Taieddhra: potatoes, rice and mussels

The flavor of Puglia's cuisine left such an impression on me that here I go picking out recipes with names that I don't know how to pronounce. Tye-EDGE-rah? The components are simple, and taieddhra refers to the baking pan (teglia) used for this oven-baked meal of potatoes, rice and mussels. The popular shellfish are currently selling at incredible rock bottom prices (anywhere from 0.99 to 2.60€/kilo) and being able to make this dish was the next best thing to visiting Salento all over again, even if it became a challenge at prying open the little suckers. Those things are shut tight! Cooking taieddhra is also a matter of personal style, as I've found recipes that vary from province to province and cook to cook. Should it be with or without zucchini? That's totally up to the chef, but I believe zukes are a definite must in the version from Bari province. I'm adding a recipe at the end, but since I didn't get the chance to try this at all while we were in the region, it was only right to enlist the help of a few expert grandmas via YouTube. They are just the greatest!

In the event of an error message, the video can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkROY0TxTj8

•At the bottom you need to put garlic, onions, parsley, tomatoes, salt and oil.
•Then you put the potatoes, tomatoes, pepper and parsley.
•Then you put a handful of rice...
•And the rice goes inside the mussels.
•And zucchini, you see...
•Plenty of zucchini.
•Certain old folks put eggs in the middle.
•Let's say we make three layers.
•You add the water and then you cook it.
•And see what you eat! The teglia...potatoes, rice and mussels!
•I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but mine is very good.
•The way I make it, it's out of this world.
•Is it ready? [Very ready] Well then!

3 large potatoes, sliced into approximately ¼-inch thick rounds
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings or wedges
2 medium tomatoes, rough chop
generous handful of chopped italian parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced and stirred into the parsley
1½ pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and halved (reserve juices and discard remaining shells)
1 cup carnaroli rice, soaked briefly for 10 minutes (opt.)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano
olive oil, salt, pepper and a handful of bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees. Amounts will ultimately depend on the size of the baking dish as it needs to be deep enough to comfortably hold 3 layers (veggies/mussels/veggies) - I used a 9½-inch pot. Some recipes ask that you pre-soak the rice but I personally found the texture to be a bit overdone after the cooking time was up. Timing can also vary - count on at least 45 minutes to an hour until the dish is finished. Between the MotH and myself, only a quarter of the pot remained after we had our fill. This makes a great Sunday lunch!

1st layer: Drizzle olive oil to coat the the pan. Scatter onions in a layer on the bottom, then add half of the potatoes and 1/3 of the tomatoes. Sprinkle 1/3 of the parsley-garlic mixture over all then 1/3 of the parmigiano. Season lightly with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
2nd layer: Place mussels in their half shells in a tight layer over the vegetables and sprinkle the rice over the top to cover. Add half of the remaining tomatoes and half of the parsley, another third of the parmigiano and season lightly with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
3rd layer: Layer in the remaining potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, parmigiano, salt and lastly the bread crumbs. Drizzle with olive oil. Pour the reserved mussel juices along the side of the pan (so as not to disturb the layers) and add enough water in the same way so that it comes to just within the level of the top layer; about 2 cups. Baked, uncovered, until liquids have been absorbed and potatoes are tender; approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Buon appetito!

Opening mussels does take some careful skill (and nerve!) and what worked best for me was to hold the curved side in my palm and insert the tip of a paring knife about 1/4 inch from the top where the shells connect. Once the knife is securely in, run it around the perimeter of the mussel to open completely. By a stroke of luck I didn't hurt myself on any one of them.

Italian festivals published in Polish

English, italian, and now polish. The majority of my photography efforts are covered under a creative commons license which allows others to share my work on their websites/blogs. This is the first time that I've been requested to contribute to a publication and the above book (paperback) came in the mail while we were away in Puglia. It is a compilation of popular italian festivals from all over the peninsula and the main islands, and it's just my sort of thing. Well, let me tell you, it was quite a shock to see myself listed at the top of the credits as soon as I turned the first page. I don't know a single word in polish but it certainly feels great to be a part of sharing Italy's traditions with those beyond the border.

The rest of the contributing photographers are artists in their own right, illustrating such vivid imagery which really sets off the wonder and imagination of this country's culturally rich events. Among several of my images in the book is this one taken at the Festa dei Serpari in Cocullo, Abruzzo (festival of the snake catchers).

