Bagna cauda, Piedmont’s famous ‘hot bath,’ is a warm dip built on olive oil, crushed garlic, and anchovies, served communally with raw and cooked vegetables. The anchovies melt completely into the oil with gently softened garlic, creating a savory, pungent emulsion that is kept warm over a small flame at the table while diners dip cardoons, peppers, cabbage, and bread. It is the centerpiece of autumn harvest meals in northwestern Italy, celebrating the new oil and the end of the vegetable season in a ritual of shared dipping. The flavor is boldly savory rather than fishy when properly made, the anchovies dissolving into pure umami. Nutritionally it is an olive-oil-rich indulgence, best understood as a festive exception rather than everyday fare.