ALAS APUGLIA

APUGLIA - Foggia to Andria a Feast for the Eyes and Food for the Soul.

Oh how nice it is to be back in Apuglia. It's been a little while since our last post but, what the hell, we've been busy riding and planning. I can't exactly explain it, but we're very happy to be in familiar territory away from hectic tourism.  We are way more relaxed. The nice thing is that we blend in, everyone thinks we're Italian until we open our mouths. 

Ready for the Road

Don't dare drop your mask a little on the Italian Trains

The train ride from Naples went without a hitch. We arrived in Foggia in about 5 hours with 1 transfer and some time to kill. We headed to Lucerna to a nice historic B&B. Had a drink to loosen up and then a wander through town. Many of the restaurants from Roma to Napoli had very similar menus and Apuglia offers a change. The restaurant we picked was a small place that serves whatever is in season and posts them on a chalk board. No printed menu. Finally something different. We ended up ordering a cavello "horse" dish with puntarella cooked greens as well as a mushroom ravioli. It was pretty darn good.

The Lucera Castle

After a one night stay in Lucera we're off to Foggia. Foggia is the place where all the Italians warn us to stay away from. We had several warnings and raised eyebrows on our way but we've been there multiple times, a bit seedy and home to Italy's 5th Mafia, but we like it. Our apartment host on a previous visit asked us why we were there. We said to visit Foggia. His response was "No body comes to Foggia to visit Foggia" but we did.  

Devon in front of an old Massaria

Ancient Roman Ruins

We decided to go out for dinner for one of the nights. We always try to find something out of the ordinary and Devon found a restaurant, Ambasciata Orsarese. It was a place that had no menu but served you whatever they were cooking. Not even a chalkboard to choose from. OMG, it was an incredible dinner. The meal started with a bottle of a wonderful Rosé, then course after course of food. About 7 courses into the dinner the owner says that we can share the courses if we are getting full, so we did. At 10 courses, we're both full to the brim, he asks us if we're ready for the next chapter. Two main courses followed by desert, cafe, and lemoncello. Needless to say we didn't eat for days following. Here are the courses for our dinner. We had no idea what it was going to cost as we didn't ask. Wow only 40€ each !

A Spicey Start

Mushrooms an Truffles they are using on one of the courses.

Bruschetta

Antipasto

Encrusted Fish

Bacalla 

Bean Puree with Chicorea

Fred Polenta & Cheese

Mushroom & Truffle Pasta

Bean Dish

Potatoes & Prosciutto wrapped Sausage

Sausage, Potatoes, and Greens

Desert  Video, Oh So Good

Lemoncello and others ?

From Foggia we're on our way to Cerignola. This part of Apuglia is a major vegetable agricultural area. The gravel road on our route turned into a farm field so after some rerouting we headed in another direction when we came across some men harvesting artichokes. After a little conversion, they didn't understand us we didn't understand them.  We tried to buy 2 artichokes as that would be easy to carry. He smiled and brought us 3, then 4 more, we said no more, so he gave us another 3. He refused any money, a wonderful gesture, wonderful Apuglia.

Generous Artichoker

Artichokes Loaded

To start with a little preface, Devon and I installed a wood fired pizza oven at home. We have been making Napoli pizza dough for the last year. We have practiced and practiced from the great Napoli dough makers YouTube videos and recipes. We feel we have it down. When we finally get to taste the famed Napoli pizza in Napoli, it was very disappointing to get undercooked pizza dough on the multiple occasions we had pizza. Then in Cerignola, Apuglia, we had a Napoli Pizza that brought smiles to our faces. It was cooked perfectly. Why does Apuglia make better Napoli pizza than Napoli? Probably because we were in a tourist area in Napoli and they just pump them out.  It sure is nice to be away from the crowds.

Shantytown, Horrible living conditions for African Farmworkers.

Cerignola to Andria. We arrived to an apartment, B&B Borgomurgia, that we rented on our first visit to Andria in 2016. Roberta remembers us as we were late on arrival due to a broken bicycle cable. It was nice coming back to one of the nicest stays on our trip. They do it right, a wonderful spot. We arrived at 3 in the afternoon, after a hilly hot day of riding, and ordered a couple of beers in what felt like a ghost town. Siesta time. Come 8pm things started to change.  It is a hoppin place. From adults having dinners and drinks, children playing, to the teenage meat market scene until late in the evening. All on a Tuesday night.

Andria -The View from our Rooftop Terrace

Cistern Stairway 38ft Below our Andria Stay

Top of Cistern - Water Inlet

We're off today for Ruvo did Puglia