Hiking in Parre (Bergamo) and its famous Scarpinocc

We're expanding our horizons (and stomachs) to include the province of Bergamo, specifically the mountains and valleys up north where cheese, pasta, polenta and even the language take on a flavor all its own. From what we've experienced, the vast Bergamo Alps is still largely untouched by foreign tourists as most everyone heads directly to Lake Como from Milan. Depending on your view that may be seen as a good or bad thing, but we hope to reveal some of the beauty on these pages. But first, what is this scarpinocc? I can't recall exactly how I first heard of them, but when the MotH and I walked into a pasta shop and asked if they had any to sell, we were told that the best place to go would be in the village in which they were made famous - Parre. Scarpinocc are a filled pasta (grana, bread crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg) that resemble those medieval, pointed shoes worn long before rubbah slippahs and sneakers were conceived - think elf footwear and you should have an idea. It is supposed to be the leaner version to Bergamo's meat-filled casoncelli. Well, leaner in theory perhaps, but certainly not when it comes swimming in a pool of browned butter and doused with more grated grana cheese! I believe that Julia Child would have loved this.

For a better look at the pre-boiling stage, see this great image from a flickr user.

It was pure luck that the restaurant in Hotel Belvedere (Via Roma, 35) was still serving at 1:30pm because we were so hungry after that 1600+ foot climb that I could've eaten a horse and a half! Here's another dish that I had never heard of - capu - tiny cabbage rolls in tomato sauce on polenta (they don't look like cabbage leaves but that's what the waitress said) filled with bread crumbs, cheese and herbs. Delicious. As a starter we both shared a plate of the house special - a smorgasbord of crunchy, creamy, salty and tangy tastes from land and sea.
Albergo Ristorante Belvedere, Via Roma 35, Parre BG

The 496 meter / 1627 foot climb to Sant’Antonio

From the church on via Monterosso at the upper part of Parre (there's a small parking area behind the church), continue along to via Monterosso 6 until you see an arched passage with a large fresco painting above. Walk under the arch and veer left - almost immediately after that there will be a rock path on the right that leads through the woods. Follow this path and continue forward and upward until you reach a parking area and fountain. From here the trail is on paved cement that continues downward to a hairpin bend. Continue on the pavement for a short distance until you see a trail on the left with indications to Rifugio Vaccaro. From here on the thigh-burning begins. There will be 2 crossroads along the way, both with large stables to the right (beware the cow turds). Keep moving forward and upwards, where finally you'll reach an asphalt road that leads to Sant'Antonio as shown below. It took us 90 minutes on the walk up, and 60 on the return. I suggest hiking poles for this because it'll really be tough on the knees getting back.

A rustic church dedicated to St. Anthony is located between the meadows of Mt. Alino.

Soap Box Rally - Bergamo 2010

Music notwithstanding, the clip gives an idea of how popular the Soap Box Rally (italian) is for the people of Bergamo and beyond. 50 thousand bystanders - FIFTY THOUSAND - in yesterday's turnout. I had my eye on this event for several weeks but at the last minute it was decided that crowds and heat wouldn't be as much fun for our dogs. So instead, we went on a steep hike in the mountains just north of Bergamo province. The reward of course, was lunch at a place that I found through my usual "google map" forays. Have you ever heard of a type of filled pasta that comes in the shape of a shoe? Stay tuned!

Dhani Jones Tackles The Globe - Scotland Sneak Peek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59B0bnDdXXo

Sean Connery, Highlander, Nessie the monster, whisky, haggis and kilts. These are what come to mind when I think of Scotland, and it is a place that we would love to explore one day when the volcano stops burping. It's been awhile since I've been able to preview more of Dhani Jones' episodes, and this upcoming show on Monday won't disappoint. Athlete/travel enthusiast Dhani takes on the sport of caber tossing and more. Caber tossing? Yes, caber, not saber (that's Luke Skywalker's game), and I had to look it up just to be sure that it wasn't no typo. Would you believe me if I tell you that he even dons a purple skirt?

