Puglia Culinariawith Ana Sortun, Oldways

and Oldways Italia

March 16–23, 2013

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Puglia Culinariawith

Ana Sortunof

and

The Wind Plays Over Apulia

The wind plays over Apulia. It plays on every stone that is raised, until it is worn to filigree; the castle erodes in the same way as the

rock on which it stands. There is a feeling of being marooned in an older kind of time; the peninsula is like an island “full of noises” that brings invisible Ariels and Calibans to mind.

The castle farms look like great ships from afar, riding a wave of stones or riding at anchor among the vines. Approach them and the castle becomes a shepherd’s byre in a ruined Renaissance watch tower. The towers were built five hundred years ago in the reign of Carol Quinto in expectation of the pirates. Nothing in Apulia has endured longer than this expectation.

White villages built like honeycombs on the crest of hills turn blind walls to the wind. Stone huts (pagghiari) built among the olive groves admit no aperture except a doorway: little structures, erected with precision, stone by stone, in beehive form. The face of Apulia vanishes behind the legendary olive trees, as a little boat disappears behind the crest of waves. Muffled, the voice of Apulia, as the wind trifles with olive fronds. Silent the stare of the Apulians as they perceive the pirate in the gait of every stranger.

In the silence, gazing from the watch tower, one can feel the earth slowly swinging as the mast of a ship sinks below the far horizon of the Ionian – what is far being as clearly delineated as what is near.

Patience Gray Honey From a Weed (1986)

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Puglia, the Mediterranean Diet and Oldways

Oldways first came to Puglia in 1995, bringing almost 100 journalists, chefs,

scientists, food retailers, and cookbook authors, as part of our campaign to intro-duce the Mediterranean Diet to Americans. We had just developed and introduced the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in January 1993, and were deeply committed to helping Americans become familiar with olive oil and other Mediterranean ingredi-ents and preparations. At the time, olive oil was more of an ethnic product; no one had heard of burrata; orecchiette, the little ear pasta, was not on restaurant menus or featured on grocery store shelves; Primitivo was not a wine of choice; and Tuscany, Rome, and Venice were the travel destinations of the day.

We believed then as we do now that Puglia is a special place, a place with splendid culinary and cultural traditions, traditions that are so perfectly representative of the wonderful and healthy flavors of the Mediterranean Diet. Our explorations of Puglia didn’t end in 1995; we returned with other groups of equally interesting and interested food experts (including Ana Sortun) in 1999, and then again in 2006 and 2007. And we’re happy to say that the rest of the world gradually came to know Puglia and its culinary and cultural treasures.

It seems very fitting to be coming back to Puglia once again, just as the results of a first-of-its kind clinical study on the Mediterranean Diet were released. As published in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 25, 2013, and reported in media around the world, including The New York Times, the study found that: “about 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals.”

Olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, pasta and wine. That’s what we’ll be enjoying during our week together in Puglia, along with learning about the history and visiting cultural landmarks of this beautiful region. As we travel from north to south, we’ll be discovering and enjoying the delicious Pugliese Mediterranean Diet, and all the culinary and cultural traditions that make Puglia so special.

We hope you will learn to love Puglia as much as we do, and that you will bring a bit of the place home with you—for great pleasure and health. We look forward to sharing these pleasures with you.

Sara Baer-Sinnott President, Oldways

A Message from Ana SortunDear Puglia Travelers,

Learning about local food customs is a fascinating part of world travel. It’s my number ONE source of inspiration to cook. This week in Puglia,

we hope to introduce you to local fishermen, bakers, pasta makers, olive oil producers, and winemakers who produce the best food the region has to offer. I am looking forward to sharing many great meals and a few recipes with you.

In the spring of 1999, I was invited to Puglia by Oldways to learn and to cook. There were about 100 people on this trip including doctors, scientists, journalists, food writers, chefs, food importers, and just plain foodies. Trust brought all of us together to hear from Oldways and the chefs of Puglia why this food was so special.

A diet of pure ingredients like wild greens, seasonal vegetables, durum wheat, olives, capers, some fish, red wine, and LOTS of olive oil is what Apulians live so long eating.

New friendships were formed during this symposium and we were inspired as we learned the importance of traditions and the significant role they played towards better health and sustainability.

My favorite memory from this trip (besides dancing in the sassi) is slap-ping live octopus against the rocks to tenderize it. It looked so easy when I watched the fisherman do it. It wasn’t!

I hope this is “truilli” a memorable trip for all!!

Thank you to Sara for being such an amazing influence in my life and for organizing and leading this trip to Puglia.

Chef Ana Sortun Owner/Chef, Oleana

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1:00 Lunch at Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso You have a special experience in store. We’ll drive to Montegrosso-Andria for lunch at Antichi Sapori, long recognized as a restaurant grounded in local and seasonal foods. We’ll have a spectacular lunch, plus a chance to tour Chef Pietro Zito’s garden and see a demonstration of making orecchiette by our chef’s mother.

5:00 Trani Cathedral Though it’s been a long day, we know you won’t want to miss a glimpse of the Cathedral in Trani, built a century before Castel del Monte. We’ll stop briefly so you can visit the Norman cathedral, dedicated to St. Nicholas the Pilgrim, facing northeast by the sea.

6:00 Return to Conversano and Free Evening We’ve left the evening free for an early bedtime, or perhaps dinner on your own in Conversano.

Monday, March 18, 2013: cooking and Valle d’itria

8:00 Visit Cheese Factory in Conversano We’ll visit a cheese producer and learn about the Apulian cheeses that are showing up on menus around the US.

9:30 Guided Tour in Conversano While Ana, Cara, and Sara from Oleana prepare for Ana’s cooking demonstration and lunch, we’ll enjoy a guided tour in our “home town” of Conversano.

11:00 Cooking Class and Lunch with Ana at Palazzo D’Erchia in Conversano In the dining room of the Hotel Palazzo D’Erchia, Ana will demonstrate the preparation of several dishes inspired by the cuisine of Puglia. We’ll be treated to a lunch of the same spectacular dishes.

Culinaria Program

Saturday, March 16: BenVenuto

Morning and Afternoon Check in at Hotel Corte Altavilla in Conversano After you check in to our hotel, take time to explore the narrow streets and charm of medieval Conversano, or take time for a visit to the hotel’s Thermarium spa.

5:00 Opening Session at Hotel Corte Altavilla We’ll meet at the hotel for a welcome/opening session in the meeting room. In addition to introductions to your fellow travelers, Sara Baer-Sinnott from Oldways, Ana Sortun of Oleana, and Rossella Speranza from Oldways Italia will give you the essentials about the week ahead, the foods and wines of Puglia, and how the Apulian cuisine is the perfect representation of one of the healthiest ways to eat—the Mediterranean Diet. We’ll close the welcome session with a wine tasting led by Apulian wine expert and wine producer, Gregory Perrucci.

