. Torino also has a strong connection to aperitivo culture and is the birthplace of vermouth, an aromatized wine that became an important aperitivo drink. Since I am actually living in Torino instead of only visiting for a few days, foods like these have become part of the way I experience the culture in my normal life.
Cappuccino is not really specific to Piemonte. It is more connected to Italian café culture in general, which is part of why I find it interesting. At home, stopping somewhere for a cappuccino might have felt like a treat or something I did occasionally. Here, it has turned into something completely normal.
Trying these foods has changed the way I think about Italian cuisine. Some of my favorite food experiences have come from things I was unsure I would even like. Vitello tonnato sounded strange to me before I ordered it, and I never expected a shellfish pasta to become my favorite pasta in Italy. Those experiences have made me more willing to order something unfamiliar and see what happens.
Food has become one of the easiest ways for me to notice the differences between the places I visit. At the same time, the foods I eat regularly in Torino have also made the city feel more familiar.
