Puglia Wins Over The New York Times Travel Show 2020

On January 24, 25, and 26, the 3rd edition of The New York Times Travel Show was held at the Jacob K. Javits Center. This is the largest event in North America entirely dedicated to the tourism and travel industry to promote territory, local products, culture, and traditions. It is no coincidence that 747 exhibitors were present at the exhibition, along with 350 speakers and experts in the travel industry, from 176 different countries around the globe. Puglia proudly represented Italy.

The Apulia Region attended the event for the second consecutive year, with an important presence thanks to the numerous initiatives put in place. The tourist proposal was rich, thanks also to the presence of ten Apulian operators at the booth, strategically placed right at the entrance of the Travel Show. Buyers, journalists, and New Yorkers took the opportunity to live some typical Apulian experiences: from the preparation of the "orecchiette" by pasta granny Nunzia Caputo — who met and kneaded with the chef star Lidia Bastianich — to the tasting of Apulian wines, up to the very appreciated singing performance of the Italian tenor Aldo Caputo.

In the Southeastern region of Italy, grandmothers and great grandmothers describe how the Apulian sun perfectly dries their "little ear" orecchiette pasta when set outside. This love of the sun mingles well with a love of place and a love of food. In Puglia, they are hard to separate. When Nunzia Caputo reflects on making orecchiette in the region's capital, Bari, she explains how all these things converge: "If someone loves their city, their values, their things, they will share them. They become sacred, and you appreciate the quality."

But where to begin when exploring the culinary legacy of this region that extends along the spur and heel of Italy's boot? Perhaps most important is to remember that the diet of Puglia claims to be the lightest cuisine of all Italy with its extra-virgin olive oil pressed from ancient trees and plentiful seafood eaten raw. The coastline stretches farther than any other region in Italy. So while you taste burrata, orecchiette, fruity extra-virgin olive oils, like peranzana, coratino and leccino, from the source, you can also wander its beaches, sandstone cliffs and chalky grottos on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.

With such fresh ingredients, it's no surprise that over 50 Michelin-rated restaurants call Puglia home. As a traveler, quality products are abundant. "Every season has its ritual and different ingredients," says Francesco Muciaccia, an expert on Puglia tourism. "Winter is dedicated to olive oil and summer to vegetables and spring and autumn to fruits." He recommends staying in masseria and taking time to pitch in with the harvest of tomatoes and olives.

To absorb and appreciate the legacy of Puglia's living gastronomy, you must dive into the region's areas and the ingredients. Here is a quick tour:

Northern Puglia

Gargano and Daunia Areas : Just two hours north of Bari, the Gargano peninsula juts out into the Adriatic. Beneath cliffs covered in Aleppo pine, the secluded coastline runs over 100 miles. Visit Peschici and Vieste to eat at small restaurants, known as trabucchi, that rise out of the sea. Hundreds of years ago, fishermen built them to fish in deep waters. Head inland to explore acres of old-growth forest in the Gargano National Park and orchards called giardini to taste Italy's oldest Rodi lemon variety. Try their limoncello, candied rinds, and marmalades made with orange. Other musts: they cultivate a fava bean, known as the carpino, which is slow-cooked in terracotta pots, and produce caciocavallo cow's cheese aged 8-10 years.

Central Puglia

Bari and the areas of the Itria Valley and Murgia dei Trulli: In the Old Town of Bari, you'll meet the seated grandmothers of Arco Passo, who rub semolina dough across wooden boards, preparing orecchiette, which they sell in bags. Apart from pasta, Bari's delicious street snacks revolve around bread and seafood. Try the focaccia of roasted tomatoes, red onions from Acquaviva and dried oregano. Indulge with a Pugliese version of calzone, known as panzerotto, stuffed with tomato, mozzarella and sometimes turnip ends. Bari's sushi, called crudo di pesce, is served as a combination of raw baby squid, octopus, and shellfish. A drive out of the city will bring new flavors. Stop by the mecca of burrata, Andria, and drive through the Itria Valley and Murgia dei Trulli, where vineyards, olive groves, and dairy farms cover the countryside. Here you'll find centuries' old stone villages, like Alberobello and Locorotondo. Stop in Cisternino to eat at rustic butcher shops smokey with wood-fired ovens. Order wine, like the Martina Franca, grilled liver gnummareddi, and skewers of veal stuffed with caciocavallo cheese. Another specialty is capocollo, or cured pig's neck, which is first smoked, marinated in brine, and finally soaked in mulled wine.

Southern Puglia

Lecce and the Salento are a: South of Bari, small towns scattered across the coastline of Salento offer seafood bliss and nightlife on the beach. The Appian Way from Rome ends in this area. En route to Brindisi and Bari, stop by Savelletri and Forcatella to try a meal of mythical sea urchins, and make a second stop in Monopoli for grouper and shrimp.

Lecce is called the Florence of the south for its profuse baroque architecture. In Lecce, the Salentino people sit in sun-soaked piazzas drinking caffè in ghiaccio con latte di mandorla, espresso with ice, sugar, and almond milk, (long before Starbucks knew of this magical combination.)

In Downtown Lecce, Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potí run their award-winning establishment, Bros Restaurant. These Michelin starred chefs grew up eating simple dishes made from few ingredients full of flavor, like hard wheat bread with slow-cooked chicory and freshly grated pecorino cheese. They laugh when they admit that this kind of cooking has become associated with trends in high conceptual cuisine, like their own, but also feel deeply reverent towards the ingredients and the people who make their food. For first-timers in Lecce, they recommend visiting the markets and reserving a Friday night to eat a steaming hot piadina with fermented ricotta (with your hands) out on the street.