8:00 Welcome Dinner on the Rooftop at Hotel Corte Altavilla We’ll go up to the rooftop dining room of Hotel Corte Altavilla for your first official dinner in Puglia, showcasing a view of the town, and on the menu, the fruits of the sea.

Sunday, March 17: caStleS and countrySide

9:00 A Guided Visit to Castel del Monte We’ll leave Conversano and drive north past Bari toward Andria and the historic Castel del Monte, the octagonal castle of Frederick the Second of Swabia, built around 1240. With our guide Simona, we’ll tour and learn the tales that make Castel del Monte mysterious and mystical.

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1:30 Potluck Lunch in a Piazza in Old Town of Bari

From the castle, we’ll walk into the Old Town, stopping to watch the ladies making orecchiette along the narrow streets in Old Town before our “pot luck” lunch in the Square Albicocca. With help from the family of Giancarlo Capriati, three women—Carmela Dragone, Angela Lorusso and Annarita Cascione—have joined together to prepare a variety of traditional vegetable dishes of Bari.

3:30 Return to Conversano After lunch we’ll return to Conversano for a siesta, spa or passeggiata on your own.

8:00 Dinner at Casina dei Preti in the Outskirts of Conversano We’ll make the short drive to the agroturismo Casina dei Preti, owned by the Fanelli family, in the outskirts of Conversano, for a lesson in making panzerotti (we promise, you will fall in love with panzerotti), followed by dinner featuring traditional and vegetable panzerotti and seasonal vegetables grown at the agroturismo, accompanied by the wines of the house.

WedneSday, March 20: cheeSe, Bread and the SaSSi

8:00 Departure for Altamura

9:00 Visit to Altamura and the Forno di Santa Chiara to Learn About the Bread of Altamura The bread of Altamura is a DOP product from Altamura in Puglia. The city and its bread are also famous for its successful fight against McDonald’s entry in Altamura. We’ll visit the Forno of Santa Chiara, and have a focaccia tasting, and learn more about Altamura and its bread.

11:00 Guided Visit to Matera and the Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site Matera is like no other city. Actually in the Region of Basilicata, very close to Puglia, the city of Matera has been made a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is famous for the Sassi, meaning stone, houses dug in the rocks or cliffs. Amazingly, there were people living in the caves or caverns until more recent times. A guide from Matera will give us a tour, complete with history and lore of the Sassi.

3:00 Guided Visit to Alberobello No one who visits Puglia can miss the indescribable, trulli-filled town of Alberobello. After lunch, we’ll leave Conversano and drive to Alberobello where you’ll have the choice of a guided tour of the town, or free time to shop and meander. Everyone on the tour will also have time to shop before we return to Conversano.

8:00 Dinner at Ristorante Pasha in Conversano Dinner tonight is at Pasha, a beautiful restaurant with a cooking school, very close to Hotel Corte Altavilla, owned and run by Antonello Magistà and mother chef Maria Cicorella. The cuisine is traditional, with a modern twist.

tueSday, March 19: a day in the city

8:30 Visit to the Fish Market in Mola di Bari After breakfast we’ll drive to Bari via the Adriatic coast and stop in the village of Mola di Bari to visit the fish market, where the tradition of boats returning to port after a long fishing trip remains, and households and chefs alike come to the market to choose the freshest fish of the day.

10:30 Visit to Farmers Market and Fish Market with Ana and Rossella in Old Town of Bari

We’ll continue to the regional capital of Puglia, Bari, for our city day with a tour of the market with Ana and Rossella, where you’ll learn about local and seasonal products.

11:00 Choice of Guided Tour in Bari or Free Time in Bari

Following the market visit, you’ll have the choice of a guided tour of Bari including the Basilica of St. Nicholas, the Bari Cathedral, and ending at the Norman-Swabian Castle of Bari. For those who choose free time, we’ll all meet at the Castle before going on to the Old Town where we’ll have lunch.

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Friday, March 22: Baroque lecce

9:00 Guided Visit of Lecce We’ll have a special tour of this beautiful city, giving us the history of Lecce, and especially its Baroque architectural treasures, and also of its ruins going back to Roman times.

11:30 Cooking Class and Lunch with Ana at a Private Villa in Lecce We have a double treat in store—first, with Ana’s second cooking demonstration and second, with the location of the class—at the truly beautiful in-city villa of the Reale family. After the class on the terrace (weather-willing), we will have the pleasure of a lunch in the glorious dining room of the Reale family. The menu for lunch will be the dishes from Ana’s demonstration, paired with wines made by the Reale family.

3:00 Choice of Visit to Otranto or Free Time after Lunch After lunch we will offer a guided tour to Otranto, a town on the Adriatic coast known for its seaside location, cathedral, castle, and appealing walkability.

8:00 Final Dinner at Blu Notte in the Historical Center Enjoy new friends and old, on the last night in Puglia. We’ll walk to the lovely Blu Notte restaurant for our final dinner centered around seafood.

Saturday, March 23Departures

2:00 Lunch at Madonna della Stella in Gravina with Guided Tasting of Cheeses and a Musical Surprise We’ll travel back into the region of Puglia for lunch in a cave in the town of Gravina. In addition to a hearty lunch by owner and chef Vito Bosco at Madonna della Stella, we’ll have a guided cheese tasting from expert Roberto Rubino, and a special musical surprise for all.

5:00 Return to Conversano—Packing for Departure to Lecce Take a nap on our ride back to Conversano. Your evening is free for dinner at the hotel or in Conversano, or time to pack before our departure for Lecce the next day.

thurSday, March 21: Salentine PeninSula

8:30 Check-out and Departure from Hotel Corte Altavilla and Conversano

9:00 Visit to Polignano a Mare Enjoy an unguided walk around the beautiful rocky seaside town of Polignano a Mare.

11:00 Visit to Il Frantoio, a Masseria, en Route to Lecce We’ll stop outside the white town of Ostuni at Il Frantoio, an agroturismo owned by the Family Balestrazzi (with a splendid citrus grove and underground olive mill) for a tour and a tasting of olive oils and other local products. After an aperitivo, we’ll leave for the trip to Lecce.

1:30 Check in at Patria Palace in Lecce We’ll get to Lecce in time for an afternoon on your own—lunch, exploration, rest, and relaxing.

7:30 Dinner at Le Zie We’ll meet in the lobby at 7:30 to go to Le Zie together for an 8 p.m. dinner. We’ll have this trattoria—loved by locals and visitors alike—to ourselves for a splendid meal of vegetarian home cooking by Carmela Perrone.

