For knowing until at the bottom a place, you know, you have to try its typical flavours. And if we talk about Apulia, there is no “de gustibus” which takes: its cuisine is renowned worldwide. One example is the gastronomy of Gargano that, for those which appreciate good food, has become one of the top reasons to choose a holiday in Gargano. Its cuisine, in fact, will also be poor from origin, because it is based on simple and genuine ingredients, but is rich in taste and recipes ranging from sea to land. For this the Gargano is the ideal starting point for undertaking food and wine tours really unique, to discover flavours and knowledge to which this land is deeply linked.
In Apulia there are 19 Slow Food Presidia and 5 are in Gargano. Among these are the citrus fruits of the Gargano, appreciated all over the world to the organoleptic qualities and for the delicate flavour; the caciocavallo podolico, obtained from the milk of the precious Podolica cows and produced according to the techniques and traditions of once; the Carpino’s broad bean that is renowned for its high protein content and for the delicious flavour linked to bioclimatic factors of the territory; the Podolica cow, the valuable breed present especially in the southern regions of Italy that is in danger of extinction; the goat of Gargano, one of the oldest native breeds originating in Gargano, bred in the wild. Take advantage of a holiday in Gargano to taste these flavours. It will be easy to understand because they are protected by the Slow Food Presidium.
Many are typical products of the Gargano to be savored in many different ways. Among these stand out definitely the tomatoes, the asparagus and many other hortalizas, often used for preparing typical dishes or the delicious preserves in oil, among which the dried tomatoes and the lampascioni, which can be enjoyed maybe you saw over the typical friselle. It never misses the bread on the tables of the Gargano, perfect for the bruschettas with tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil, basis for the “acquasale” (stale bread softened in water and seasoned with tomato, onion, oregano and olive oil) and for the “pancotto” (bread with vegetables soups local), or tasty to eat even alone. Do not miss out, among the first, ones with the homemade pasta: addition to the renowned orecchiette with turnip tops, must be tried also the cicatelli, with fresh tomatoes, or the strascinate, flavored with vegetables or aromatized with wild fennel, potatoes or rucola, or yet served with the beans. Among the meat dishes there are the “torcinelli” roasted on the grill or baked in the oven with potatoes, the lamb meat and of veal of the Gargano, sausages and capocolli. Regarding sea dishes, or “lake”, you will surely appreciate gray mullets and bream on the grill, fried mullet, smoked eels or even only cooked at the sun and seasoned! Not to miss the “paposcia“, bread dough leavened and elongated, which can be stuffed at will. You should also try the “caviciun” flat bread filled with onions spousal (or green onions) and sultanas, prepared especially during the Easter festivals. For the greedy ones the typical desserts most loved are the “crustoli” with honey, the “pupurati” and the “ostie ripiene“, maybe you saw to be matched to the exquisite local liqueurs such as limoncello, produced with the citrus fruit of Gargano and for this with a unique flavour, or the “mirinillo“, rosolio liqueur derived from the infusion of wild black cherry.
Do you want living an experience really sensory? Join the Gargano Tasting Trail, a tour that takes you to the discovery of all the uniqueness of the Gargano, including its food and wine heritage. You will know the territory through its most authentic flavours but also by combining sea, nature, history and folk traditions. An experience to be done especially in June, when the crowd of vacationers is still far away. One way to savor the Gargano with the eyes, with the palate but also with the spirit.