Episode Description:
Scotland is a country very based in tradition. You can see it in the way the Scottish people dress and hear it in their music. The same goes for their national past time: the Highland Games. The Highland Games are a series of strength events that require great strength and solidified technique. Some of the events, like the caber toss, take years of practice before they can be mastered.

Dhani is told that if you are only going to see the Highland Games once in a lifetime, you do it in Braemar Stadium. For Dhani, it is a great honor to just visit the stadium.

The events in the Highland Games take years to master, and Dhani has to get prepared in a few short days. He definitely has his share of work ahead of him, but he will give 110% just like it is in any other challenge.

Lords of the shade

i signori della piazza, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

Out of all the photos that I took in Marche, Molise and Puglia, this one is my favorite. We arrived early in the town of Fossalto in Molise, and these gentlemen were chatting up a storm in the piazza. Later, as the sun moved higher in the sky and the day's heat began to rise, these same gents were seen in another shady spot of the square, watching the world go by.

This ends the travelogue to our trip from Lecco to Lecce and back. Thanks for following me - I've compiled a list of the posts involved for those who may have just dropped in.

From Lecco to Lecce — and back
Marche, Molise, Puglia, Marche: 11 days on the Go
Salento: exploring the heel of Italy's boot
The sea urchin merchants of Gallipoli
Eating in Puglia: I ate what I didn't know how to pronounce
Puglia in a bottle: where to purchase wine around Otranto
La Pagliara in Fossalto (Molise)
The drive from Puglia to Molise via Murgia
Casalba - a home away from home in Le Marche
I ate...some fava beans and a nice Lacrima di Morro d'Alba

I ate...some fava beans and a nice Lacrima di Morro d'Alba

The first words you might find yourself saying when visiting the Marche region in the spring is “Wow! Look at all this green!” There really is no escaping it, from the lush grassy hills to the olive trees and vineyards, it's not easy not being green, right down to the green on your plate. This is what greeted my eyeballs when we stopped in at a restaurant in the village of Morro d'Alba for lunch. Fava beans. Big, fat, fresh pods piled high on a plate. I thought it was rather unusual until I noticed patrons that were absorbed with the task of opening them. You mean to say that you're eating them raw?!!!

Dr. Hannibal Lecter may have given the world that infamous phrase, but he didn't state if the beans themselves were cooked. At Ristorante “dal Mago” (restaurant by the magician), the specialties include wild game and tempting housemade pasta dishes, but this whole business of clean-your-own-fava-and-eat-it-too was too much to resist. How to enjoy them? With a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and pecorino cheese. We got pecorino with specks of truffles in them, along with a platter of coppa, mortadella, prosciutto and salame. A bottle of the region's Lacrima di Morro d'Alba came served as the house wine which was really good, but depending on the producer, this type of wine can have an almost overwhelmingly strong scent of roses. Flowers with beans and cheese? An eclectic mix of tastes all around from vine to bush to sheep.

  

And don't forget to try Pizza al Formaggio

The folks at Casalba were so kind to point out the great bakery in the village of Staffolo. I know it doesn't look the pizza that we all know, but this cheese bread is said to go well with ciauscolo, a spreadable salame made from pork meat and fat. Sally wrote a brief post about pizza al formaggio which explains why it is particularly popular at Easter.

Casalba - a home away from home in Le Marche

The one aspect of traveling in Italy that rarely gets mentioned here is what hotel or type of lodging that we stay in. Our needs are simple: cleanliness, ensuite bathroom, dogs welcome and breakfast included. We don't need a lot of extras and are pragmatic when it comes to services because for the most part, "home base" is where we go to collapse after a day of hiking or out visiting the whole area. The agriturismo (farmstay) or bed & breakfast is what we usually choose, but sometimes we opt for self-catering apartments when staying more than 3 days in one place. On this trip I placed my bets on our little lemon tree plant that came all the way from San Vittore di Cingoli and decided to contact Casalba.

A little background...

That little lemon plant came from the owner of Casalba News, the accompanying blog to the property website. So it was inevitable that one day we would meet out of sheer curiosity and here is where I begin to gush - Casalba is a WONDERFUL place to stay. The proprietors are absolutely lovely hosts, and go out of their way to make you feel welcomed as soon as you step out of the car. The building was at one time an old farmhouse, and they've done a fantastic job in renovating while keeping the genuine feel of living in the italian countryside. Simple yet tastefully furnished, comfortable beds, ample kitchen area, but most importantly, a bathroom large enough for 2 people to move around in at once! And it was truly a home away from home in the sense that Casalba practices an environment-friendly approach to tourism and is listed in Legambiente Turismo. I've always felt uncomfortable when throwing recyclable products in the trash while on holiday, but here the process is made easy with separate containers for glass, paper and plastic.

