Puglia Autentica

The destination of our journey is the OLEIFICIO COOPERATIVO CIMA DI BITONTO, a proud bastion of a thousand-year-old tradition in our Apulia region. We are in Bitonto, a few kilometres from the Apulian capital, in the heart of Puglia's extra virgin olive oil production.     An expanse of olive trees as far as the eye can see appears before the eyes of those travelling through the Bari hinterland. Once there, we cannot help but breathe in the intense scent of vegetation, as if we were immersed in an expanse of centuries-old olive trees. After all, nature is not so far away from us here, with the lush greenery of the adjacent Lama Balice, a treasure trove of wild flora and fauna biodiversity.     Waiting for us is Pasquale Mastandrea, President of the Oleificio Cooperativo. From his very first words we sense his boundless love for this generous land and its fruits. The Cima di Bitonto Cooperative has a history of more than sixty years and with its 350 members manages to pursue the incredible commitment of obtaining the best 'olive juice' made in Puglia.     A commitment clearly manifested in the Oleificio's logo, in which the word 'Puro', referring to oil, stands out against the elements of nature. Sun, rain, earth and the fruit that is born: all very important aspects to give the consumer an oil that tastes of tradition. In its years of activity, the Cooperative has managed to safeguard the land and the farmers thanks to a synergic work established with its numerous members.     From them comes the promise to preserve the olive cultivars and to make the area in which they grow known. It is no coincidence that the cultivated varieties are 70% Ogliarola and 30% Coratina: both originate from the growing area and are processed within a few hours of their harvest.     The agronomic methods used by the Cooperative's members are inspired by ancient local traditions and those notions handed down over the centuries that allow the plant to grow healthy and robust. The pruning system adopted allows the best nourishment to the shoots and young branches, so as to obtain a truly exceptional juice.     Cima di Bitonto brand oils are all extra virgin. The decisive character of the Coratina is mitigated by the sweetness of the Cima di Bitonto and the result is an extra virgin oil that combines the peculiarities of both cultivars, resulting in an intense yellow oil with a balanced presence of fruit and herbaceous hints. In addition to the classic extra virgin olive oil, much appreciated for its medium fruitiness, in the Oleificio's product basket we discover the D.O.P Terra di Bari, a harmonious, slightly spicy extra virgin with herbaceous fragrances.     From organic farming comes the 'Biologico' extra virgin olive oil. In this oil, the olive, with its strong flavour, and the almond, which is more delicate, stand out very well and do not alter the taste of a dish but, on the contrary, enhance it as it deserves.

"You have to love what you do to want to do it every day" With this love comes achievement!!!!!  In the picture you don't find the producer, the president, a leader. You find the cross-section of a community-our own!"   An almost 100-year-old winery and an area naturally suited for the production of rich and fine wines. These elements would be enough to describe L'ANTICA CANTINA DI SAN SEVERO (fg) one of the most dynamic and long-lived Apulian wineries in the region.    Telling us the story of Antica Cantina is Ciro Caliendo, the winery's president, whom we meet in the San Severo plant. Behind him, as has happened numerous times before for other historic businesses like this one, is a wall crowded with awards and recognitions, many of which are true historical relics.   The Antica Cantina di San Severo is actually a social winery founded in 1933 and, just as it was a vine, it has its roots in local culture and culture. It is no coincidence that San Severo saw the first Apulian DOC recognized in 1968, a tangible sign of a peasant and winemaking custom that to define millenary is reductive.   The strong point of the Antica Cantina's wine production is not only the synergic and joint work with its members who confer the quality grapes, but it is also represented by a thousand hectares cultivated according to a system of company certification and traceability that contributes to producing wines that represent the harmonious, joyful and elegant synthesis of the typicality of this land.   In the fertile Daunia, the dream of many farmers has come to life: to offer the consumer the sensations that express at the same time the pleasantness and passion that the land of San Severo offers.  It is the way to get to know our history and the culture of the land, toward which all the locals nurture a boundless passion, the same as there is in San Severo DOP.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1}   San Severo Bianco as early as 1932, was recognized as a typical local wine. Castrum San Severo Bianco is made from a blend of Bombino, Trebbiano and a touch of Malvasia. Rosso and Rosato round out the San Severo DOP offering. The Castrum Rosso is a wine with just the right structure. It releases aromas of plums and black cherry that blend with the floral of violets and cyclamen. Castrum Rosato" with its delicacy offers a fruity, intense bouquet with hints of peach to satisfy even the most sensitive palate.   With the Nobiles line we find the typical varietals. Noble and positively austere is the Nobiles IGP obtained from Nero di Troia grapes, one of the native vines of lands cultivated on the slopes near the Gargano. With its almost impenetrable color, Nobiles Nero di Troia has a full-bodied but refined structure and a taste of red fruits and spices that intrigue and intoxicate the palate.  

