Today we were so honoured to be show into the back kitchen of a small local bakery and given some recipes and pointers. We have enjoyed their artisan breads for breakfast at Masseria Santa Lucia and their Tarallino at night (dry loop pastry with fennel seeds) and were great with a drink.
When we arrived at il Fornaio di Montesano Salentino, we were welcomed very warmly by the owner Ottello.
Firtly we were meet with the amazing smells just fresh out of the oven and sitting on trays as we walk in were local figs that had been previously dried and now spilt with 1/2 walnut inside and sealed, scatter with bay leaves and rebaked till just browned. Yumo. Serious Yumo, left with a bag of those ... This is done at the end of fig season so they can keep as sweet treat throughout the winter months when fruit is scarce.
Next we saw trays of fennel buns tinny in size and rolled to perfection were golden and still warm, Otello breaks one off for us...heaven...then to the back work room where it was all hands on to the making of Tarallino very labour intensive and so traditional. As soon as you see the pictures you may recognise these little delights.
Got the recipe but the translation is a bit off so once we get that I will post it then.
Perhaps made in the shape of a "R" and could very well be served at The Retreat with a drink in the coming months.
Hmmmmm a tempting reason to go home ... could be!!!
The guys at the bakery were so chuffed to have us visit and were great to share their time and their secrets with us. They said they don't get a lot of tourist let alone Aussie ones down in these parts. We left with a huge parcel of goodies which I tried to pay for!! and seriously enough to keeps us going for several weeks. We left them with a koala bear fridge magic stuck to some of the bakery equipment not sure if it was a good swap but they seamed pleased to have it and us.
Got back to Masseria Santa Lucia and our hosts had received an excited phone call to say how pleased they were to meet us and loved the koala bear and that he'll send through some more recipes to our host so she can translate them and forward them onto us.
We feel so honoured and privileged in meeting so many great foodie people and you feel that you want to repay them with more with than just a koala but sometimes it's not about the money it's about international human contact. We are and continue to be truly blessed with the people we meet.
I'm surprised you still have any trinkets left to give. Your cases but be almost empty-a good excuse to do some shopping.
ReplyDeleteNow to the serious business-negroamaro we don't think is grown in Australia however will be seeing a couple of winemaker friends in the next couple of weeks and will ask them then. There is a 20121 Lucarelli from Puglia (I think that is about the only area in Italy where negroamaro is grown) you can buy at Dan Murphys and a 2012 Matane online at www.wineboxwarehouse.com.au - we will keep researching for you.
Keep enjoying!