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Ana Sortun

With a degree from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, the Seattle-born Ana Sortun

opened Moncef Medeb’s Aigo Bistro in Concord, Massachusetts, in the early 1990s. Stints at 8 Holyoke and Casablanca in Harvard Square, Cambridge soon followed.

This was all in the beginning of her career, when Sortun was still cooking what most people think of as typical Mediterranean food from Spain, south-ern France, and Italy. People loved it. While at Casablanca, a friend of the owner invited Sortun to

study in Turkey. Not knowing anything about Turkish food or culture but eager to learn, she accepted. (“I imagined flying carpets and genies,” she says wryly.) But when she arrived in southeastern Turkey, Sortun’s host and her friends presented a potluck of sorts. “I tasted 30 amazing dishes from these women’s family repertoires,” Sortun remembers. “I was stunned at how rich and interesting yet light everything was.”

That trip was when she learned that in the Mediterranean, spice is used to create richness, depth, and flavor without heaviness. She also experienced the mezze style of eating, which is to have many tastes of mostly vegeta-ble-based dishes before reaching a protein course. “Chefs always focus on flavor and appearance,” says Sortun, “but few think about how one feels after eating a long meal.”

Upon her return to Boston, she wanted to fuse her newfound love of Eastern Mediterranean spices with her passion for using only the best in-gredients. The result of this union was Oleana, which opened in Cambridge in 2001. A mere four years later, Sortun won a coveted and prestigious James Beard Award.

Sortun’s commitment to locally grown food took a turn for the personal when a farmer selling spinach turned up at the back door of Oleana one day. “I knew then that I would marry him,” Sortun says. Since 2006, Siena Farms has been providing the restaurant with most of its fresh, organic produce. It is owned and farmed by the chef’s husband, Chris Kurth, and named after the couple’s daughter.

Not content to rest on their laurels, Sortun, business partner Gary Griffin, and pastry chef Maura Kilpatrick decided they wanted to launch a more casual venue. Three years of brainstorming later, in August of 2008, Sofra was born in Cambridge, Mass. This Middle Eastern bakery, café, and retail shop offers flatbread sandwiches, mezzes, prepared foods, and baked goods. It has received both local and national press; Food & Wine, Metropolitan Home and Gourmet have all featured it as a place not to miss.

“If you’ve ever wondered how some of the world’s healthiest and best-tast-ing foods seem to wind up in your favorite home recipes and restaurants these days, you’ll be glad to know it’s not by accident. You have friends in the business.” Cooking Light Magazine, about Oldways

Let the old ways be your guide to good health and well-being.

Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to guide people to good health through heritage, using prac-

tical and positive programs grounded in science and tradition. Simply, we advocate for the healthful pleasures of real food.

At Oldways, we are more determined than ever to help everyone, ev-erywhere, live longer and healthier lives. We will do this by continuing to encourage people to seek out the joys of good foods and drinks, well pre-pared and consumed with pleasure, in the company of family and friends. That is the profound and worthy mission that drives us and our partners every day.

Healthy eating and healthy foods have the power to improve the health and well-being of all of us. Science and common sense tell us that good health and good food go hand in hand. The healthy old ways have a special importance and impact because they bring together: (1) good nutrition with delicious foods, (2) culture and heritage, and (3) eating, shopping and cooking. As Michael Pollan wrote in The New York Times on Sunday, October 2, 2011, “I have yet to hear of a traditional diet—from any culture, anywhere in the world—that is not substantially healthier than the ‘stan-dard American diet.’ The more we honor cultural differences in eating, the healthier we will be.”

The healthy old ways also have the power to bring people and communities together. As Michelle Obama said about the importance of food, culture and heritage, “Food can be a symbol of cultural identity, it knits families together. What I’ve come to appreciate is whether you’re African-American, Puerto Rican, Dominican or Cuban, food is love.”

Oldways was founded in 1990 to address health issues (increasing rates of obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases of excess) and to preserve culinary traditions, helping people make healthy connections to their food (cooking and eating real foods) and their heritage.

We learned early on that change happens by motivating individuals and in-fluencers to move in a common direction. Working throughout the world—from Australia to Brazil and from Italy to the U.S.—Oldways has collaborat-ed with hundreds of international experts including scientists, health care professionals, chefs, historians, food producers, and food writers to create “mini-movements” that have inspired millions of people to change the way they eat.

Learn more at www.oldwayspt.org.

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of its church still visible. There are Saracen neighborhoods with narrow winding alleys that render small hill towns eerily reminiscent of the souks of Morocco and Tunis.

So as Puglia speaks to us through its dialects, music, dance, architecture, gestures and art, it speaks in a language that expresses the mix of genes of the peoples who came before.

K. Dun Gifford Founder, Oldways

The Heart of Puglia

“The wind plays over Puglia,” writes Patience Gray, imbuing visitors with “a sense of being marooned in an older kind of time.”

Nancy Jenkins writes of “il solleone, the lion sun of August” – of its leonine strength and glinting brilliance that remind her of the searing heat of the Middle East.

Then there’s the shape of Puglia – like God’s flexed finger on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – pointing towards the East, towards its unimaginable riches and deep mysteries.

For thousands of years the great civilizations of the East sailed and marched to Puglia, making great wars.

These eastern conquerors were followed by those of the great and powerful civilizations of the western Mediterranean, and then by those of Europe’s North and of Central Asia.

These armies came over and over again to Puglia not to fight religious wars, for Puglia was not a religious seat in the sense that Jerusalem was. Nor were these wars directed governments, for Puglia was not a seat of political power in the sense of Byzantium or Alexandria or Rome.

In the thousands of years that Puglia was a battleground, the two brass rings were strategic location and food. Puglia marked one of the Mediterranean’s “waists,” narrowing the Adriatic and its sea lanes.

More importantly, he who controlled Puglia controlled its vast agricultural bounty, and with it, he could fill the bellies of his armies and the warehouses of his empire.

So it is difficult in Puglia to escape for very long from the strong sense of walking in the shoes of these who came before. Of course the same is true of Rome, or Paris, or London. But in Puglia we are overtly in the shoes of peoples of dozens of very diverse civilizations, and everywhere we see their footprints.

All around us in Puglia there are Greek vases and the ruins of Greek cities. One of the fabled Roman roads – the Appian Way – ends (or does it begin?) in Brindisi, where it was a nexus for land-sea transportation a thousand years before the Christian Crusaders boarded their ships here to sail to the East, to rescue the Hold Lands from Arab heretics.