I did not take any photos while we were there because the website has all the information you need to know. Enough to say that Casalba is completely surrounded by the most beautiful villages in Italy (circled in red), as listed on the website I Borghi più Belli d'Italia.

The drive from Puglia to Molise via Murgia

Often times it is the course of the itinerary itself that adds to some rather fantastic views throughout Italy. Take for instance, the 13th century Castel del Monte. We couldn't miss the opportunity to visit it after coming all this way, but I didn't know beforehand that we would be passing through la Murgia, another sub-region of Puglia. Vineyards, olive trees and curious-looking stone houses covered the landscape where it eventually gave way to green, wide open spaces that were dominated by windmills. A shame that we couldn't actually go up to walk the castle grounds. There was a parking area based at the bottom of the hill and you had to take a small navetta bus, but since we had the dogs...

Castel del Monte

  

The only regrets I have about our visit to Puglia was not being able to eat at the fornelli pronti. These "ready ovens" consist of a refrigerated display stocked with an assortment of meats and sausages - a true paradise for carnivores. I couldn't find an english link to share but from what I've read, you select your preferred protein (priced by the kilo) and it is carted off to be cooked/grilled while you wait at a table. I've never seen or experienced anything like this elsewhere in Italy. On top of all that, while your order is sizzling over the fire, you can start the meal going with antipasti and wine. I had this restaurant in mind if time was on our side - you gotta see that showcase - but looks like we'll have to save this for another day. Makes me salivate imagining the smoky aroma. Mi viene l'acqua in bocca! (makes my mouth water)

The second regret was not dancing the pizzica. Now excuse me if it sounds like I'm waxing nostalgic (it's only been 2 weeks since we've been back), but this folk dance of Salento had me dreaming of warm nights under a starry sky, a cool breeze blowing in from the Adriatic, mingled with the intoxicatingly sweet perfume of the pittosporum flower that grows so well here. Decide for yourself...is this part of Italy fan-tabulous or what?! I like this video with the kids. How very lucky of them to have all this as part of their culture.

In the event of an error message, the video can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9esIv29WC0

La Pagliara in Fossalto (Molise)

Christmas in the month of May? Not even close. The tree is called La Pagliara, and it leads a jubilant parade that winds its way through the quaint streets of Fossalto. Like so many of these italian celebrations, this is a ritual that stems from ancient origins since it is the personification of May. While it tours through the village, residents open up their doors and windows to throw buckets of water on it, shouting “Rascia, Maje!” (Abundance, May!). Constructed using a cone-shaped frame and covered entirely with leafy branches, flowers and fava beans, the tree has a large enough opening to enable the person inside to see. Zampogna musicians and children carrying urns of water make up the Pagliara's entourage, with visitors and residents following along behind. We may have left Salento in reluctance, but getting to witness La Pagliara was the cultural highlight of this trip.

1. Pre-parade: the Pagliara is displayed in a courtyard behind the church. 2. Coming through the corridor. 3. Girls dressed in traditional costume and carrying water urns. 4. A mother explains La Pagliara. 5. Proceeding to the lower part of the village. 6. A man throws a bucket of water onto La Pagliara.

In the event of an error message, the video can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tetDBOXjJ9A

Puglia in a bottle: where to purchase wine around Otranto

Finding an enoteca/wine shop or reputable producer in Salento was the most taxing thing we did during the trip. Salento is not like Tuscany, and Girlie the navigator wasn't set up to find the precious fluid. We had to find it by ourselves but neither of us knew the names of any growers offhand. Negroamaro and Primitivo wines are the most important ones in Puglia, and a couple of suggestions had been given to us when MotH asked around in Galatina - Azienda Agricola Santi Dimitri and Azienda Agricola Valle dell'Asso - excellent winemakers from what I've heard, but we didn't want to do tastings, we only needed a place that sold a variety all under one roof. Enoteca Divino in Martano (Via Garibaldi, 23) was just that place, not more than 17km from Otranto. We stumbled upon it by reading business signs along the road - 100 meters ahead - quite like how I find cheese makers in Lombardy.

