Goodby Masseria Santa Lucia

Leaving Masseria Santa Lucia which to date has been one of the best southern cooking classes and experiences with loads of one on one time with Chef Danilo in his kitchen and that great trip the the bakery.

We have done about 2000 km to date and are now heading north about 200km to near the town of Ginosa to the agrotourism. We are now 50 km north of Taranto and 20km in from the golf of Taranto.
Looking at a map of Italy the golf of Tarento, Basilicata Region is above and is like the arch of the shoe between Puglia in the heal and Calabria in the toe.
We won't get into the Calabria Region this time "maybe next" ???? As once you head even further south off the end of the toe is Sicily and that would be just another great place to explore.

The landscape changes again from the ancient olive trees, prickley pears and cactus, this time more open plains growing vast field of zucchini and bitter greens. The greens that go so traditionally well with orecchiette pasta, not totally to our taste but part of the overall food experience of the south in Puglia.

We drive up a long driveway with huge freshly ploughed paddocks either side, the solid is red and in large clods still needing some working. Off to the other side is a tractor with 4 people sitting side by side on retrofitted seats at the back planting rows of greens.  
Shown to our room which is huge it is void of any wall art or in fact any sole!!!the floors are cool blue and yellow marble tiles so some relief to the sterol white walls.
But we are not here for the room we are here to cook with "Harold" the head chef of a 60 seat restaurant and a agrotourisum farm stay for 30ish people.

Hmmm so after dinner tonight cooked by Harold (not his real name to protect his identity if tomorrow class is crap) or at least under his guidance I'm not sure that we are in the right place !!!! The food was a bit lack lustre, no ... a lot lack lustre...sorry ouch ... 2 Aussie food critics in the restaurant.
Anyway I suppose all of our food experience can't be good ... so we will just have to see how tomorrow pans out!!!!!!!!
Now as my mother always said that you should find the good in everyone and everything so here are some beautiful floor at the villa aren't they lovely ... Love you mum