Puglia is home to Norman and Swabian castles and churches that speak of religions and cultures strange to the Mediterranean. There is an under-ground cave village dating to early Christian times, the frescoes on the walls

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St. Nicholas and My Own Miracle of Bari

St. Nicholas performed many miracles and acts of kindness including rescuing

drowning sailors from a stormy sea and, with gift bags of gold, three maidens from a life of prostitution. He lived during the fourth cen-tury in Lycia, a part of modern-day Turkey. He went on to become the world’s most famous man of goodwill and charity—other than those who established major religions. His remains are now in an eleventh century basilica in the heart of Bari, the seaport cap-ital of Puglia, the southeastern most state of Italy. Few non-Europeans know that because of these relics it is one of the significant holy cities of the world.

According to legend, Nicholas was born into an affluent family. He used his wealth to help others. Through a series of incidents that seemed like destiny, he became Bishop of the Church, important enough to attend the momentous Council of Nicaea. During the time of Emperor Constantine, this council literally formulated the tenants of Christianity.

Nicholas died in 342 CE and was buried near where he lived. In 1087, however, when the area was overrun by “infidels” and shortly after the great schism between the Eastern Church based in Constantinople and the Western Church based in Rome, his bones were stolen or rescued—depend-ing on how you look at it—by Baresi fishermen. They brought them back home in triumph where a grand edifice was built for their repose.

Roger Nicholas Webster Venturing in Italy (2008)

Trulli, Trullo

A trullo, the plural is trulli, is a traditional dwelling unique to the area of Valle d’Itria in Puglia. Constructed of local limestone, they were histori-

cally dry-laid, that is without mortar. The first circle of stone was laid directly on the ground. Successive layers were placed on top in concentric circles.

There are several stories about why no mortar was originally used. The most interesting was about avoiding the taxes on permanent structures. When the revenue collector was en route, the buildings were easily, and quickly, dismantled. When he arrived he found only a pile of stones. Over time mortar was used in their construction with a cone shaped roof

The History of the Heel of the Boot

Puglia, or Apilia as it is often called in English, is “the heel” of the Italian boot, including the steep and rocky spur of the Gargano peninsula

projecting into the sea. It is the easternmost region of Italy, eight hundred kilometers of coastline stretching down the Adriatic and around the heel into the high arch of the Ionian Sea and the Gulf of Taranto. This heel reach-es out towards the Eastern Mediterranean, and at times the landscape looks and feels more like Greece than the softer, gentler Italy of Rome and the North. Especially under the harsh brilliance of the summer sun “il solleone, the lion sun of August” you sense the connection with the Balkans and the East. Greeks were among the earliest settlers in this region, dominating the indigenous Messapicans, the Daunians, the Peucetians, as far back as Mycenaean times, perhaps even earlier. Taranto on the Ionian was a Greek colony from the eighth century B.C., a flourishing capital of Magna Graecia, the great cosmopolitan Greek world beyond Greece itself; in Taranto’s Museo Nazionale, you catch glimpses of the splendors of that lost world in the dazzling collection of antique vases illustrating in exqui-sitely painted detail the old stories of gods, heroes, and mortals, their lives so intimately entwined.

Puglia has known many conquerors since—the Romans, of course, and then the Byzantine Greeks, Lombards, Arabs, Normans, Angevins, Aragonese, and Spanish, the armies of the popes and of the German emperors, Bourbons who ruled from Naples, Turkish corsairs who harried the coasts, on and on, in a rich and mercilessly cruel history of conquest, betrayal, loss and gain. Each incursion, each struggle, left its mark on this land, from the ancient dolmens scattered across the landscape to the ba-roque fantasies of cities like Lecce and Martina Franca. These are magnif-icent castles and citadels, like Castel del Monte, grand and enigmatic, an octagonal monument in alabaster-colored stone to what some say was the cabalistic vision of Frederick II, Puglia’s greatest ruler. These are spectac-ular eleventh-and twelfth-century Romanesque churches like the soaring seaside cathedrals of Trani and San Nicola at Bari, and rock-carved chapels and hidden grottoes, the walls of which were plastered by monks, saint, and hermits with feverish and apocalyptic visions. There are clusters of white-walled villages and fortified farms called masserie, set well back from a dangerous coast once beset by pirates and marauders. And of course there are trulli, the characteristic vernacular architecture of the Murge, the high grassy plateau of central Puglia. Stone dwellings capped by corbel-vaulted roofs built of overlapping circles of flat stones called chiancarelle, the trulli are both disturbing and anachronistic, like the dwellings of a race of aliens set down in our midst. Traditionally, it is said, they were built of unmortared stone so they could be quickly torn down when the Bourbon tax-collector came around, then rebuilt just as quickly when he was gone from sight. Their roofs are often decorated with painted symbols whose meaning have long since been lost.

Nancy Harmon Jenkins Flavors of Puglia (1997)

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The sassi di Matera (stones of Matera) resemble a jagged grey moon-scape. The streets in some parts are located on rooftops. This ancient town grew on the slopes of several gravine (ravines). Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the dwellings developed from a prehistoric settlement and are believed to be some of the first human settlements in Italy. Over thousands of years, multiple generations of families lived in them. Located in Basilicata, sometimes referred to as Luciana, they are just over the bor-der from Puglia. It’s a strangely isolated region, cut off from the rest of Italy.

Doreen Wood Venturing in Italy (2008)

Puglia’s Pasta

Of the many varieties of pasta, some of the most popular in Apulia are: recchietelle, which elsewhere in Italy would be called orecchiette

(pictured), little ears, from the shape given them by a simple pressure of a thumb, whose hollow traps whatever sauce is used with them, often served with sautéed green vegetables or fresh ricotta cheese; panzerotti, like ravioli, with a filling of buffalo cheese, anchovies, eggs and butter, first fried and then browned in the oven; turcinielli, little spirals of pasta served with meat or tomato sauce and grated cheese; stacchiotte, shaped like seashells with the aid of the point of the pasta maker’s knife; lagane, the local name for lasagna; strascenate (cagghiubbi in Brindisi), strips of pasta rolled around a metal spit to leave a little hole in the center; fusilli, wire-thin pasta, similarly rolled into a spiral with the aid of a spit; and mignuice, small semolina dumplings.

Waverly Root The Foods of Italy (1971)

sitting on a low square base. Many have a rounded finial on top. The roof, I think, is a trullo’s most distinctive feature: the breast-like form dominates the structure.

In some, the design became a bit more complex; walls consisted of an inner and outer layer. The space in between was filled with smaller stones. Many were covered completely with a layer of whitewashed cement. Side rooms were added as families grew. Completed trulli were connected, creating larger extended living spaces.

Walking into Alberobello the first time, I discovered a new meaning for the expression “urban sprawl”: It was difficult to tell where one trullo ended and another began. There were hun-dreds of them. There was no way a single photograph could show them all.

