I’m within the land of my ancestors, in wonderful Italy. I’m traversing Puglia, to be exact, dashing previous huge groves of olive bushes on my strategy to uncover the favored area and possibly (undoubtedly!) have some libations alongside the way in which.
The draw back? Effectively, my driver is at the moment on the telephone going backwards and forwards along with his son, steering the wheel along with his knees.
Such is that laissez-faire life right here in Italy, to borrow a phrase from the French. Round these components, the pure enjoyment of life is colloquially understood as la dolce vita; a time period coined by the director Federico Fellini, which deliciously interprets to the candy life. He meant it satirically, however right here it’s something however.
The candy life right here in Puglia is obvious to see, even regardless of what I’m instructed is a blight affecting these olive bushes. I’m staying in Ostuni; a neighborhood often known as La Citta Bianca, or the White Metropolis. Perched close to the Adriatic Sea and excessive above the valley under, it’s populated with stark, white-washed centuries-old buildings referred to as Trulli. I later learn it’s been inhabited because the Stone Age and by trying round, it’s straightforward to imagine.
Very like any city on this congenial nation, there’s a sq. the place locals and guests alike have a tendency to assemble, surrounding the bustling space are retailers (hawking glassware and knitting), easy to-go cafes (which promote native treats just like the Panzerotti, a fried hand pie full of cheese) and, naturally, an array of quaint bars and eating places. I survive my swervy drive and am sitting gazing on the sq.; outside seats listed here are prevalent when the climate requires it. In fact, wine in Italy is a should, however stronger stuff is on my thoughts.
After a neighborhood dinner at Drogheria Pugliese the place I sipped an Aperol Spritz and munched on Bombette Di Capocollo (sliced pork neck rolls with potato), I look subsequent door and see Casbah Risto Cafe, and above me are the Casbah’s military of umbrellas. Every of them says ALTAMURA; a neighborhood distillery that focuses on vodka. A regional Italian vodka? Sure, you learn that proper.
The twist right here is that the operation, run by ex-New Yorkers I’ve come to be taught, makes use of native grain from close by Altamura, traditionally used to make bread, which provides to its native credentials. The umbrellas are additionally a harbinger, as I’m set to satisfy up with the founder, Frank Grillo, tomorrow, to get a way of the distinctive operation.
I order essentially the most native cocktail I can think about, apart after all, from these Spritzes or the mighty Negroni. It’s an additional soiled vodka Martini, I’ve turn into a fan of them since 2023 kicked off, and this one is concocted with the Altamura. As I see it, it’s a neighborhood cocktail, after all, due to all these olive bushes one sees galivanting across the space and the native olio on sale nearly in every single place. This one is an ideal mix of the salty brine of the olives of this land and the graceful, crisp vodka.
What Grillo has finished with Altamura since its founding a number of brief years in the past because the pandemic is spectacular. Later that night time as I sit on the bar of my resort, Ostuni Palace, the one vodka on distinguished show there may be Altamura; it’s clear bottles which depict a drawn image of a lion with ribbons of teal, lime and pink. Stunned by the realm’s affordability in terms of libations (I assume I’m simply used to my native New York Metropolis), I ask for a Hugo (Prosecco, St. Germain and Seltzer) and mirror on the variety of energy I’ll eat throughout my keep right here; which I roughly guess might fortunately attain into the various hundreds of thousands.
The next day, after a protracted, scorching stroll exploring extra of Ostuni’s wonders and taking within the space’s wildflowers (which evokes a purchase order of a neighborhood floral room spray from Olyfacts, a household enterprise housed in considered one of these whitewashed buildings), I sit right down to snack on some these famed panzerotti, each savory (with eggplant) and candy (drenched in Nutella). To go with it, and to fight the scorching solar, I ask the waiter right here for a chilly white wine. He brings me a Malvasia from close by Solento’s Schola Sarmenti vineyard which I later be taught was first opened in 1850 earlier than mendacity dormant till a current renovation. It’s delicate; each complimenting my meals and serving to struggle towards the warmth.
The subsequent day I head to the close by neighborhood of Monopoli and an elegant and pristine seaside membership flanking the Adriatic Sea referred to as Macrame which is outfitted with umbrellas and lounge chairs, in addition to a full-service bar and restaurant identified for seaside pleasant grub like calamari and recent fruit. On this a part of Italy, it’s turn into in style for personal entities to quickly lease property by the seaside, and the highway resulting in Macrame is stuffed with many different comparable endeavors. I sit within the solar, splash within the easy, salty water and order some fried fish. By the tip of the day I’m feeling low power, which is the place an espresso martini comes into play.
In fact, Macrame’s featured liquor is Altamura vodka, a bottle I’ve turn into so accustomed to already right here in Puglia, and my cool cocktail does simply the trick to energy me into dinner in close by Torre Canne on the family-run seafood restaurant Il Punto. Right here, I’m joined by Grillio to select his mind about life in Puglia. Over plates of focaccia, a tomato-fish stew and an entire Sebring roasted in salt, I hear how Altamura stemmed from pandemic-stifled quarantine to encourage him to go away his native New York and reside his desires right here in Italy. In current months, the vodka was the featured libation at a current Dolce and Gabbana occasion within the area which wooed the likes of Kim Kardashian and Helen Mirren and rapidly went viral. Elsewhere, it’s been increasing out of Italy and into India, the UK and just lately, america.
I’m full to the brim of the culinary and liquid delights of the area. However because it’s my final night time right here in Puglia, I couldn’t not say “Cin cin!” to the realm with one final sip. The waiters at Il Punto deliver out a frosty bottle of home made Lemoncello, one other ubiquitous boozy delight round these components. It’s as satisfying as this journey to my homeland.
