More seafood

We treated ourselves to lunch at La Paranza, where we had eaten before. They are in the shellfish market area of Gallipoli. First we checked the fresh fish on offer and were told the ugly one was quite good to eat with pasta. The others are Orata and Spigola and all can be cooked in any number of ways- whatever you prefer.

I wanted to try the ricci [sea urchins] that are popular here but decided that rather than raw, I'd have them in my spaghetti. It is a strong flavour but nice enough. The orange segments are from the sea urchin.

Bob chose the lobster filled agnolotti with tomato and gamberi- all very yummy.
 

Santa Maria al Bagno

Gorgeous seaside town, just north of Gallipoli is Santa Maria al Bagno with a white sand beach and rocky sides enclosing the sheltered bay. We are enjoying the non-tourist season ad would hate the traffic in the summertime. Swimmers were already in the sea here and we stopped for a coffee, delicious pastries and a photo session.

 The sand at Bella Vista was being levelled- you may see a frontend loader in the middle distance, near the changing sheds.

Lunch

Please join me for a 3 course 'turistico' lunch for 15 euro plus a bit extra if you would like a half litre of  'vino della case'. We are dining at the Gimpada trattoria.

This is the seafood antipasto with octopus, a pickled calamari salad, with a piece of white fish too.  There was also a choice of meat antipasto.

Primo piatto- spaghetti with cozze- delicious and not such a big serve so there is some room for the secondo and once again nice to have had some choices for this course.

Another fish, this time spada [swordfish] with pizzaiola [tomato and small black olive sauce, over and under the fish]. Feeling very full and happy now and ready for my afternoon siesta. Lovely to have your company for lunch. 

Patchwork

Found a patchwork shop in Gallipoli, with a very small selection of fabrics, that were mostly 10 euro a metre. The sewing goods were inside a fishing shop, so probably good for bored husbands, if they like fishing.

For a small space it was well stocked with ribbons, trims, wadding, lining and interfacings, threads etc. I'm hoping to find a larger patchwork shop in the next week or two but this had a steady stream of women customers, not so many fishermen.

I got a red spot fabric, as the plain white cotton I was looking for was not available, and have been printing some old balustrade on it.

Bob is my spotter for traffic, but I can generally hear them coming down the Gallipoli laneways. This was a small one!

Lots of room to spare there!

And this is the spot Bob got our hire car through without a scratch! It is the narrow, pinch point in the 'street'.

Another one coming through. Most local cars have dings in their body work.

Pot plants, washing, pedestrians and other objects are part of the driving skills test!



 

Restored

This is an interior view of the Chiesa Santa Maria della Purita, recently restored, in Gallipoli. The island has 15 plus churches, tucked in here and there.

The decoration is everywhere and very ornate. These are the floor tiles, probably original from the second half of the 16th century.

Painted wall panels line the sides and above them large paintings.

 

Flowers

The coastal plain is a riot of colour with flowers everywhere.

Mimosa, just past its prime. We know it as wattle in Australia, but here it flowers around March 9, International Women's Day, as I recall.

On the dunes, pine and other shrubs.

 

Coastal views

The shoreline is either sandy or rocky, south of Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca, the southern most point. Nice to drive along and stop and explore spots without lots of people about yet before the season.

The Australian love of 'free' beaches is not that common here with closed off, pay to enter private beaches getting ready for the influx of  Summer visitors.

The coastline is also dotted with torre.

And sea grottos near the southern tip would be great to explore on a calm day.

Thanks everyone for you congratulations via the blog and facebook. I do like those 2 quilts and it is satisfying to know others do too.
 

Seafood lunch

With all that bounty from the sea it made us hungry for a seafood lunch. The trattoria near the shellfish stalls looked good and didn't disappoint us. This is a our mixed hot and cold antipasti plates, including mussels, stuffed mussels, octopus, seafood salad, swordfish carpaccio and anchovies.

All totally delicious and followed by more seafood for the secondo.

A bit blurry, perhaps the vino to blame?

 

Fresh fish

Gallipoli is an active port and safe harbour for the fishing fleet. The action centres around the dock in the morning when the fresh catch is sold straight off the boats.

The tuna and other fish, octopus, eels etc are lined up and each seller has his own scales, plastic bags and Styrofoam boxes if you buy a lot.

This guy gets an extra fish [in his hand] as he had just bought a box of tuna.

The cutting block with a tuna being cut into steaks, blue bag at the ready.

Mussels, sea urchins, oysters, clams sold in another set of permanent stalls near the boats.

 

Hand made

Have fallen in love with these handmade baskets and then found the old fisherman sitting making the 'nasse' or fish traps for octopus and blue fish, which will be caught in July and August.

Using the car to display these beautiful forms.

Quick, skilled hands at work.

His mate invited us in to look at more, hanging in the back room. These crusty old sea dogs have had interesting lives, captaining ships, living on the sea and now in retirement continue to make beautiful fishing baskets.

The fishermen use cane to make the baskets and trim them to size as needed. The red thread in 2 of my photos are from another maker. Hope this helps understanding them, Jan.