Tag: apulia

Umbra Forest: Unesco inserts beech wood in the World Heritage Site

Umbra Forest: Unesco inserts beech wood in the World Heritage Site.

The UNESCO – World Heritage Commission has decreed the inclusion of the Umbra Forest of Gargano in the World Heritage Site.

The best way to close the candidature of the Foresta Umbra – which add more value to the Gargano area after the recognition for the Sant’Angelo Sanctuary as UNESCO World Heritage Site – within the’ Longobardorum ‘paths.

The “forests” of the Foresta Umbra in the Gargano enter the European network of forests of beech wood, which already belong to those of Slovakia, Ukraine and Germany; This is a ‘serial acknowledgment’, since UNESCO has for some time longed for more “plural” recognitions than for individual destinations or goods.

The ecological and structural integrity of the Umbra Forest is a rare and unique example in Europe, for their majestic appearance and high biodiversity. Beech reaches here 350 years of age and a height of 45 meters.

The natural value of the Umbra Forest is one of the symbols of the Gargano National Park, to which the whole community is deeply tied. Being a UNESCO site will further enhance the attractiveness of the Gargano that remains one of the best tourist attraction point in Apulia.

from regione.puglia.it

2017-03-10
Gravina in Puglia: source of inspiration, glass of wisdom, sign of history

Gravina in Puglia: source of inspiration, glass of wisdom, sign of history.

it is an article by comune.gravina.ba.it

The city of Gravina in Puglia (Bari, Apulia, Italy) is the city of life.

Tracing the traces of our past is a journey into our history.

The history that is being told is the past that lives in the signs of civilization. Every civilization that has followed has sown culture and raised hope.

Gravina talks about and shows a journey through its history.
We present to you the ancient Gravina, the one who did not leave us, but is embedded in the present to embellish the future.

Welcome to the city of Gravina in Puglia: a source of inspiration, a glass of wisdom, a sign of history.

2017-03-05
Murgia area of Trullis and Caves

Murgia area of Trullis and Caves.

The Murgia area of Trullis and Caves (Bari, Apulia, Italy) is a continual climb through ancient scenery, with fortified farmhouses to remember the ancient danger of the Moorish pirates, and expanse of vineyards and olive trees, the local pride production.

The countryside of this are of Apulia is dotted with the stone trellises of the first trullis, which then focus on Alberobello, and in the landscape of cherry, almond and peach stand out towns with the well-preserved ellipse of the old town.

Castellana Grotte, where even the most fearful will be amazed by its caves, an underground world shaped by alabaster water.

Putignano presents the world-renowned Carnival for the masterpiece of Cartapestai Masters, so creative and so satirical, as well as ancient artisans that today is not easy to find elsewhere.

In Noci where you fall in love with the wine and food of this area, which in fact show all of Puglia. Small masterpieces like oil and cheese, which the shops offer along with the taralli, and the restaurants combine to some peasant dishes such as beans and chicory, orecchiette, and lamb.

2017-03-02
Alberobello and the Valle d’Itria

Alberobello and the Valle d’Itria.

it’s an article by Italia.it – italia.it

The Valle d’Itria welcome the visitor with unmatched olive tree groves, trees born from a red soil that perfume and makes the landscape around a succession of wonderful chromatic effects.

Also known as the Trulli’s Valley, the Valle d’Itria is collocated between the Apulian provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto (Puglia, Italy) and includes many towns including Alberobello, Carovigno, Castellana Grotte, Ceglie Messapica, Cisternino, Fasano, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Walnuts, Ostuni, Putignano, San Michele Salentino, San Vito dei Normanni and Villa Castelli.

Perhaps due to the white of the buildings or due to the vegetation that frames them, every town and every village of the valley, is wrapped in a magical, almost fairy-tale atmosphere.

In the heart of the Itria Valley, Alberobello is a must-place to visit with its trulli, a UNESCO site listed in the World Heritage List in 1996. It is impossible not to be fascinated by a walk along the streets of Monti and Aja Piccola.

In the valley there is not only Alberobello. The country sourrounding is scattered about beautiful villages with typical buildings: just think about Cisternino, which rises in this area called “Murgia of the Trulli” counted, together with the nearby Locorotondo, among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Mentioned until the mid-eighteenth century “Luogorotondo” for the characteristic roundabouts of the historical centre.

Between Bari and Taranto is located Martina Franca, the most populated town in the Itria Valley, well-known for its beautiful Baroque architecture and the same musical festival.

Then, there is the White City, the only one in the valley with a balcony on the sea: Ostuni. Called White city due to its characteristic old town, once entirely painted with white. Ostuni is together with Taranto and Santa Maria di Leuca, one of the ideal vertices of the Salento peninsula.

