This morning we headed south to the Masseria Cinque Santi for an olive oil and cheese tasting. With the decimation of about 90% of the olive trees in southern Puglia due to a bacterial disease brought here from Costa Rica via Gallipoli , this organic farm has been relying on its cheese production to survive. We were met by the third generation owner who explained how the process of tasting the oil and expounded on its health benefits. We tried three different oils, followed by a sampling of their cheeses, a buttery burrata, a scamorza (smoked mozzarella), a mild ricotta salata and an aged cheese, along with a unique condiment made with orange and ricotta.
Then we headed to the coast of the Ionian Sea to the seaside town of Gallipoli. Nearly deserted as it is now off season, this charming town has a vibrant fishing port, several baroque churches, seaside restaurants and charming shops. Although emigration took a huge toll on the population, the town is reinventing itself as a resort town, tripling from 15,000 to 45,000 during the summer months.
After a seafood lunch, we drove to Otranto, the town in the Salento region furthest south on the Adriatic . It is a charming and very clean town with a duomo dating from the 12th century with the famous Tree of Life floor mosaic created in 1164 and the altar dedicated to the 400 inhabitants killed by the invasion of the Ottoman Turks in the 1400s.
The town has a lovely seaside lungomare for evening strolls, lined by restaurants and gelaterie. We stopped for a local beer and some snacks as we weren’t hungry after the substantial lunch.
Camino Musings 