"From field to table' for Mastrototaro Food is not an abstract concept but a real promise the company makes to the consumer.     We are in BISCEGLIE (Bat), a flourishing land lapped by the waters of the Adriatic Sea. It is precisely between the land and the sea that the preserves of Mastrototaro Food are born, products that symbolise the authenticity of Apulia and the genuine flavour of tradition.     The company has a long entrepreneurial history behind it, which began in 1956 and runs in the agricultural sector.     In 2008, Mastrototaro Food decided to further enhance the raw materials produced on the company's land by transforming them into excellent agro-food preserves. Three decades of expertise in the sector did the rest.     Today it is the three brothers, Mauro, Giulio and Roberto, who with skill and ingenuity run the company, which is certified organic and one of the few in Italy to organise production from scratch. The cicerone of our journey through the delicacies of the Mastrototaro brand is Mauro, who, amidst vast expanses of olive groves and vast fields of cultivated land, tells us about the great effort made to offer the consumer a product in which quality is the undisputed queen.     The cultivation of vegetables according to the ancestral customs of our ancestors and love for nature are the winning elements of the company, which harvests the raw materials by hand and transforms them into preserves in just a few hours.     This makes it possible to preserve the organoleptic qualities of the vegetables, which unleash their goodness and taste delicious just by looking at them. Aubergines, artichokes, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, olives and courgettes are the raw materials that go well with the extra virgin olive oil produced by the company.     Looking at the farm shop, we seem to be looking at a slightly larger version of grandma's classic larder. A triumph of colours is what presents itself to our eyes as visitors, where we gaze in amazement at the different nuances of the jarred vegetables.     With pride, Mauro explains the company's precise philosophy: to recover the ancient recipes for preserves in order to make them known beyond the borders of Apulia. And so we discover the 'Pric 'o prac', an ancient Molfettese sauce, now impossible to find, made from peppers and tomatoes, or the biscegliese antipasto with artichokes, champignon mushrooms, peppers and olives.     We cannot fail to mention the exquisite artichokes available in several versions. Grilled, stemmed, 'della mamma' or 'pugliese' style: all are exceptional with their tender heart dipped in the golden yellow of extra virgin olive oil. Tradition yes, but also innovation, like the refined lentil and sun-dried tomato mousse that combines the nutritional properties of the legume with the lively flavour of sun-dried tomatoes.      Mastrototaro Food's list of products is a long one. Mauro explains that a company like his, which puts the consumer before turnover, is the result of great teamwork. A team that wins because it plays well in the field. That field that Mastrototaro Food brings in jars directly to our.    

In the pretty town of Molfetta by the sea, ANTICHI ELIXIR is born, an imaginative artisan liqueur maker that makes authenticity its trademark. The company recounts the territory through quality liqueurs and bitters that encapsulate the most sincere expression of our ancestors' traditions, combining scrupulous production at every stage.     Welcoming us into the laboratory is Alessio Picca, a young entrepreneur who in 2007 decided to combine solid experience in the sector with a love for his land and the genuineness of its fruits. Crossing the threshold, we observe a riot of elegant bottles containing liqueurs in the amber colours typical of quinces, the red nuances of pomegranate or the intense, almost black, purple of wild black mulberry.     They are almost like ampoules containing elixirs with beneficial properties prepared with exclusive recipes, the result of continuous experiments that give the final product a strong personalisation. The raw materials are fundamental to producing quality liqueurs and bitters, processed as they used to be.     Alessio explains in great detail, and with infinite gratitude, the immense heritage of recipes left by his grandmothers, recipes that today allow Antichi Elixir to carry on a family history. The fruits used are all local and their harvest is seasonal, thus conditioned by spring temperatures, synonymous with an uncommon respect for nature's cycles.     