Absolutely to do a “trip to the center of the earth”, to the Caves of Castellana (in the municipality of Castellana Grotte), where Grave, the first and largest cave as well as the only one connected to the outside, and then the White Cave will leave speechless words to any visitor.

In Alberobello, among the trulli, local association organize in a spectacular scenery the Living Nativity, in December, and the Living Passion during the Easter period.

In Martina Franca, in July, since 1975, you find the Festival of the Itria Valley.

On the hill overlooking the elegant village of Fasano, you find the homonymous selva “Selva di Fasano” inside which you find the Zoo Safari, a park suitable for children and old people who offers the visitor a truly amazing experience; Over 40 animal species to discover into the wild.

Walking, workshops and tastings at the several educational farms, farms distributed throughout the territory that propose for schools, but not only, direct observation and study experiences, and then manipulations, fruit harvest, participation in the various stages of transformation Of agricultural products, creation of small objects in clay, tasting of typical products.
For example “Sporcamussi”: you can not get up from the table without the dirty mouth of cream and sugar. They are the typical desserts of Bari and Itria Valley, and they got that name because they are so good that, eating them in a single bite, they delight the palate but also they leave traces!

2017-02-25
Mottola, when nature is a set

Mottola, when nature is a set.

is an article by Città Meridiane – cittameridiane.it

Mottola, Wilderness and Caves of God, in the Murge Tarantine among reliefs of deep graves and deep canyons.

Among the most spectacular and even less well-known paths in the land of Puglia there is the Murge Tarantine area, hills interrupted by deep canyons that run perpendicular to the Ionian coast: a rock universe formed two million years ago.

A landscape that catches eyes and fills the soul, among rocks and Mediterranean steppe. Walking on the edge of the cliffs, in the midst of lentisk trees and juniper bushes, it seems to be in a another world, still little traveled by tourism and made of countries perched on the brink of deep canyons sourrounded by orange trees and olive trees.

As Mottola, located on a panoramic hill overlooking the deep blue of the Taranto’s Gulf.

Here is the most spectacular and majestic canyon of Puglia, the Petruscio’s canyon, from the vertical rocky wall painted by caves.

The rock village has developed on the sides of the canyon “gravina” in italian language, within the different levels of the interconnected caves that have been used for centuries as houses, animal shelter, religious worship centers and even cemeteries.

Twisting paths lead to the bottom of the gravina but the most interesting point of observation is the one from which you can admire it right from the center of the horizon: well known to few have allowed us to create spectacular photos that give the idea of how deep and extensive this is Split engraved in the rock.

Mottola also has an old town circular center that hangs on the hillside between intricate streets and steep stairs and many churches, which should certainly be more valued. Located on the top is the 13th century Mother Church.

But the most interesting churches are certainly those rupestrian and the most beautiful of St. Nicholas, called the Sistine Chapel of rock civilization, where it remains open in front of the cycle of 24 frescoes dating from the XI to XIV century.

Another singular rupestrian church is the one of Sant’Angelo, which is the only case in Puglia, a two-story hypogean rock church, a typical architectural solution of Cappadocia and the Byzantine world. It is a pity that the frescoes are very compromised by water infiltration, favored by the overturning of the above ground.

Around Mottola there is a real open-air museum between ancient farms “masserie”, trulli, cisterns, rock villages and the “Grotte di Dio” ( caves of god ) dugged into tuffy valleys and immersed in the intense aroma of rosemary, thyme and oranges. And here is the culture of living in the cave, with architectural jewels from the iconographic apparatus of exceptional artwork such as the finely frescoed crypts, real pinacoteche guarded in rock formwork. These are not isolated phenomena, though here they reach a very high level of fine art but fall into a natural, anthropic and cultural habitat typical of the Mediterranean basin, extended from Turkey to Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Armenia, southern Italy, Tunisia, Jordan, Israel, France and Spain, and characterized by the use of the cave excavated as a temple, church, dwelling, fortress, village, necropolis.

In a small garrison, among rosemary plants and capers and olive trees, rises the church of the Madonna del Carmine or Madonna Abbàsc, partially excavated in the rock that, when it comes to a sunny day, looks like a small clump of Greece in the Apulian land.

To deceive the shape of the upper part of the sanctuary and the murky white of the walls. Legend has it that on April 22, 1506, the Virgin of Carmel appeared in dream to the clergyman Francesco Pietro di Filippo, who rested in the cave where he lived, and ordered him to build a dedicated chapel. Since then, during the Lenten Saturdays, there is a crowded votive pilgrimage from Mottola to the chapel and from many nearby centers.

We relentlessly leave this paradise of peace and devotion. With a promise: we will return to Mottola to visit the much more that the city offers to those who are ready to seize its often hidden sights, cause nature is a set.

photo by cittameridiane.it

2017-02-22
Almond from Toritto

Almond from Toritto.

