Food, Trulli, etc. . .

     We three have adapted well to the local fare:  Abundant fresh tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, seafood, cheeses, spectacular pastries and gelato (Karla's delight).  Sondra has been somewhat successful at restricting her gluten intake despite Lecce's reputation for fine pastries. I am particularly fond of the "pasticciotto," a delicate lemon custard filled pastry, half pie crust and half puff pastry in texture. Fresh delicately flavored seafood is abundant.  We have yet to sample the sea urchins, but have committed to trying them. Fava beans with chicory greens are a healthy and tasty staple.

Last night Chiara escorted us around the walled city to point out the best of the best restaurants, gelato shops and cafes. Her father's family has lived here for three generations (her great grandfather came from northern Italy and chose political exile here in lieu of execution).  Her mother's family has been established here for a very long time.  She knows these maze-like streets like the back of her hand, and although we have been here for almost two weeks, we must frequently refer to our maps or risk ending up at the south gate rather than the west, since streets angle out and around in every random direction .

Like churches here, eateries are abundant and consistently wonderful--it would take months to take in all of them.


The local Primativo del Salento wine is unrivaled, and has become our typical choice for a delicious, rich, dry red. Karla prefers white wines and is still sampling for a favorite, although the Primativo has captured her attention as well.  A little bread, local pecorino cheese, maybe some freshl made mozzarella, a plate of fresh sliced veggies, grapes and melons sometimes with prosciutto and salami . . .
are typical staples well suited to the warm busy days here.  

Mornings often begin with strong Italian cafe latte, a pastry and/or some fruit -- and as Americanos we tend to include our home-cooked veggie omelette or fritatta.  We then depart our quarters on foot, by Chiara's car, or a bus or train to historic sites, beach towns, orchards and vineyards.   In answer to our question about when "Rustico "(puff pastry filled with mozzarella, tomato pulp, oregano, salt, black pepper) is served, without hesitation, Chiara replied, "At 10:00am!."  There is a comical precision about certain things that can be baffling amid this often chaotic culture.  We are adapting to the siesta that begins around 2pm and lasts until after 4:00pm when shops and restaurants re-open.

Antipasto is typical for lunch--and a full dinner is often appreciated at 8:00 or 9:00pm, when the locals pack the narrow stone streets to gather, dine, stroll and shop. 

Another local treat is Friselle, consisting of a  dry flat bread, briefly soaked in water, then garnished with tomatoes, onions, basil, olive oil, etc. OK, I'm rambling.  The point is that the food here is fabulous, fresh, eaten at weird hours and based on plentiful fishing, dairy, olive groves, vineyards, almond orchards, cherries and other sources of local produce. Squsito!  We visited a seaside "hostel" owned by the Catholic Church yesterday, consisting of a common kitchen, gardens and lodging, where people either volunteer or work for pay in providing vegetables and meals to anyone who cares to purchase.  We came home with bags of freshly picked tomatoes, arugula and peppers.

Chiara and her beautiful daughter, Magdelena, arranged a private tour for us of famous Italian singer, Albano Carrisi's, winery and complex near Brindisi (photo of vinter and processing operation at right).

Every day is an adventure here.  On Wednesday morning, our tireless hostess, Chiara, a busy wife, mother of two teenagers and school teacher, called down to our patio from her home above ours and asked if we'd like to go to Alberobello to see the trulli, clusters of  hobbit-like round stone buildings found only in the Itria valley an hour's drive or so from Lecce. For more info about trulli, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trullo .

She would drive us there, she said. How could we refuse?  My photos should provide some sense of the                                                                                               magic of                                                                                     the town.

                                                                              Many of the trulli in Alberobello now exist as cafes and shops catering to tourists, but the town seems better suited as a colony for artists. People from England,we learned, have been purchasing & restoring trulli in the surrounding countryside for use as cottages, B&B's, studios and farm buildings.

We are doing so much more than I can even begin to write about, but these are a few highlights of our days here.  I hope you are all doing well--until we meet again . . .

WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?!!!