Prepared on the basis of Alessio's grandmother's homemade version, 'Cydò' is one of Antichi Elixir's must-have liqueurs. It is composed only of quince juice and good-tasting alcohol, with an alcohol content of 45°. The quinces are harvested and processed strictly by hand during the spring, when the fruit is at the peak of its ripeness and releases all the goodness of its nectar. A long ageing period of about two years sublimates 'Cydò' with elegant, decisive and at the same time soft notes.     "109" is the number of almonds in the artisanal elixir, which, not by chance, is called 109 Almonds. Also derived from a historical recipe, this bitter is a true treasure of our land. The alcoholic infusion is made with Toritto almonds of the 'Filippo Cea' variety, a Slow Food presidium and rich in antioxidant properties. The touch of class of 109 Almonids given by the addition of gentian roots, plants, flowers, citrus peels and local spices mixed together, resulting in a perfect and intense alchemy of smells and flavours.     The bitter distinguished itself at the Spirits Selection world competition in Brussels, challenging over a thousand companies from all over the world and receiving a coveted silver medal. Ruby is the colour of 'Ako', a pomegranate liqueur with a sweet and slightly astringent taste, bottled in a sinuous, diamond-shaped container that makes its seductive tones stand out.     Those of Antichi Elixir are liqueurs and bitters that are the fruit of stainless stories and traditions that defy the passing of the years. Elixirs of long life that delight the palate, pamper the spirit and speak of a wonderful land: Apulia.  

In the heart of Brindisi, a thriving land rich in millennia-old archaeological wonders, the Cantine Pandora winery was born.       Officially, the history of the business begins in 2017, but that of its founder has somewhat more remote origins. The owner, Francesco Fumarulo, owes his fortune to the land and his work as a farmer. With pride and transportation, Francesco explains that his passion for winemaking began as a child, and then over the years became a real profession culminating in the creation of Cantine Pandora.       The establishment stands in the midst of nature, among majestic olive trees, grazing animals, long rows of grapes and vast expanses of fields. Cradled by the healthy, placid air of Brindisi, Cantine Pandora's grapes turned into excellent red, white and rosé wine are almost all from Salento.       Francesco's willingness to contribute to the growth of his area is attested to by a very specific choice: to use largely native vines of Primitivo, Negramaro, Malvasia Nera and Malvasia Bianca grown according to organic standards.       With incredible respect for tradition and the aid of modern winemaking technology, Cantine Pandora is now a successful winery. The bottles are a small masterpiece that encapsulate the hard work, the love of the land, the work in the vineyard and in the cellar and, not surprisingly, they can all bear the IGP label.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1}   As the legend about the ancient Pandora's Box tells us, uncorking a bottle from this winery is tantamount to discovering all the good and beautiful of the land of origin.  Wine, otherwise also known as "nectar of the gods," for Cantine Pandora has an actual connection with divinity, to the point of deserving names that recall mythology.       To one of the "kings" of Salento, Primitivo, is dedicated Zeus, appellation of the highest Olympian deity. Zeus is a purplish-colored red produced from hand-picked grapes in the area's ancient vines, soft and enveloping with hints of red fruit.       Negramaro and Malvasia are the vines from which the grapes of Prometeo come, another red wine made from historic vines bred to trees that give the wine a delicate, broad, intense and pleasantly dry and full-bodied flavor. Then we find Ermes, Negramaro del Salento vinified in purity with the traditional method, tannic and structured to the right point. To Athena and Aphrodite are dedicated two of the rosés, both obtained from Negroamaro grapes and with intense fruity and very balanced scents. Among the whites we find Gea, a Malvasia Bianca del Salento wine with a refined, structured and persistent character or the charming Era, created from Chardonnay grapes that stands out for its golden hues and fine, dry but harmonious flavor.       Cantine Pandora's flagship product is the red '71 IGT, aged 6 months in French oak barrels. Strong, generous and intense are its aromas, so reminiscent of dried figs, which in this wine produced from Primitivo vines give it an original and strong-willed character.       Wines that fascinate the consumer for their overpowering and vigorous content, just like the territory from which they come.    

