In Monferrato since 1820: village bakery becomes a grissini manufactory
Rocchetta Tanaro is a small village in the province of Asti, nestled in the Piedmontese hills of Monferrato. It was here that the Bo family founded their first village bakery in 1820 — at a time when bread was the staple food par excellence and a bakery was indispensable for the entire village community. Over several generations, the craft remained in family hands; the recipes were passed down from parents to children, and the way of working remained the same. About three decades ago, the Bo family made a conscious specialization: the Panificio became a Grissinificio — a business that focuses entirely on grissini, arguably Piedmont's most famous pastry. Today, Panificio Grissinificio Bo produces from a modern laboratorio at Via delle Ciappellette 13 in Rocchetta Tanaro, without having lost contact with the original craft tradition.
Few ingredients, every grissino stretched by hand
The core of the philosophy at Bo is reduction: few, carefully selected ingredients, no preservatives, no industrial shortcuts. Instead of lard — the traditional Piedmontese ingredient — Bo uses rice oil as the fat component for the majority of its grissini. This is a conscious decision for a lighter, yet aromatically round character. The heart of the production is the stretching: every single grissino is pulled by hand — stirato a mano, as true Piedmontese tradition demands. This step cannot be automated without losing the characteristic texture: the irregular shape, the rough surface, the crispness audible when breaking. The company has also acquired the international IFS (International Featured Standard) certification — a quality and food safety standard that requires regular external audits.
Grissini al Rosmarino and a wide range of Piedmontese baked goods
Bo's range extends from classic grissini to variants with rosemary, sesame, and whole wheat flour, to versions with spelt flour, Khorasan wheat, or legumes — and a long-term dough fermentation for even more complex aroma. The Grissini al Rosmarino, which you can find with us, bring the scent of the Piedmontese hill herbs directly to the table: crispy, slightly bitter-resinous from the rosemary, with the typical crumbly texture of a hand-pulled grissino. They pair well with an aperitif with a young Barbera d'Asti or Dolcetto, with an antipasto with cold cuts, with a cheese platter with Taleggio or Fontina — or simply as an accompaniment to the bread basket at the table. The range is complemented by Focaccine Bo, crispy strips of artisanal focaccia in various variants, from classic to those with Taggiasca olives or rosemary.