Along the path that crosses the fascinating natural landscape of the Regional Natural Park 'Terra delle Gravine' one arrives at Mottola, a municipality in the province of Taranto called 'Spia dello Ionio' (Ionian Sea Beach) due to its panoramic geographical position that embraces the entire Gulf of Taranto and the splendid Ionian Sea with an area rich in natural ravines and rocky villages. In this enchanting landscape one encounters a genuine reality dedicated to the production of wine and grain.     We are talking about Masseria Liuzzi located in contrada Marinara, which now has a sales outlet in via Risorgimento in Mottola.     A combination of passion, commitment and spirit of sacrifice, whose protagonists are Marcello Latorrata and Barbara Lattarulo. The couple, who inherited the business from the Latorrata family, carry on, day after day, a tradition that has been handed down for four generations.     It all started more than a century ago with a different name, 'I Casidd d Liuzzi', with a cereal-livestock focus. The metamorphosis into Masseria Liuzzi took place with the transition to wine production on a predominantly calcareous land covering approximately 10 hectares. The quality of the products is also guaranteed by the altitude of about 270 metres above sea level, a good temperature range between day and night and adequate ventilation.     Masseria Liuzzi's wine is a product that fully reflects the Apulian territory: the vineyards are transformed into wine grapes by a natural process. The result is a primitivo with an unmistakable flavour, processed in purity. We are one of the few wineries in Apulia to treat in purity also the rosé, which at Masseria Liuzzi is a primitivo to all intents and purposes, as it preserves the same alcohol content as the red primitivo.     What makes the Mottola-based company's wines unique are also the names on the labels. Products that tell their own story. Starting with the primitives, we find the 'Marnera', which recalls the Marinara district in dialect, literally meaning 'land covered by the sea', the 'Tuppétt', which owes its name to a small hillock on the Masseria Liuzzi where the vines overlook the property.     The last on this list is 'Rosasso', whose name derives from the combination of the colour of rosé wine and the limestone soil on which the vines stand, in which marine fossils can be found whenever there is ploughing or soil movement.     Added to these are 'Scinò', a black malvasia whose name is a fusion of the malvasia vine and the word 'malvagia', a reference to that magic that in Apulia is immediately linked to the so-called 'affascino' and, to end on a high note, 'Bolloro', a fiano that pays homage to Frederick II of Swabia, a fiano lover who issued the Golden Bull in Rimini back in 1235.     Equally characteristic is the production of wheat, which takes place with full care in each of its phases. After periodic ploughing, sowing and harvesting, the wheat is taken to a pasta factory in Matera, where the traditional formats that can be found in the Masseria Liuzzi shop are created.     Cavatelli and orecchiette are at the top of the shelves, strictly bronze-drawn pasta using 'Senatore Cappelli' flour.      Depending on soil conditions, then, the farm's production also periodically turns to pulses, especially chickpeas.     In the characteristic Apulian landscape, made up of natural ravines and rocky villages, lies the soul of Masseria Liuzzi, which among oaks, olive trees and wheat, represents the soul of Apulia.

