Ten fun activities for food lovers in Puglia, one of Italy’s increasingly popular regions.
1. Find a Fornello
Puglia has a tradition of butcher’s shops with ovens where you can choose the meat you want cooked then enjoy a glass of wine and some salami before tucking into the cut of your choice. Try Vincenzo de Mola and Al Vecchio Fornello in the village of Cisternino. Via Giulio II 2 and Via Basiliani 18.
2. Make for a masseria
Set in the peaceful green countryside of Puglia, Masseria Frantoio is a beautiful agriturismo that hosts guests in elegant, countrified rooms. All their produce is organic, including the wonderful olive oil produced on the premises. Too delicious to miss! SS. 16 km 874, 72017 Ostuni (Brindisi) www.masseriailfrantoio.it
3. Trovate in trullo
No trip to Puglia would be complete without a stay in a trullo. Abate Masseria & Resort in Noci has some beautifully renovated examples with a stylish restaurant where you can enjoy creative Puglian cuisine in a refined atmosphere. www.abatemasseria.it
4. Be an urchin
Ristorante Forcatella at Torre Canne has been serving up platters of fresh sea urchin at their beachside establishment for years. Join locals at lunchtime and tuck into a dishful of bright orange urchins with a carafe of wine and a hunk of fresh bread.
S.P. Savelletri-Torre Canne, Località Forcatella (ristoranteforcatella.it) - Tel: (+39) 080 4820364
5. Wet your whistle!
Quality Puglian wines are really coming into their own so don’t miss out on some of the area’s delicious DOCs like Salice Salentino or Primitivo di Manduria. Also worth tasting is their aromatic dessert wine Moscato di Trani.
6. Come to Ceglie Messàpica
For those wishing to sample the best of Puglia’s culinary traditions a trip to the trattoria Cibus is a must: fava bean puree with chicory, homemade spaghetti with mint and courgettes, and an unforgettable selection of cheeses served with almond honey are just a few of the house favourites. Via Chianche di Scarano 7.
7. Take a Dip!
Puglia’s striking olive groves set against the area’s characteristic orange soil provide a significant quantity of Europe’s olive oil. Enjoy it as they do in Puglia, served in small bowls with a selection of sliced veggies and country-style bread. The simple pleasures are often the best!
8. Be a breadwinner!
Awarded a presidium by Slow Food, the traditional bread of Altamura is made from locally-grown durum wheat and cooked in characteristic round-roofed stone ovens following a recipe that has remained unchanged for the last five centuries. La Panetta di Carlo Picerno makes some of the best. Via de Giosa 6, Altamura
9. Experience raw emotion
All along Puglia’s beautiful coastline you will find restaurants offering super-fresh raw fish on the menu. Be brave and order a plate of local fish, shellfish, scampi or octopus. Uncooked of course!
10. Scoot around sightseeing
Customwalks Ltd. organises guided bike and scooter tours around Puglia’s cultural and beauty hotspots, making sure participants get a chance to stop off and enjoy some of the region’s best food and restaurants on the way. www.customwalks.com