The journey to Noci (ba), a small town in the pleasant Murgia hills where Cantine Barsento is located, is studded with natural landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see, breathtakingly beautiful. In this unspoilt territory, a winery was born more than fifty years ago that, as the current Sole Director Rocco Colucci tells us, 'translates the essence of Puglia into wine'.     Cantine Barsento is a lively winery founded in 1969 with a visionary mission for the time: to promote quality wines from the Nocese countryside alone. What makes this winery so special and unique is something that, once you cross the threshold of the establishment, you do not expect to find: about one thousand square metres of underground cellar dug into the limestone rock and 15 metres deep.     A true oenological jewel that amazes for its unexpected beauty, with its tunnels and perfectly organised cells that enclose true and precious treasures of our winemaking tradition. The function of the underground cellar is to obtain a wine aged in the rock cellar, ensuring that there is precise control of temperature and humidity.     The indigenous grape varieties are Primitivo, Malvasia and Negramaro: grapes chosen for their expression of territoriality, authenticity and specificity and whose quality is further sublimated through an exclusively manual harvesting process.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1}   Cantine Barsento's labels (they are divided between IGP and DOC) are not simply wine products, but are much more: they represent the passion for quality grapes and their bond with nature, the sole creator of the rare characteristics of each raw material.     Intense and generous is the Paturno, a ruby with a complex and at the same time sweetish bouquet typical of the Primitivo from which it comes, or the Ladislao, a pure Negramaro that is impenetrable, almost gloomy. It has mature, decidedly virile aromas, is aged in oak barrels and is a wine for those who love to surprise and be surprised.     If we wanted to give it a personification, Casaboli would certainly be a woman with an elegant appearance and refined intelligence. Made from Primitivo, this DOC is a wine of depth that blends its pleasantness with tannicity. Playful, fresh, sweet. This is Primitivo Malicchia Mapicchia, a meditation nectar of great vinosity on the palate, aged for a year and pleasant for any culinary combination.     Cantine Barsento's winemaking tradition also runs on the catering track through the Bamì restaurant. The mission? To fuse two incredible arts: the art of cooking and the art of winemaking and bring them together in one form, Bamì. The restaurant is located inside Cantine Barsento and espouses the concept of enhancing raw materials and dishes that respect the organoleptic properties of the ingredients. A concept that, if we dare say so, is clothed in sacredness.     The same that has always accompanied those who, in various forms, work the products of the earth with respect and devotion.    

LÓLIO Fruity succeeds in convincing all palates. On tasting, the oil offers a fragrant and complete bouquet, with a light and balanced character, characterized by a low acidity content. In the shadow of centuries-old olive trees and in the heart of the Tavoliere di Puglia, Frantoio Paparella was founded in 1891 in Barletta (bat). A place where roots and traditions are virtuously intertwined with innovation in transformation processes and the careful selection of the best fruits. The Oil Mill is currently equipped with 5 extraction and processing lines that allow it to reach a production capacity of about 200,000 tons of olives per season. Investments for the improvement of quality and quantity of extraction are constant and result in the implementation of new machinery from year to year. Great attention is paid to all stages of production, from olive harvesting to oil storage; during these processes the olive is selected and followed until it is transformed into a product of absolute excellence, under the careful supervision of the owners and numerous panel tests held by professional tasters. {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1} The extra virgin olive oil milled by Frantoio Paparella is cold-pressed by mechanical and highly innovative methods at a temperature never exceeding 27°C, from Italian olives grown in Puglia. The olives are processed directly at the mill within a maximum of 12 hours after harvesting thus preserving all the chemical and physical characteristics of the oil and avoiding oxidation. Now in its 130th year, Frantoio Paparella looks to the future with the confidence of those who believe that quality is the only choice for a better and more sustainable future. To date, the main production waste i.e. pomace and pomace stones are used to feed part of the production cycle. The Oil Mill adopts the circular economy approach and is committed to achieving production with 0 environmental impact in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030. The extra virgin olive oil "LÓLIO Intenso Monocultivar Coratina" is the essence of Apulian tradition, flavors and lifestyle. Derived from the careful selection of the best olives of the typical Apulian cultivar called "Coratina". "LÓLIO Intenso - Monocultivar Coratina" presents itself to the observer with a true green color, like the olives from which it is extracted. On the palate it shows character and elegance, giving and intense and fruity notes for a strong and spicy aftertaste. The bitterish taste of extra virgin olive oil extracted from the "Coratina" cultivar is indicative of the very high concentration of polyphenols, powerful antioxidants and inflammatory agents. The extra virgin olive oil "LÓLIO Fruttato" is a magical harmony of flavors and scents of Puglia. Derived from a wise selection of Apulian cultivars such as Peranzana, Coratina, Ogliarola and Leccino, LÓLIO Fruttato has a vibrant green color enhanced by bright yellow highlights.  

