The humble food of Apulia often referred to as “cucina povera”, the cuisine of poverty, is celebrated as one of the best examples of the healthy Mediterranean Diet. Three things are essential to the Apulian kitchen: wheat, vegetables, and olive oil. Semolina flour is transformed into a variety of handmade pastas (some shaped like little ears, others like concave shells, others still like thick ropes) which are boiled with wild or cultivated greens, tossed with hearty meat ragùs, or cooked into soups. Wheels of rustic bread are baked in the ovens of Altamura and other Apulian towns, to be enjoyed as companions to daily meals and serve as the starting point for numerous appetizers, salads, soups, and simple desserts.

Some example of the most interesting offering are: “orecchiette”, (little ears) the typical pasta of this region manually made with hard flour and water, pressed with a thumb to resemble little ears that catch and hold the pasta sauce;“friseddha”, a twice-baked ring-shaped bread; “tiella”, rice baked with potatoes and seafood or vegetables to make an unusual main course; “ricci” (sea urchins) savoured raw, flavoured with a squeeze of lemon to underscore their briny flavour; “turcinieddhi” (offal) prepared with lamb's hearts, lights and intestines, skewered and cooked on a blazing grill, then eaten with raw celery and sharp sheep's milk cheese; “panzarotti”, a wrapper of dough filled with ricotta, mozzarella or onions; “burrata”, (buttered) a small wet ball of cow's milk fresh mozzarella, filled with diced mozzarella soaked in cream; “ricotta forte” is a spicy sheep's milk ricotta (aged for a month), “scamorza”, a mild creamy cheeses that hang in ball and pear shapes in cheese shops; “fava bean puree” with sautéed chicory and olive oil; “polpi arriciati” (curled octopus).

But also an outstanding array of vegetables to be eaten only in season, like: fava beans, artichokes, broccoli, eggplants, sweet peppers, tomatoes, along with wild pungent greens such as chicory or cicorielle, wild hyacinth bulbs or lampascione, arugula, and dandelion.

Inclusions:

· Airport meet upon arrival and transfer in farmhouse;
· Accommodations as indicated in standard double rooms (7 nights);
· Daily breakfast;

· Meals as indicated in the itinerary, water and local wines included;

· Truffle hunting;

· Private transportation from/to airports, restaurants, events and hotels;

· Private guided visits as indicated in the itinerary;

· Service of an English-speaking local guides;
· Insurance (during the period of stay: baggage and medical expenses);

· All taxes and entrance fees.

Exclusions:

· All air travel and airport taxes;

· Beverages and meals not specified in the itinerary;

· Tips, gratuities and entrance fees to non-stated sites;

· All items of a personal nature (laundry, phone calls, etc.).

Prices on request, depending on:

· Season, number of participants, typology of chosen accommodations.