Almond from Toritto is the fruit of the almond tree, Amygdalus communis L., and is obtained from the native cultivar ‘Filippo Ceo’ also called ‘Aminue’ (at least 70%), ‘Antonio De Vito’ (up to 20%) and other cultivars (up to 10%).

The almond Filippo Cea is characterized by a fruit in shell from the weight of 5 g, the seed from an average weight of 1.6 g with a percentage of seeds double or twin around 30%. For its strong pastiness is indicated for the preparation of sweets to which confers intense and pleasant aroma and for the preparation of almond milk.

The almonds are well preserved inside their shells; if shelled, should be kept as much as possible away from light, air, heat.

The almond from Toritto or almonds from Toritto, generally, are sold in sealed packages; if they are sold in bulk should be stored in closed containers to prevent rancidity.

Product category

Vegetable products in their natural state or processed

Other names

Aminue

Area of origin

the town of Toritto (Bari, Puglia, Italy)

Productive process

The plants are cultivated with three branches.

The winter production pruning takes into account that the fruiting occurs primarily on darts.

The average flowering time falls in the second half of February.

The harvest generally takes place in August-September by beating consisting in beating the branches with long poles to make the mature product fell down.

Fruits harvested are freed from the husk and placed to dry so that the water content is less than 7%; this ensures a good conservation of the product.

The production in almonds without the husk is high and can reach an average of 1.3 t / ha.

Production period

Summer.

History and tradition

In the province of Bari the cultivation of almonds was widespread and affected the agricultural landscape and popular culture: just think of the heritage of Puglia peasant songs linked to long operations concerning the almond working.

In the town of Toritto they select several cultivars that carrying the name of famous citizens of Toritto: the ‘Antonio De Vito’, the ‘Genco’ and ‘Filippo Cea’ (of which survives the first plant in the town of Toritto).

description from Atlas of Apulian products “Atlante dei Prodotti Tipici di Puglia Prima edizione – Ottobre 2006”

images by mondodelgusto.it – radicifuturemagazine.it – gamberorosso.it – pugliamonamour.it – imgrum.org

2017-02-15
Ostuni the white town

Ostuni the white town.

Article taken from solobuonoblog.wordpress.com

Ostuni goes up and down, then descends and ascends, in a labyrinth of bright streets both day and night.

To create that light is the white, widespread white that gives to Ostuni, in fact, the name of Ostuni the white town.

Located in the province of Brindisi (Puglia, Italy) near the Murge, Ostuni overlooks the Adriatic Sea, in one of the most beautiful and clean parts of the entire coast. Seventeen kilometers of coastline offer great and sunny beaches, suitable for all types of tourism, and the respective tourists needs.

The city is entertaining especially in summer, which is full of tourists who, throughout the maze of narrow streets, alleys with its characteristic whitewashed color, enjoy the summer, and a light that only Ostuni can offer. So much art, numerous churches, various civilizations have alternated, make Ostuni one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, able to really offer everything to tourists: not only the sealife.

Ostuni is one of the most elegant ever city views, landscape, even at night, even with the moon, gives emotions never felt before.

Do not wait for the summer: go for it!

photo by Comune di Ostuni

2017-02-11
Table olive variety Termite di Bitetto

Table olive variety Termite di Bitetto.

The table olive variety Termite di Bitetto is a variety of olive native of Puglia as attested in ancient documents found.

Drupe oval, green during the development and black when ripe. The olives must be initiated to work within 48 hours after harvest, processing system is called “pickled in brine” or “Greek”.

Product Category

Vegetable products in their natural state or processed.

Other names

Mele di Bitetto, Ualie dolc

Product origin area

The province of Bari (Puglia, Italy)

Productive process

The table olive variety Termite di Bitetto must be initiate to work within 48 hours after harvest, processing system is called “pickled in brine” or “Greek method”. The olives undergo a preservation process rather slow brine; 2 phases are distinguished: the initial one or tumultuous, the duration of 20-30 days during which the product in brine to 8-10% undergoes a slow de-bittering process and aerobic fermentation. In the second stage, the olives are kept in closed containers where the anaerobic fermentation proceeds slowly and allows the completion of the de-bittering process. The preservation of the olives in whole form, pitted, stuffed or topped, takes place in containers with a maximum capacity of 10 kg. They can be used optional ingredients such as salt, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, spices, herbs and natural extracts.

description from Atlante dei Prodotti Tipici di Puglia Prima Edizione – Ottobre 2006

2017-02-11
Farinella of Putignano: Carnival and Dressing

Farinella of Putignano: Carnival and Dressing.

Article taken from insearchoftaste.com

Farinella of Putignano is a flour milled from roasted chickpeas, with the addition of barley and salt.

