Piedmont is in Italy's northwest and borders Switzerland and France. True to the meaning of its name (foot of the mountain), Piedmont is a land of mountains. It is surrounded on three sides by the Alps, with the highest peaks and largest glaciers in Italy. The most typical specialties of the regional cuisine are fondue and bagna cauda: two warm and out-of-this-world dips that celebrate the Alba white truffle and raw vegetables. Some of the many excellent dishes include the great mixed fry, braised beef in Barolo wine, civet of hare and a wide array of cheeses: toma, robiola, bruss from the Langhe, gorgonzola from Novara, and sernium from Biella.