In 1940 PIROTECNICA CHIARAPPA, an Apulian company known worldwide for the scenic beauty of its fireworks displays, was founded in San Severo. Eighty years in business and four generations of entrepreneurs skilled in the art of light and fireworks displays make PIROTECNICA CHIARAPPA a benchmark in the fireworks display industry.   The company produces all kinds of pyrotechnics in full compliance with the safety standards dictated by the European Union and tests products following the guidelines of accredited institutes. The incredible craft of fireworks preparation is carefully and passionately handed down from father to son and has evolved to the point where it offers the public incredible and breathtaking fireworks shows.   Pirotecnica Chiarappa has lit up the skies all over Italy, bringing Apulian mastery to Europe as well, such as the numerous participations in Germany, Croatia, France, and Austria, winning numerous contests and receiving many awards and recognitions.   Separate mention deserves the participation of Pirotecnica Chiarappa in the opening party of Matera 2019 European Capital of Culture. The consequentiality of the images that suddenly appear high in the sky and that mix designs of luminous fountains, streamers that descend slowly, stars that burst dividing into many other little stars and so on, are all games that are not random but studied at the desk by real experts who know the secrets of pyrotechnics and who know well the effects of a certain path and how to achieve it.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1} The study is not superficial but very detailed and thorough. Like a director, Nicola Chiarappa, the last of the lineage, has to foresee times, causes and effects so that a performance can be executed planned in every detail. Not only tradition but also and above all innovation.   Chiarappa Pyrotechnics offers classic "ground" shows and radio-controlled displays, with remote programming and computerized start-up.  Shades of color are obtained by calibrating and mixing various types of chemicals until the desired result is achieved.   It is a job that requires meticulous care of the products handled to ensure that each shade and nuance is exactly as requested by the client. As in all craft businesses, there is a meticulous method of preparation to achieve the desired colors and results: the "recipe," jealously guarded, has been handed down from father to son for decades.   Thanks to the family's creativity, experience and desire to take the spread of the art of pyrotechnics ever higher, Pirotecnica Chiarappa has opened a store dedicated to the marketing of products for all kinds of parties.   Between fireworks, streamers and gadgets, Pirotecnica Chiarappa makes incredible shows and performances that will make you daydream. Today Nicola Chiarappa holds the reins of the company to propel it into an increasingly promising future.

It was the beginning of the 1960s when Vittorio Fiume made his first experiments with liqueurs and almond milk in a small artisan laboratory.   Animated by his passion for Puglia, at the time he was probably unaware that those artisanal attempts of his would have transformed over time into an Apulian brand known throughout the world. The history of the Fiume brand is a story that speaks of love.   Love for Puglia, for herbs, spices and infusions. Located in the industrial area of Putignano, a town famous for its ancient Carnival, the Fiume plant today produces highly appreciated drinks in the liqueur and non-alcoholic sector.   The Fiume brand liqueurs communicate the link with the territory, starting with the raw materials. As Caterina Fiume, Vittorio's daughter and brand research and development manager, explains to us, one of the first liqueurs to bear her father's signature is the "Elisir dei Trulli", whose name evokes a miraculous potion and amazes with the enveloping flavor of the alcoholic and aromatic notes.   Chocolate, rum, hazelnut and coffee are some of the scents of the Elisir dei Trulli, which offer the consumer a sensory journey that delights the palate with warm and intense flavours. The "Amaro Pugliese", famous contemporary of Elisir dei Trulli, is famous because it conveys Apulian character not only in the name but also in the choice of raw materials.   And so in the Officinal Teriaca of Amaro Pugliese we discover mint, fennel, sage, artichoke, citrus fruits and so on. All raw materials from the area, transformed to create a amaro that speaks of customs and collective memory.   While she tells us about Amaro Pugliese, Caterina takes out a small box with some of the herbs used. And so, next to the mint, a native herbaceous plant, we notice the China Succirubra which instead comes from Ecuador, the Rhubarb, typical of China and the Quassio of Jamaica. And it's incredible how a single liqueur can contain entire portions of the world while remaining tied to tradition.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1}   Tradition that is also expressed in the "Limoncello", produced according to the ancient recipe of Caterina's grandmother and which seals a little secret handed down from generation to generation. Remaining on the side of alcoholic beverages, "Amarum" is another Fiume brand creation that mixes territoriality and international influences.   In Amarum, Jamaican rum sublimates the infusion of local spices and nuts. A amaro so precious as to be recognized at the SIAL in Paris in 2008 as one of the 100 most innovative products, and awarded at the 2020 Rome Bar Show for being able to make the most of the excellence of the territory.   For those who don't like alcohol, there is a decidedly tasty alternative. It is the "Almond Milk", born as a syrup, now also in the delicious ready-to-drink version, Mandorlè, and which is produced by extraction using only and exclusively sweet Apulian almonds.   Yet another trait of attachment to its origins of a brand that, with one foot in Puglia and one in the world, takes its drinks beyond national borders.