It’s an ancient food that is still produced in the town of Putigano in southern Puglia. Here it is known as Farinella of Putignano and those with a care for the traditions of their land are its natural ambassadors.

We live in times where simple ingredients are often ignored. Memory and custom are fragile – traditions can be lost. Even the humblest of seeds such as the chickpea can be overlooked, but as I discovered in Puglia recently, there is still a food tradition that harks back to an era of “culinary necessity”.

Farmers used to carry their farinella in a little sack called u volz, and would sprinkle it onto dried figs whilst working in the fields. At dinner they used it as a topping on the Pugliese speciality macco (a mash made of dried broad beans and bitter green chicory), in order to thicken the dish.

In noble houses farinella was used as a flavouring for dishes of pasta with tomato sauce, soups, salads, olives, or fresh figs and fruit. Sometimes, when mixed with sugar it became a dessert. Farinella was frequently used to thicken liquids, effectively making them more filling. Most importantly it was eaten and enjoyed for the way it enhanced any ingredient to which it was added.

With its underlying roasted flavours, combined with the taste of dried chickpeas, it works well as an addition to tomato sauce, as a topping on potatoes or pickled olives.

The best way by far is the custom of topping fresh, giant figs. The intense sweetness of a perfectly ripe fig with the roast flavour of farinella is a sublime combination. What begins as a mellow sensation on the palate, intensifies with the sweetness of the fruit, so the final taste leaves a glorious combination of sweet and salty.

In the library of Putignano, documents can be found that date from the late 18th century that talk about a black farinella made of ground and roasted black chickpeas (ceci neri). Although now making a modest comeback in Puglia and Basilicata, black farinella becomes harder to find with each passing year.

Farinella of Putignano is a dressing, but the town of Putigano is also famous for one of the oldest and most beautiful festivals in Europe, the Carnival of Putignano, that is gonna to become 700 years old. The principal symbol of the Carnival of Putignano is a jester, traditionally clad in a multi coloured harlequin suit with twin pointed hat bedecked with bells. His role is to poke fun at figures of authority and renown. His name is Farinella of Putignano.

images by insearchoftaste.com

2017-02-08
Colors live in Puglia

Colors live in Puglia.

Where the sun transforms figs and cherry tomatoes, red, trough the white alleys in the city, and it accompanies the vital energy of the green that turns into yellow in the wheat fields, into the vineyards, into the olive oil mills, and warms up the cliffs and the beaches that are lapped by the blue of the Caribbean sea, along the 860 km of coasts in which the eyes loses.

Art, History, Folklore, Food & Wine. Are the predominant elements of Tourism made in Puglia.

You can walk in the footsteps of history among the holy stones of the Romanesque cathedrals, hermitages carved into the rock or baroque churches and among the secular stones of the Federico II’s castles, rupestrian villages and endless dry stone walls that mark the landscape.

You can dive into the blue, the green, in the blue and in the countless nuances of which turns the sea from Gargano to the land of Bari to the deep Salento and that is the background to an uninterrupted series of white villages and historic towns perched on rocky cliffs.

You can immerse yourself into the depths of the karstic caves and then discover the Alta Murgia National Park, the nature reserves and Marine Protected Areas.

For those who want to enjoy sport and adventure this is the right place, because you can discover Puglia through the trekking routes or cycleways and horse trails, among olive trees, oaks and vineyards.

And then you can tease Typical dishes from Puglia, a slice of bread from Altamura DOP topped with tomatoes variety Fiaschetto from Torre Guaceto and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Or drink a glass of wine Primitivo of Gioia del Colle DOP accompanied by a slice of cheese Canestrato Pugliese DOP and apulian taralli..

Unique products, made by hands, handcrafted stuffs as the whistles of Rutigliano, the Pottery of Grottaglie and the cane baskets of Acquarica del Capo.

Social agriculture and responsible tourism, Agritourism, B & B and historic farms, for those who love ecotourism.

Wellness centers and spas for those who want to spendo several hours to be dedicate to themselves, to their body and mind in a relaxing holiday.

Conference centers, exhibition areas and meeting rooms for those who come in Puglia for business.

From Murgia to the Terra di Bari, from the Valle d’Itria to the Taranto’s Hills and the Ionian coast, from Gargano to Salento: Puglia represent the perfect combination of land and sea, between the sacred and the profane, festivities, rituals connected with the tradition and Francigene streets. Then events, large festivals, music concerts, film festivals and art exhibitions.

Easy to get to (it has two major airports), easy to get around and easy to program.

In short, the perfect destination for a trip. It is said that one is not enough to enjoy it all (true!), and pending the the next time, DISPENSA DEI TIPICI is the perfect way to learn how to taste and discover the Puglia!

What are you waiting for? Colors live in Puglia, let start color yourself of Puglia!

2017-01-15