Being under the dome was magical, filled with innocence and the memories of a childhood

leaf house. Encompassed in that space was possibility, an invitation and ap-proval to be part of the creative process beyond those walls. Piles of stones, piles of leaves can become more than what they seem.

Sandra Bracken Venturing in Italy (2008)

The Sassi di Matera

In Matera, the sassi dwellers kept their chickens under the bed in their cave

homes because there was nowhere else to keep them. Had they let them run outside, they’d likely have been stolen. Early in my life, I, too, spent time under the bed, also for safety reasons. Visiting a preserved typical sassi, I viewed the one large bed, rickety table, primitive implements and a model horse in its al-cove. The curator described the crowd-ing and smells: an average family of six children and four animals lived in one cavern. I called my own childhood impoverished until I saw the sassi. My early life circumstances were indeed tough, but not nearly equal to these harsh conditions. Even though these days I’m more fortunate, scenes of poverty still trigger memories.

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The Olive Oil of Puglia

Pugliese cuisine is based on olive oil, and one of the great prod-

ucts of the region. In any given year, Puglia produces as much as two-thirds of all the olive oil in Italy, and while much of it is shipped north, more of it stays right here to be used in Pugliese kitchens. Cooks in Puglia even deep-fry with extra-virgin olive oil, something that comes as a surprise to Americans but is routine in many parts of the Mediterranean (Sicily, Andalucia in southern Spain, and Puglia).

Butter is rarely used in the traditional cuisine, and even some sweets are made with olive oil and often fried. And sweets, moreover, are not an ev-eryday occurrence but associated only with holidays, whether major ones like Christmas and Easter, or more minor ones like the Feast of St. Anthony Abbot and St. Joseph.

Nancy Harmon Jenkins Flavors of Puglia (1997)

Wild Greens of Puglia

Wild greens in great variety are still harvested, especially during the brief Pugliese winter when gardens are less productive and the wildings are

at their best, tender and sweet. On misty days, when the damp soil yields wild roots more easily, you’ll see elderly foragers, men and women alike, stoop-shouldered as they course intently over abandoned fields, often accompanied by grandchildren who are learning to tell good from bad. Lampascioni are so precious that in recent years, it’s rumored, they’ve been brought in from North Africa to fill Pugliese market demand. Even the green shoots of the vine, pruned in the springtime in order to concentrate the plant’s energy on the developing fruit, are soaked for a few days in vine-gar and water, then heated with oil and garlic, mixed with the ever-present puree of fava beans, and served with crusts of fried bread.

Nancy Harmon Jenkins Flavors of Puglia (1997)

The Classic Dishes of the Cuisine of Puglia

Three dishes come to mind when I think of the cuisine of Puglia, three dish- es that Pugliese cooks have prepared...that are linked in their ingredients as much as in their deep roots in the culinary culture of Puglia. They are:

N’ Capriata or fave e cicoriaA puree made from dried peeled fava beans, dressed with a thread of olive oil and eaten with steamed bitter greens, preferably wild chicory.

Ciceri e triaHomemade durum wheat pasta, in the form of flat tagliatelle or noodles (tria), cooked with chick peas (ciceri), and mixed with about a third of the pasta that has been kept apart and fried in olive oil until it is crisp and brown.

Orrecchiette con cime di rapeHomemade durum-what pasta, shaped in the form of ‘little ears” cooked with the bittersweet vegetable we know as broccoli rabe or rapini, dressed with olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and perhaps a little hot peperoncino.

I could add a fourth dish to the list above....It is called tiella or taieddha or teglia, depending where you are in Puglia....It is a carefully constructed layering of several ingredients that may or may not contain rice but will almost always contain potatoes. Another element will be a vegetable, such as artichokes, zucchini or mushrooms, depending upon the season, and the final ingredient is sometimes bits of cod or more usually mussels. Food historians and writers in Puglia and elsewhere often suggest that this is a Pugliese version of Spanish paella.

Nancy Harmon Jenkins Flavors of Puglia

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N’ Capriata—Fava Puree with Wild Greens Serves 8

8 ounces dried canelinni beans, soaked overnight8 ounces dried fava beans, soaked overnight2 small branches of sage or rosemary1 cup extra-virgin olive oil4 fat cloves garlic, finely minced2 tablespoons fennel seeds, finely ground1 small dried red chile¼ cup heavy cream1 tablespoon wine vinegarSalt and pepper to taste12 ½-inch slices of good country bread, lightly toasted with olive oil

in the oven Lemon wedges

1. Cook the two beans separately in a lot of water with a branch of sage or rosemary, simmering them until they are very tender. When the beans are just tender, add a tablespoon of salt to the water and let the beans sit off of the heat in the salted water for a few minutes. Drain the beans, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid. While the beans are hot, toss them with the ground fennel and garlic. Puree them in a food processor until smooth. Add the cream and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Top the bread with fava puree and warm greens and serve with a lemon wedge.

For the Greens3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil6 cups assorted bitter greens, such as escarole, fava greens, broccoli rabe,

dandelion, or chard, washed and choppedRed pepper flakes to taste (optional)2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegarSalt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet. Add the bitter greens. Cook the greens, stirring often, until they start to wilt (or what may be easier for a large batch is to parboil the greens, chop them, and then sauté in oil).

2. Add hot pepper flakes, if using, and 2 or 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar and continue to cook until greens are completely wilted.

3. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Add a bit more vinegar if you like.

Conversano Cooking Demonstration

Almond Pesto with Sundried Tomato & CaperMakes one cup

½ cup sundried tomatoes (the better the quality, the better this will taste), soaked in warm water

1 tablespoon of great quality tomato paste½ cup whole, blanched almonds, lightly toasted (Marconi almonds work

well for this)1 large clove garlic½ cup extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon capers1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, vin cotton or lemon juice2 tablespoons of fresh mint1 tablespoon fresh parsleySalt and pepper to taste

1. Drain and roughly chop the tomatoes. 2. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing

bowl and toss to combine. 3. Place the mixture in a food processor fitted

with a metal blade and coarsely chop the mix-ture until it starts to stick together. Serve with roasted chicken, salmon or raw vegetables.

Cooking Class: Monday, March18• AlmondPestowithSundriedTomatoandCaper

(Serve with Crudité)

• N’Capriata—FavaPureewithSpringGreens

• MusselandPotatoTiella

• SoleGratinwithPecorino

• WheatBerrieswithGrapeMust,DriedFruits,Hazelnuts and Chocolate

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Sole Gratin with PecorinoServes 4

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 clove garlic, finely minced1 cup bread crumbsSalt and pepper to taste4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley6 tablespoons grated pecorino4 sole filets, about 5–6 ounces each, skin removed1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped and rinsedLemon wedges

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F.2. In a medium sauté pan, warm half of the olive oil and stir in the garlic.

