Raschera. This cheese gets its name from the Ruscaira region, which includes the Raschera lake, at the foot of Mount Mongioie, and the namesake Alp. There is also a Brotherhood to defend its fame. This is a story about quality and pride. The Knights taste and assess this cheese each year at Ferragosto (August 15th) in Frabosa Soprana. The rules for its production are strict: only milk from cows fed with green or hay fodder, possibly with the addition of small amounts of sheep and/or goat milk. If the production area is above 900 m above sea level, it qualifies as “d’Alpeggio” (from the mountain pasture). It’s easy to spot: a yellow label for the Raschera d’Alpeggio DOP, and a green label for the traditional one. 
 

There are many other products in this valley, such as bross ricotta, Sola and Testun cheese, white chestnuts, darmassin plums, white truffle, bale d’Aso salami from Monastero Vasco, tripe from Villanova Mondovì, robatà (type of grissini), paste di meliga (honey biscuits) from Pamparato, risòle (jam puff pastry pockets) from Mondovì, and craft beer. 
 

Special local dishes: fonduta di Raschera (Raschera fondue), minestra di trippa (tripe soup), insalata di trippa (tripe salad), ravioli di castagne (chestnut ravioli), bale d’aso con lenticchie (salami with lentils), torta di mais e castagne (corn and chestnut tart), torta di darmassin plum (plum tart).