Wine, like food, has everything to do with personal taste. I've always voted for reds that leave an impression, so that's what we got. The gentleman salesperson/owner? who assisted us was very pleasant and helpful with our choices. I'm not sure if he has english-speaking clerks, but I'd have to say that the selection alone was more than satisfactory for us. From left to right:

• Tenute Albano Carrisi Nostalgia 2007 - 8.30€
The only negroamaro randomly picked up at a grocery store, produced from vineyards owned by italian entertainer Albano Carrisi.

• Cappello Di Prete Candido 2005 - 7.80€

• Nerìo Rosso Riserva Nardò 2004 - 14€, Negroamaro 80%, Malvasia Nera di Lecce 20%

• Piromafo Negroamaro 2003 - 13.40€, www.valleasso.it/eng/prodotto.asp?id=29&pid=21
The website page says that Piromafo literally means "fire fighter" and it was suggested to us by the seller. Little did we know how good the reviews were for this wine.

• Taurino Patriglione 2003 - 38€, Negroamaro 90%, Malvasia Nera 10%

• Tenute Rubino Jaddico 2004 - 17.50€
Negroamaro 70%, Montepulciano 15%, Malvasia Nera 15%.

• Donna Lisa Salice Salentino Riserva 2003 - 24€, Negroamaro 90%, Malvasia Nera 10%

• Castel Di Salve Armécolo 2007 - 8.20€, 80% Negroamaro 20% Malvasia

• Conti Zecca Nero 2005 - 26€, Negroamaro 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%

• Tenute Rubino Visellio 2006 - 17€, Primitivo 100%

• Lirica Primitivo Di Manduria - 6€, 100% Primitivo

Eating in Puglia: I ate what I didn't know how to pronounce

4 evenings in Salento - three days ago when I posed the question on what hour do you have dinner at home, the whole point of asking was to see if anyone would say NEVER before 8pm. FACT: you won't find a decent trattoria/pizzeria in Salento that caters to diners looking for early-bird specials. It just doesn't swing that way in the south. To be fair, not all northern italians eat while there's still some light left in the sky. The norm is 8:30pm from what I've witnessed in restaurants, and judging from the hours that I see my neighbors return home from work, they sure as heck aren't eating as early as we do. Still, in some places you can walk in at 7pm and while the family (if it's a single owner) may be sitting down to their meal, a person will be available to take and cook your order. It was different in Puglia when MotH called for 7:30pm reservations. The man on the other end said it wasn't possible. Ok, 8? 8:30? And the voice informs, "We open at 8."

Left to right: ciceri e tria (a very simple but well-flavored soup dish with chick peas and short strips of both boiled and fried tagliatelle *tria*), grilled imperial prawns, fave e cicureddha (fava bean puree with braised wild chicory).

With only 4 days to fill up on pugliese cooking, I dove right in and went for dishes that I had no idea how to say correctly. Grecanico or griko is a neo-greek dialect spoken in the historical language of Greek Salento (Salento's past is very interesting). Some of the names reflected that influence, as in fave e cicureddha (fava bean puree w/ braised chicory and fried bread), turcinieddhri (rolls made with lamb's liver, heart, lungs, etc and cooked over hot coals), and taieddhra (a rice dish with zucchini, potatoes and mussels). I couldn't touch any of the desserts because portions were more than ample and since we ate so late, I wasn't going to risk having any weird dreams. And as a word of assurance, there are many other items on the menu that aren't as overwhelming. Any plate with orecchiette pasta is a sure thing no matter how it's prepared. Hands down, our favorite place to go was in Corigliano d'Otranto - Olo Kalò. It means "all the best" which is to say that everything they put out are among the best dishes of the Salento area. Amen to that. The food, wine and service was excellent, down to the last crumb — and that says a lot about a gal who has no qualms in licking her plate clean.

Pastry shops and gelato

I may have skipped dessert after dinner but I didn't skip dessert before lunch. Back in March, I made mention of a pastry chef in Puglia that created the Pasticciotto Obama, a small double-crusted tart creation that was all chocolate heaven. We went to his Pasticceria Chèri in Campi Salentina (Via San Francesco, 3) that is just outside of Lecce and saw him working up a storm so I didn't feel like intruding on his time. Twelve pasticciotti is what we walked out with - 4 each of chocolate, pistacchio and regular cream. The chocolate was the best.