If we had to choose a shape for Puglia, it would be the classic and curvy roundness of the tarallo. Symbol of our oldest culinary traditions, with a history that spans centuries, the tarallo is the foundation of the Puglia Sapori company.     We are in Conversano (BA), an architectural jewel with one of the most beautiful historic centres in the region. Founded in the nineties, the family-run company Puglia Sapori took its first steps in the local pastry sector, and then in 2000 began producing tasty savoury snacks.     Our guide is Roberto Renna, operations manager of the company, which stands alongside other companies halfway between the city and the open countryside, as if to convey a direct link with nature and its goodness. The skill with which Puglia Sapori combines the taste of its snacks with respect for tradition has become their trademark.     The ingredients to make tarallini are few, but of high quality, perfectly representing an entrepreneurial philosophy that has always wanted to keep the homemade version of baked goods alive. A company that has adapted its production to the original recipe and that, in addition to excellent raw materials, respects the preparation from start to finish.     It is no coincidence that Puglia Sapori is one of the few companies that still boils the tarallo, just as it was done in the homes and bakeries of yesteryear. As Roberto explains, this is a fundamental step that preserves the fragrance and consistency of the product, even though it makes the process take longer.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1}   The continuous search for the perfect sensory experience, combined with the typical crunchiness of the tarallo, has lead Puglia Sapori to produce a wide range of truly delicious specialities. The Classic Line offers, just to name a few, taralli with fennel seeds, simple with extra virgin olive oil, multigrain, with chilli pepper, pizza flavour, onion flavour, and a Multipack version, so you always have a fresh bag available.     One of the central themes of Puglia Sapori products is attention to health. This is why the brand has invested in continued research and development, and has accompanied the Classic line with Gluten free and Organic options as well. There is something for everyone in the Organic line. You can choose between multigrain tarallini (tasty but also light), spelt tarallini, and specialities with Senatore Cappelli durum wheat, all prepared with extra virgin olive oil and yeast-free.     “Just as good without” is the motto of the Gluten-free line, which has its own dedicated factory and a recipe developed in collaboration with the University of Bari. The goal was to find the right mix of gluten-free flours that would leave the taste of the classic tarallo unaltered.     We are pleased to say that Puglia Sapori has succeeded, offering their consumers options with buckwheat, quinoa flour, wholegrain, or legumes.     Tasty and enjoyable, for a delicious snack that tastes like Puglia from the very first bite.   

Immense marble quarries surround the vineyards of CANTINE LE GROTTE, a winery in Apricena (fg).     The small village, located close to the Gargano, is famous for the quality of its stone and its excellent wine, and is appreciated for its fertile soil and pleasant climate. At the winery we breathe the scent of centuries, of the history that has made this area important and of the tradition that survives and makes its way through progress.     Guiding us on this journey between stone and wine is Biagio Cruciani, the winery's sales manager, who tells us about a strongly identity-driven enterprise whose birth is inextricably linked to that of the town. Apricena is "attached" to the history of its stone, and that of Cantine Le Grotte embraces the local marble tradition.     It is in the Dell'Erba family quarries that the vineyards from which the wine is produced are planted. The family's marble-making tradition is also imprinted on the company logo: a large block of stone split by a vine, two elements of nature that coexist with each other.     It is from the living rock, from the fertile earth, that the story of Cantine Le Grotte's plant was born, immersed in nature and surrounded by greenery. It is a palette of colors that is presented to our eyes. The white of the nearby stone quarries allows the green of the landscape to triumph with its immense seasonal hues, while the blue of the sky divides the green of the sea from Lake Lesina and the Tremiti Islands in the background.     The vineyards are located in the foothills of the Gargano and are rooted in mineral-rich limestone soils, the same soils in which the best Apricena stone is grown. The winery produces excellent native red wines such as Nero di Troia and Primitivo along with international varietals such as Merlot and Sirah that have adapted well to the area's warm, temperate climate. Respect for the area of origin is one of the characteristics in which the winery continually invests.     Its philosophy espouses a concept of cultivation in which nature does the work. The link with Apricena is also told through the names of the wines.     Petrata, for example, is vinified in red from the Nero di Troia grape variety or in white from Bombino and is the "Italianized" version of the dialect term for quarry. The red has powerful hints of blackberry, while the white is finer and fruitier. Selva della Rocca, vinified in red (Primitivo and Nero di Troia), rosé (Nero di Troia) and white (Falanghina) is named after the Santa Maria Selva della Rocca Sanctuary in Apricena, probably built between the 8th and 9th centuries by Benedictine monks, and all are fine wines with intense, fruity and floral aromas.     Not to be missed are the bubbles in Charmat and Merlot Classico versions, and completing the line is the Sico high catering version identified by a label depicting a medieval coin called "Sicone" from the Lombard period found in existing vineyards. Wines that symbolize gratitude and respect for this land and are inspired by it to offer the consumer all their goodness.