A story that has its roots far back in time, because far back Don Riccardo Agresti has always been able to look: all it takes is a farm and many hands just asking to be used for something good. This is how the taralli of 'a Mano Libera' were born, thanks to the Diocese of Andria's 'Senza Sbarre' project.     We are in the Andria countryside, enjoying a beautiful panorama, with Castel del Monte standing out in the background, symbol of an ancient and true Apulia. Here we find the fortified masseria San Vittore.     San Vittore has become a place of rehabilitation and reintegration for dozens of inmates and ex-convicts with its ten hectares of land. The bright colours of the fruit, the fragrances of the vegetable garden, the sound of the wind passing through the branches of the olive trees are accessories to the scent coming from the kitchens.     Don Riccardo tells us that the "Senza sbarre" project and the "a Mano Libera" cooperative produce handmade taralli with quality natural raw materials and km 0. They are truly handmade, because there are no industrial machines to shape the taralli to the grains being processed: the busy and skilful hands of the operators move with precision on the counters and arrange those rounded shapes of pure love on the baking trays.     In addition to the classic fennel seed taralli, tasty varieties have been added, such as the one already mentioned with cereals, then the one with sun-dried tomatoes, which combines one of the most identifying flavours of the Apulian territory with a typical product, and the taralli with Nero di Troia: usually taralli are kneaded with white wine, while here one of the most acclaimed local varieties is chosen.     The scent coming from the oven spreads throughout the premises dedicated to production, which starts with dough made from quality local flours. The dough is shaped strictly by hand and then boiled, after which the taralli end up in the oven, the author of those fragrances that can be savoured well before entering the premises.     "a Mano Libera" was born as an alternative measure to prison, giving hope and new perspectives to its operators, but also quality traditional products for all the world's gluttons.     The proceeds from the sale of the taralli go back into circulation, reinvested to give other people who have seen prison in their path a chance at redemption.