And what's an eating tour without gelato to cool down the heat of the day? We didn't search for any particular address - just plopped ourselves like heavy stones and ordered whatever looked good. Incidentally, the gelato shots below were taken at cafes in Galatina which says how much we liked hanging around. On silent streets there were churches with intricate carvings and curious histories. Directly below, La Basilica di Santa Caterina di Alessandria was right next to the cafe/gelateria and is worth visiting for its narrative frescoes. It's easy to recognize as soon as you see Jesus and the 12 Apostles above the entrance.

Sit-down at the Caffè della Basilica: cream and cherry gelato, and a shakerato with the addition of almond milk - it was delicious.

On the 2nd visit to Galatina: no calorie-counting when on vacation.

Taken from the description fronting another church:
The Church of the Most Holy Trinity is an interesting example of both Renaissance archi-tecture of the Salento area and religious life in the territory of Otranto. Its construction, commenced in 1579, is attributed to the Nardò-born architect Giovanni Maria Tarantino, and the edifice was the seat of the Brotherhood of Mercy or the Flagellants as they were called because of a severe regulation that obliged the brothers to practice bloody self-flagellation and to wear the cilice.

Galatina

The sea urchin merchants of Gallipoli

2nd day in Salento - it was the briny smell of salt air that welcomed me first. There we were heading towards the historical center of Gallipoli, half-attentive to what the GPS navigator was saying (she speaks in italian but we call her "the Girlie"), when out of the corner of my eye I see a small gathering of men standing next to what looked like to be a food stall. What in the? No way, it couldn't be. Sea urchins? Just like that out in the open? And they're eating them? At 10:30 in the morning??? I couldn't tell MotH to stop the car. In that moment it was a mess of vehicles moving at a steady pace, and he was taking care not to run over any slow pedestrians.

Known as riccio di mare (REE-choh dee MAH-reh), uni in Japan, and ha'uke'uke in Hawaii, along with the more venomous wana that is best to avoid, sea urchin is an acquired taste. I grew up eating the helmet or shingle urchin types as a child, so for me this is 100% comfort food. The ones served in Italy are of the paracentrotus lividus species - Black Sea Urchin - and its eggs, or gonads, are what makes for exquisite consumption. The best way to eat them in this country is fresh on a plate of spaghetti. It is gustatory nirvana. Delicately sweet, rich, silky with a hint of iodine, forbidden... We each ordered a plate to enjoy all to our own, as there was not going to be any food sharing at the table that night.

And that pretty much sums up my impression of Gallipoli. It is a beautiful old town to wander in, and you want to just head to the little island at the end that is attached to the mainland by way of a short bridge. I didn't get a better look at the urchin stands, only that shot above as we sped by to the next destination. You gotta know that we'll definitely return.

Osteria del Pozzo Vecchio, via M. Silvestro 16, Cavallino LECCE - listed on the Slow Food restaurant guide. Traditional cuisine and pizzas made in a wood-burning stove. If it weren't so out of the way from Otranto, we would've eaten here another night. Thumbs up.

Walking the narrow streets in the old historical center.

Related link to the edible shingle urchins in Hawaii:
http://echinoblog.blogspot.com...holding-on-in-rough-world.html

Salento: exploring the heel of Italy's boot

I wish we had been able to stay on longer in Salento. To be precise, this sub-region of Puglia includes parts of neighboring provinces Brindisi and Taranto that weren't in our travel plans. It took 7 hours from our friends in Marche to Otranto, and we were headed for the section of the heel that juts out between the Ionian Sea to the left and the Adriatic to the right. Beginning with Lecce to the north, the list of places to see for the next 3 days marked a diamond-shaped path connecting the cities at each of the directional points: Gallipoli to the west, Otranto to the east, and Castrignano del Capo to the south.

All of the towns within that range became subjects of debate - should we stop in for a look? No way to visit them all, and unlike the allure of hilltop communities in Molise and Marche that beckon from lofty positions, the true gems in Salento - the historical centers - were hidden from complete view. Outlying residential buildings - plain, flat-topped cement edifices (you won't see many peaked roofs) - gave the impression that nothing worth exploring lay within the city limits.