Lightly toast the bread crumbs, seasoning them with salt and pepper to taste. The breadcrumbs should become lightly golden and crisp. Allow them to cool.

3. In a food processor, grind the breadcrumbs with the parsley, the rest of the oil, and the pecorino. You should have a powdered fine crumb.

4. Season both sides of the sole lightly with salt and pepper. Top each filet with ¼ cup of breadcrumbs spread evenly over the fish. Bake the fish for 15 minutes or until it is cooked through. Serve hot sprinkled with capers and lemon.

Wheat Berries with Grape Must, Dried Fruits, Hazelnuts, and Chocolate Serves 4

2 cups cooked grano or hulled wheat berries (soak the wheat overnight and cook for at least one hour until the grain is very tender and drain)

1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted1⁄2 cup chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted4 tablespoons golden raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained4 tablespoons finely chopped dried apricots4 tablespoons finely chopped dried figs 1 teaspoon cinnamon4 tablespoons grape must1 cup grated or finely chopped semi-sweet chocolateZest of one orangePinch of salt

Combine everything in a large mixing bowl and serve with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Mussel and Potato TiellaAdapted from Nancy Jenkins, Flavors of Puglia

8-10 servings

4 ½ pounds mussels, beards removed and washed very well½ cup white wine¾ cup bread crumbs, divided2 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced1 pound small zucchini, thinly sliced1 pound white onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil¾ cup grated pecorino½ cup chopped parsleySalt and pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.2. Steam the mussels open by placing them with the wine in a covered pan

that has a large surface area. This takes about 8 minutes on medium heat, depending on the size of the mussel. When the mussels open, let them sit uncovered to cool. Strain the juice through a fine sieve and set aside to use in the casserole.

3. Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a deep baking dish that is about 10–12 inches in diameter. It can also be a rectangle gratin or roasting dish. Sprinkle the bottom of the dish with ¼ cup of the bread crumbs.

4. Layer half the potatoes, half the onions, and half the zucchini in the dish. Sprinkle with ¼ cup cheese, ¼ cup bread crumbs, and ¼ cup parsley. Season with salt and pepper. I like to toss all the vegetables together with salt and pepper, cheese and bread crumbs before doing the layering. This way, I can control the seasoning all at once and don’t have to worry about it as I layer.

5. Add half the mussels. Add remaining potato, onions and zucchini in layers and top with the remaining mussels. Sprinkle the topmost layer with the remaining bread crumbs, and parsley. Pour the filtered mussel liquid and about ½ cup of olive oil over the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.

6. Allow to cool about 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with some chopped parsley.

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Orrechiette with Chick Peas and Spring GreensServes 8

½ pound dried chick peas (about 1 cup), soaked overnight2 garlic cloves, left whole and 2 cloves, finely chopped1 bay leaf1 teaspoon salt¾ pound dried orrechietteOne small white onion, finely minced (about ¾ cup)4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 small head of escarole, trimmed of the outer leaves, washed, and

roughly chopped1 bunch of green or red swiss chard leaves (about 8 cups), washed, stems

discarded, and roughly chopped (or substitute other greens like turnip greens or spinach)

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped4 tablespoons pitted black olives, finely chopped4 tablespoons golden raisins 1 teaspoon crushed dried red chiles1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1. Drain the soaking water off of the chick peas and place them in a sauce-pot covered with double their volume of water. Add the two whole garlic cloves and the bay leaf. Bring them to a boil over high heat and reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Add salt to the water at the end and let them absorb the salt. Drain, but reserve half cup of the chick pea cooking liquid.

2 In a separate pot, boil the pasta until it’s as you like it. Drain but reserve one cup of the pasta water (just in case).

3. Using a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, cook the onions in 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add greens and chopped garlic, and continue to cook until the greens become soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Covering them will help soften the heat and wilt them faster. Season with salt to taste.

4. Stir in the capers, olives, raisins, and chiles and cook for about 5 min-utes more until the raisins become soft and the mixture is very tender.

5. Add the chick peas and the cooked orrechiette and another tablespoon of olive oil.

6. Place everything in a very large mixing bowl and stir it so the pasta becomes creamy and dressed with the greens and chick peas. Add chick pea water and/or pasta water to loosen it and continue to stir. Add cheese if desired.

Note: I like to finely chop the greens and caper mixture so that it is like a pesto before adding the chick peas and pasta.

Lecce Cooking Demonstration

Roasted Fennel with Pancetta and MintServes 4

2 large bulbs fennel or 4 small bulbs2 teaspoons salt12 slices pancetta2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic1 cup chicken stock or water½ cup white wine2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon fennel seed2⁄3 cup fresh bread crumbs, finely ground and toasted2⁄3 cup grated pecorino2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1. Remove the fronds from the bulbs of fennel, chop them coarsely, and set them aside. Trim the stem ends of the fennel and slice the bulbs in half if they are small and thirds if they are large. Place the fronds, fennel, and salt in a large pot, barely covering all with cold water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a simmer on low heat until the fennel just begins to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Drain immediately, saving the liquid but discarding the fronds.3. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.4. When the fennel has cooled, wrap each piece with pancetta until it’s

completely covered, winding it around the fennel from top to bottom. Place the fennel wraps in a baking dish.

5. In a small mixing bowl, combine the garlic with the fennel liquid, chicken stock, and white wine and pour it over the fennel.

6. Drizzle the top with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the pancetta is crispy. Sprinkle with the crisp bread crumbs and pecorino and bake for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh mint and serve warm.

Cooking Class: Friday, March 22•RoastedFennelwithPancettaandMint•OrrechiettewithChickPeasandSpringGreens•PolpettediLupo—breaddumplingswithricotta

and tomato•BombettaPugliese—skewersofporkrolledwith

cheese, parsley, and pancetta•Sweetsfromthehouse

2928

Bombetta PuglieseServes 4

2 sprigs rosemary (about a tablespoon of just the leaves)Handful of parlsey leaves4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilSalt and pepper to taste16 thinly-sliced medallions of either pork loin or pork butt (from near the

neck). Each piece should be about 8cm x 8cm, so you may need to trim. 16 cubes mozzarella or other melting cheese16 slices prosciutto

1. Place the parsley and rosemary in a blender with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and pour into a little work bowl.

2. Lay out the pieces of pork and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a teaspoon of herb oil onto the meat and top with a piece of prosciutto. Place a cube of cheese in the center (you can use any cheese grated or cubed) Close up each piece of pork into a little ball and put onto a skew-er (which should keep them closed up).

