The platter before me held what looked like piles of leaves left over after a fall lawn raking. The little brown, green and black heaps hardly invited sniffing, much less tasting. Yet sniff and taste I did.

Little did I know before this introduction to "cheese wrapping," that a gastronomic tradition in an inviting corner of Italy involves aging cheeses by wrapping them in leaves. There are even "cheese hunters," experts who seek out the best leaves, use them to envelop a virtual who's who of local cheeses, and know the exact amount of time each variety should be aged to bring out its peak flavor.

The opportunity to learn about this most unusual profession is but one attraction of a visit to the Piedmont (Piemonte) region of northwestern Italy. Others include its lovely landscape of gently rolling hills blanketed by vineyards and tiny towns that have surrounded imposing stone castles since Medieval times. Adding to the appeal are an enticing history, and food and wine which give the taste buds a special treat.

Piedmont derives its name from the phrase ai piedi del monte (at the foot of the mountains), which refers to the towering peaks of the Swiss and French Alps that look over the setting. A good home base for traveling throughout Piedmont is Alba, known as "the town of 100 towers." That claim dates back to a period of prosperity in the 12th-13th centuries. Noble families of the time built ever-taller fortified brick towers to both provide protection from attack and demonstrate that their wealth exceeded that of their neighbors. While only four of the original structures retain their original height today, the name has stuck.

Alba also is interesting for other relics of its history, including portions of the ancient city walls and drainage system, fragments of frescoes and other remnants of Roman rule. The town hall and several imposing churches stand as reminders of more recent Medieval times.

The sense of moving through history also extends outside Alba. Life slows down measurably as you traverse the rolling countryside. Scenery becomes etched in the mind in images that are long remembered.

Roads wind through tiny towns, in places so narrow that two cars cannot pass each other. Stone buildings line cobblestone streets, and church steeples rise above a sea of red tile rooftops. Many a hilltop is capped by an ancient castle, whose massive walls and turrets recall times of past grandeur.

Each town has its own unique appeals. Many oenophiles are attracted to Serralunga d'Alba, one of only 11 villages where Barolo wine is produced. Connoisseurs rank it, and Barbaresco, as Italy's most prestigious red wines.

A good introduction to this noble beverage is available in the villa and historic cellars of Fontana Fredda, which has been producing wine since 1878. Several casks bear a small plaque with a royal coat of arms, indicating that they once were used for aging favorite vintages of Italian royalty.

The town of Grinzane Cavour, and castle of the same name, also have a strong connection with viniculture. The castle's sturdy square tower was part of a small fortress that was built during the 12th century.

Among several exhibits there, the Regional Piemontese Wine Cellar is of special interest. It showcases and offers tastings of the area's best wines plus several throat-burning grappas.

Residents of the town of Cherasco boast of the fact that Napoleon Bonaparte called it "le plus beau coin d'Italie." Even those who may not agree that the town is "the most beautiful corner" of that country can appreciate the original star-shaped Roman bastion, and the medieval architecture that abounds.

Elegant porticoed arcades protect pedestrians from sun and rain. Sumptuous palaces include the Palazzo Salmatoris, where the ruling Savoy family spent many a summer holiday. A graceful "Triumphal Arch" was donated by a citizen in thanks because the plague that wracked the region in 1630 spared the citizens of Cherasco.

It's virtually impossible to leave Piemonte without gaining an appreciation of the importance of food and wine in the lives of its people, as well as a few extra pounds. Cheese and truffles - especially white truffles - hold a place of honor on many a dining table, and in the local culture and cuisine.

Cheese-making is hardly new to the region. Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar who lived in the first century A.D., referred to cheese production in the area. Many farmers and small producers make cheese following traditional family recipes, which often call for a mixture of milk from cows, sheep and goats.

A visit with a "cheese hunter" turned out to be one of the more unusual experiences of my trip. Gianna Cora described the local tradition of "maturing" cheeses by wrapping them in various kinds of leaves to both preserve and flavor them. Part of his job is to know when the cheeses have aged to their peak of perfection.

Leaves employed for this purpose range from chestnut and fig trees to cabbage, cauliflower and other vegetables. I also encountered, but chose not to sample, cheese wrapped in grass, tobacco leaves and goat hides.

When Gianna reported that he gathered and used some 110,000 chestnut leaves during a recent production season, I didn't ask how he knew. Explaining that about three dozen of his neighbors share his unusual profession, he claimed - without embarrassment at the pun - that he is recognized as "the Big Cheese" among them.

It didn't take long after my arrival in Piemonte to experience how serious folks there are about their cheese. Almost every restaurant at which I ate served a wide selection of local varieties. Invariably, customers would discuss their selections with the server, ask for small samples before ordering, then nibble on their choices with an enjoyment that was obvious even from across the dining room.

Enjoyment of the magnificent scenery, ancient towns and intriguing history of the Piedmont region might not always be demonstrated so clearly. But this corner of Italy has much to recommend a visit. Spring and summer are good times to go, when the sun warms people and wine grapes alike, and lights the landscape with a lovely glow.

For more information about Italy's Piedmont region, log onto www.langheroero.it.

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