Because of the unobstructed lay of the land this part of Puglia is quick to navigate, taking more or less an hour from one end to the other. What do you see? Olive trees - hundreds and hundreds of them. Endless stretches of silvery-green leaves. It was like Planet of the Olives! Young ones, old ones, and really, really ancient ones with thick, gnarled, twisted trunks. We saw cows grazing under them, sheep too. Such a huge difference compared to this chestnut forest that we live in. We're talking so many trees that we could understand why, when the owner of the agriturismo explained, that if there were no olives, Salento would be a desert.

The farmstay had this great big bunker on the premises, a relic from WWII.

Destination highlights

The rest of Salento's appeal lies in its coastal cities, especially on the eastern side. The drive from Leuca (Castrignano del Capo) at the very bottom and heading north along the shoreline yields really stunning views, and I was surprised at the number of ancient watchtowers - this place attracted its share of invaders. Otranto is listed among the most beautiful villages in Italy, a white-washed display against the deep blue of the ocean. The stone cathedral in Piazza Basilica is a must, just to see the mosaic floors. My favorite destination, however, has nothing to do with scenic panoramas or churches. The city that deserves a post of its own lay to the west, where for the first time in my life the setting sun looked even more stupendous in swirling tones of purple, red and orange as it sank into il Mar Ionio, the Ionian Sea. An italian proverb, Rosso di sera, bel tempo si spera, came to mind. Red sky in the evening and hopefully good weather the next day. All great in my book, because this is where I discovered the sea urchin merchants of Gallipoli.

Panorama of the harbor of Leuca

Santa Maria di Leuca

One of many watchtowers along the coast

Posing with the Pope at the Basilica Santuario in Leuca

We only noticed the statue when a group of german tourists started chatting excitedly and began whipping out the cameras. Papa Ratzinger! The dachshund wanted no part of picture-taking. Our westie is a ham.

La Punta Palascia (Italy's easternmost point)

Punta Palascia

Marche, Molise, Puglia, Marche: 11 days on the Go

View of the town of Camerino in the Marche region.

And how! Hilltop towns, fortresses, acres and acres and ACRES of olive trees! These and so much more revealed themselves when I finally managed to pull everything out of the camera. I'm going to attack this in chronological order and if you've noticed, we essentially started and ended in the Marche region. While the actual destination was set to the seaside resort of Otranto in the province of Lecce (Puglia), we broke the trip into parts to break the asphalt monotony. In reality, this was more of a scouting expedition - we scout out sections of Italy for where we'd like to return for a longer sojourn. The problem is, you'll almost always want to make a repeat visit, no matter where you've been in this country. It's a tough life!

We're grateful for such cool people as Jonzie & Marti (of the blog We Need Coffee) who took us in for the first weekend, doggies and all. The best roasted pork sandwiches in Le Marche? They led us there. The nearest bar for morning coffee and superb pastries? That too. Even though it was only a short stopover on the first leg of our trip, it made the transition from north to south much smoother. I'll explain further in the posts to come, but first a question: At what hour do you usually have dinner when eating at home?

From Lecco to Lecce — and back

A little less than 700 miles and 10 hours by car (at best) is what it takes to go from A to B. Apply those figures to the return trip home and you have one very exhausted Rubbah Slippahs who hopes the pc won't go kaput while transfering hundreds of files still in the camera. From a walking tree, to posing with the Pope, and to eating some of the most delicious cuisine in Italy's deep south, it was one incredible ride from Lecco to Lecce and back.

We're back

Humans and their vacations. Driving long distances to see something that looks like the same thing around my neighborhood. I'm so glad to be back running wheelies on my own turf.

I hope we'll be able to do some upupa-watching

www.flickr.com/photos/landroval / CC BY-NC 2.0

Hiking and birdwatching (or birdwatching coupled with trekking) go hand in hand whenever I lace up the all-terrain boots. This is why I would make a terrible partner for those who are only concerned with getting from point A to point B on a trail as fast as they can. I have to stop and smell things, squint at the details, breath in the fresh air, look out for tree Ents... What's that quote? "It's not the destination in life, it's the journey that matters".