When one thinks of Apulia, one cannot fail to mention his majesty pasta. A symbol of family, cheerfulness and conviviality, it is among the things that best represents us in the world. When it comes to pasta we have always stood out, as the Apulian company CASA MILO teaches us.       The story begins in 1870 in Bitonto, a town that enchants with the beauty of its historic center and delights with the goodness of its extra virgin olive oil. It is a story of family and passion, of hard work and courage, but it is also a story of respect and trust. Casa Milo for four generations has been among the ambassadors of Puglia in the food sector.       A path that began first with oil and then followed by pasta and baked goods, the creation of which took over for good in 1994. In all these years, Nicola Milo, president of the company, flanked by his four children Giuseppe, Marida, Saverio and Giovanni, has constantly invested to offer consumers quality products processed in accordance with the most authentic and genuine Italian tradition.       Quality that is also expressed in the refinement of raw materials, indispensable elements to obtain an extraordinary final product. This philosophy of theirs is materialized through the pact made with Coldiretti to create an entirely Apulian product made with selected durum wheats, with full respect for the land and those who cultivate it.       A true act of love for mother earth, for its natural cycles and for those vigorous arms that care for it and work it. A "simple" parcel of Milo pasta encapsulates a world in which lush sun-kissed wheat fields, the salubrious wind and a thousand-year-old farming tradition coexist.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1}   100% Filiera Puglia dry pasta is made from stone husked wheat and natural, quality ingredients that allow it to be porous, rough and tough enough to hold every sauce. Available in many specialties made only with bronze dies, this category also includes the Caserecce line that offers all regional formats inspired by the ancient techniques of homemade pasta.       Fresh egg pasta 100% wheat of Puglia is a type of pasta that invites the consumer to touch it, before tasting it. When looking at Casa Milo's pasta, it is hard not to think of our grandmothers' homemade version. The intense yellow of tagliatelle, fettuccine, pappardelle or lasagna is accompanied by a fragrance that smells of long tables and family conviviality.   One line of Casa Milo's production is also dedicated to baked goods, where respect for craftsmanship is the preponderant element. Taralli, mini breadsticks and bruschetta with EVO oil are the perfect bread substitutes at any time of day to refresh yourself with fragrant and irresistible flavors or to create creative combinations for special aperitifs.       Tradition, innovation, sustainability and reliability. All values perfectly embodied by Nicola Milo and his four sons, who bring the tastiest and most authentic Puglia to the consumer in the form of pasta and baked goods.    

The destination of our journey is the OLEIFICIO COOPERATIVO CIMA DI BITONTO, a proud bastion of a thousand-year-old tradition in our Apulia region. We are in Bitonto (ba), a few kilometres from the Apulian capital, in the heart of Puglia's extra virgin olive oil production.     An expanse of olive trees as far as the eye can see appears before the eyes of those travelling through the Bari hinterland. Once there, we cannot help but breathe in the intense scent of vegetation, as if we were immersed in an expanse of centuries-old olive trees. After all, nature is not so far away from us here, with the lush greenery of the adjacent Lama Balice, a treasure trove of wild flora and fauna biodiversity.     Waiting for us is Pasquale Mastandrea, President of the Oleificio Cooperativo. From his very first words we sense his boundless love for this generous land and its fruits. The Cima di Bitonto Cooperative has a history of more than sixty years and with its 350 members manages to pursue the incredible commitment of obtaining the best 'olive juice' made in Puglia.     A commitment clearly manifested in the Oleificio's logo, in which the word 'Puro', referring to oil, stands out against the elements of nature. Sun, rain, earth and the fruit that is born: all very important aspects to give the consumer an oil that tastes of tradition. In its years of activity, the Cooperative has managed to safeguard the land and the farmers thanks to a synergic work established with its numerous members.   {IMAGE_0}{IMAGE_1} From them comes the promise to preserve the olive cultivars and to make the area in which they grow known. It is no coincidence that the cultivated varieties are 70% Ogliarola and 30% Coratina: both originate from the growing area and are processed within a few hours of their harvest.     The agronomic methods used by the Cooperative's members are inspired by ancient local traditions and those notions handed down over the centuries that allow the plant to grow healthy and robust. The pruning system adopted allows the best nourishment to the shoots and young branches, so as to obtain a truly exceptional juice.     Cima di Bitonto brand oils are all extra virgin. The decisive character of the Coratina is mitigated by the sweetness of the Cima di Bitonto and the result is an extra virgin oil that combines the peculiarities of both cultivars, resulting in an intense yellow oil with a balanced presence of fruit and herbaceous hints. In addition to the classic extra virgin olive oil, much appreciated for its medium fruitiness, in the Oleificio's product basket we discover the D.O.P Terra di Bari, a harmonious, slightly spicy extra virgin with herbaceous fragrances.     From organic farming comes the 'Biologico' extra virgin olive oil. In this oil, the olive, with its strong flavour, and the almond, which is more delicate, stand out very well and do not alter the taste of a dish but, on the contrary, enhance it as it deserves.