3. Take outside to a charcoal grill and cook them for about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Polpette di Lupo (Ricotta and Bread Dumplings)Makes approximately 12 dumplings or 36 hors d’oeuvres sized dumplings

2 cups of bread mie (the inside white part of some French bread)½ cup heavy cream1 whole egg plus 1 yolk1 cup ricotta1 cup grated parmesanFresh grated nutmeg to tasteSalt and pepper to taste1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme4 cups of homemade tomato sauce

1. Toss the bread with the heavy cream and let stand in a stand mixer bowl for 5 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and using a paddle attachment, mix until it forms a soft dough. If the mixture is very soft, add more bread crumbs until it sticks together and is shapeable.

2. Form the mixture into 12 little football shapes or round dumplings. Heat a large sauté pan with a little olive oil and a little butter. On medium-low heat, panfry the dumplings on both sides (about 2 to 3 minutes a side) until they are golden brown. It’s easiest if you use a non-stick pan.

3. You can re-heat the dumplings in the oven before serving with tomato sauce.

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Lecce

RestaurantsAlle Due Corti, Corte dei Giugni, 1, +39 0832 242223Simple, not fancy, with traditional dishes of Puglia. In the historical center.

Doppiozero, Via Guglielmo Paladini, 2, +39 0832 521 052 Neighborhood café perfect for a coffee break, lunch, or “aperitivo” cocktail, in the historical center.

Osteria Degli Spiriti, Via Cesare Battisti, 4, +39 0832 246274Regional cuisine with homemade pasta recognized by Slowfood, close to the historical center.

Ristorante Arte dei Sapori, Vico degli Alami, 3, +39 0832 303534In the historical center, with typical Mediterranean dishes and an extensive wine list.

Trattoria Fiori di Zucca, Via Forlanini, 26, +39 0832 230313Local, seasonal cuisine, with vegetables and pasta, and wines of the Salento.

Coffee, Ice Cream, and Other Shopping Maglio, Via Templari 16 just off of Piazza S. Oronzo Super locally made chocolates, jams, and famous “latte di mandorla”, which is an almond syrup used in iced coffee in the summer.

Pasticceria “Natale, Via Trinchese 7 off of Piazza S. Oronzo For the gelato (pinoli e pistacchio are fabulous).

Avio, Via Trinchese 16 near Natale and Piazza S. Oronzo For great espresso and coffee; only no sweets... this is where the locals go.

Alvino, Piazza S. Oronzo For a coffee/dessert. A classic, but a little touristy. Nice, if you have good weather and can sit outside.

300mila, near Piazza Mazzini, in Via Centoquarantesimo Reggimento Fanteria, 11For coffee or quick lunch. ShoppingSociety, Via degli ammirati 6 For splurge shopping on super gorgeous textiles (home and accessories).

Conversano

RestaurantsLounge Bar Cliché, Piazza Castello, +39 080 246 2749 A new restaurant, an American/lounge bar located on the ground floor of the castle in a beautiful environment. For dinner or for appetizers and listening to music.

Pub/Norcineria Amici Miei, Piazza Battisti, 15 +39 080 495 2998 An informal restaurant for salumi, grilled meat, and antipasti.

Taverna San Leonardo at Palazzo D’Erchia, Via Acquaviva d’Aragona, 116 +39 080 495 0350 Trattoria specializing in authentic Apulian cuisine (reservation required).

PizzeriaPizzeria da Bernardo, Via Calata Nardelli, 17 +39 080 495 6022 Enjoy genuine pizza cooked in a wood oven. The pizzeria is located in a characteristic ancient building.

Pizzeria La Casa di Totò, Via San Mauro, 10 +39 080 495 7316 Neapolitan pizza in an informal environment.

Coffee and Ice CreamArt Café, Piazza XX Settembre +39 080 495 029A café with a modern style close to City Hall.

Caffè dell’incontro, Piazza XX Settembre, 2 +39 080 495 1067 Great ice cream, coffee, and cappuccino in an old traditional bar in a central square.

Gelateria Crema Bianca, Via Porta Antica della Città, 25 +39 080 495 2266 Gelateria/lounge café where you can taste artisanal ice cream.

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ParticipantsPuglia Culinaria Restaurants and Hotels

HotelsCorte AltavillaVico Altavilla, 8, 70014 Conversano, Province of Bari, Italy+39 080 495 9668

Patria Palace HotelPiazzetta Riccardi, 13, 73100 Lecce, Province of Lecce, Italy+39 0832 245 111

RestaurantsRistorante Goffredo at Corte AltavillaVico Altavilla, 8, 70014 Conversano, Province of Bari, Italy+39 080 495 9668

Antichi SaporiPiazza Sant’Isidoro 7-12 | Montegrosso, 76123 Andria, Italy +39 088 356 9529

Palazzo D’Erchia (cooking class)Via Acquaviva D’Aragona, 116 70014 Conversano, Province of Bari, Italy+39 080 495 0350

PashaPiazza Castello, 5-7 70014 Conversano, Province of Bari, Italy+39 080 495 1079 Agriturismo Casina dei PretiProv.per Cozze, 9/A, 70014 Conversano, Province of Bari, Italy+39 389 468 5908

Madonna della StellaVia Madonna della Stella, Gravina in Puglia, Italy (BA) +39 080 325 6383

Il FrantoioStrada Statale 16 Km 874.1, Casella Postale 25 72017 Ostuni, Province of Brindisi, Italy+39 0831 330 276

Le ZieVia Costadura, 19, 73100 Lecce, Province of Lecce, Italy+39 0832 245 178

Blu NotteVia Brancaccio, 2 Lecce, Province of Lecce, Italy+39 0832 304 286

M. Laurie Cammisa (Boston, MA)Isabel Chesak (Cambridge, MA)James Cronin (Westerly, RI)Michele Cronin (Westerly, RI)Joyce Easter (Kittery Point, ME)Emily Eryou (Naples, FL)Mary Finck (Cherry Hill, NJ)Margaret Flowers (Weston, MA)Joanne Giga (Owatonna, MN)Susan Grant (Atlanta, GA)Mary Dee Hacker (Glendale, CA)Susan Heath (Seattle, WA)Janis Hersh (Arlington, MA)Sally Howe (Orange, MA)Sandra King (Sudbury, MA)Kathy Kramer-Howe (Paradise

Valley, AZ)Karen Lacey (Green Bay, WI)Phillip Ledin (Winchester, MA)Anne Liebman (Cambridge, MA)Stephen Mansfield (Arlington, MA)Jean Mansfield (Arlington, MA)

Robert Mitchell (Cambridge, MA)Janet Morehouse (Winchester, MA)Loretta Noriega (Boston, MA)Ardis Ono (Hilo, HI)Rodney Ono (Hilo, HI)Susan Pharr (Cambridge, MA)Jocelyn Ramella

(Charlestown, MA)Carolyn Scarbrough

(Heathsville, VA)Charles Schoendorf

(Rowayton, CT)Eileen Sporing (Charlestown, MA)Jacquelyn Sporing (Covington

Township, PA)Carol Stearns (Charlestown, MA)Robert Tunis (Sudbury, MA)Cortney King Tunis (Boston, MA)George Webber (Kittery Point, ME)Nancy Wheatley (Boston, MA)Clare Wisor (Bridgewater, NJ)Geraldine Woods (Wallingford, CT)

Hosts

Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways (Boston, MA)Ana Sortun, Owner/Chef, Oleana (Cambridge, MA)

Cara Chigazola Tobin, Sous Chef, Oleana (Cambridge, MA)Sara Fetbroth, Restaurant Manager, Oleana (Cambridge, MA)

Sarah Dwyer, Program Manager, Oldways (Austin, TX)Abby Sloane, Program Assistant, Oldways (Boston, MA)

Rossella Speranza, Oldways Italia (Puglia, Italy)Simona Cardone, Oldways Italia (Puglia, Italy)Cynthia Louthan, Oldways Italia (Puglia, Italy)

34

AcknowledgementsOrganizing the Oldways Culinaria in Puglia has been a delight, a labor of love, full of pleasure and collaboration. The event would not be possible without the help, care, ideas, interest and passion of many individuals and organizations.

We feel so very fortunate that we have the great pleasure of traveling with Ana Sortun, the very talented chef and partner of Oleana and Sofra, during our week in Puglia. As always, she’s gra-cious and generous about sharing her knowledge, and equally interested in continually learning about food traditions through travel. In addition, and happily, Ana has brought two wonderful people from Oleana: Sous Chef Cara Chigazola Tobin and Restaurant Manager Sara Fetbroth.

Oldways’ long-time partner in Puglia is Rossella Speranza. She has worked with us for fifteen years—as Oldways Italia—and has turned her passion and love of Puglia and the olive oil, food, wines, and cooking of Puglia into her life’s work. We are always grateful to Rossella who has helped make our week in Puglia a memorable one, and also thankful that she shares her passion for Puglia.

During our journey in Puglia, we will meet many others who have contributed and helped in so many different ways.

Special thanks go to Natalia Reale Basili in Lecce for opening her home to us. Her warmth and generosity are extraordinary, and Oldways is very grateful to Natalia and her family for sharing their beautiful villa with our group and their assistance in arranging Ana’s cooking class.

Cynthia Louthan, an American living in Salento and a friend of Oldways, has been a wonderful support and has provided information and ideas, and will be with us during our time in Lecce. Thank you very much Cynthia.

To our guides in Puglia—Simona Cardone, Katia Sportelli, Amy Weideman and Angelo Caliano—thank you for sharing your knowledge, interests, and passion for Puglia.

Many thanks to our new friends at our hotels—especially Letizia Valenzano and Chef Paolo D’Anna at Corte Altavilla in Conversano; Salvatore Perrone at the Patria Palace Hotel in Lecce; and Apollonia D’Erchia at Palazzo D’Erchia in Conversano.

A special thank you to Apulian wine expert and producer Gregory Perrucci of Accademia dei Racemi for introducing us to the wines of Puglia.

We will enjoy a number of wonderful meals during our week in Puglia. Many thanks to all for adding to our knowledge of Puglia, with delicious meals and the important connections of food to the place. We recognize and thank Chef Pietro Zito and his mother of Antichi Sapori for sharing his love of local and seasonal foods with us; Apollonia D’Erchia for aiding in our cooking class preparations and execution at Palazzo D’Erchia; Antonello Magistà and his mother Chef Maria Cicorella of Pasha for sharing their unique cuisine with our group; Giancarlo Capriati, Carmela Dragone, Angela Lorusso, and Annarita Cascione who prepared our special vegetable pot-luck lunch in Largo Albiococca in Old Town of Bari; Silvio Fanelli and Caterina Schiavone at Casina dei Preti for their hospitality, generosity and unforgettable lessons in making panzerotti.; bread maker Vito Macella at Forno Santa Chiara for introducing us to the bread of Altamura; Vito Bosco for his hearty and memorable lunch at Madonna della Stella and Roberto Rubino from Anfosc for his expertise and cheese tasting. A special thanks for Franco Tranquillino for organizing our Cola Cola experience. Thank you to Armando Balestrazzi and family at Masseria Il Frantoio for sharing the wonders of their agroturismo with us; and in Lecce, thanks to Benedetto Cavalieri for the gift of his wonderful pasta; Carmela Perrone of Le Zie for her exquisite home cooking; and Sonia Gaetani at Blu Notte for our splendid seafood dinner finale.

Finally, and wholeheartedly, many thanks to everyone at Oldways, and especially to Joan Kelley, Oldways’ graphic designer, who has once again made everything look so beautiful; Birthe Creutz who has been a help with the finances and budget; Sarah Dwyer who always pitches in and is a wonderful and welcoming presence; and most of all, many thanks to Abby Sloane, for her hard work and dedication, for her incredible enthusiasm and excitement about the program, and for being such a solid point of contact for all. Sara Baer-Sinnott President, Oldways March 2013

CREDITS: As a nonprofit educational organization, Oldways expresses sincere appreciation to the sources of selections that appear in this Program Book. These works make valuable contributions to this educational program, and to our un-der¬standing of Puglia, and the foods and wines that make it so special.

The Heart of Puglia

S o as Puglia speaks to us through its dialects, music, dance, architecture, gestures and art, it speaks in a language that expresses the

mix of genes of the peoples who came before.

Not surprisingly, this very diverse cultural genealogy spawned an unusual and rich variety of culinary inventiveness in Puglia, in the foods and in the preparations of dishes and meals. The genealogy of Pugliese dishes of grains, greens, vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, mushrooms, fish, cheese—and bread, pasta, soups, wines, liqueurs—more often than not hearken back clearly to cultures far away and long ago.

But the families of Puglia have firmly affixed their own local stamps to the dishes. Neighboring cities, and certainly towns, use similar principal ingredients in dishes (orecchiette, chick peas, olive oil, or squid, for example). But in their use of seasonings, preparations and minor ingredients in their dishes, the people of Puglia have always woven very different patterns.

This remarkable play of local flavors from town to town does remind us of being in another, older kind of time. It is the play of the wind and the strength of the sun that does so, too, but it is much, much more than that. It really derives directly from the polyglot of cultures and traditions that came before, that somehow and ineluctably find expression in a deeply-knit unity—The Heart of Puglia.

K. Dun Gifford Founder, Oldways

266 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02116, USATel:617-421-5500•Fax:617-421-5511

oldways@oldwayspt.org

© 2013 Oldways Preservation Trust

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