After picking up my dear Christopher at the airport we spent the day in Polignamo a Mare catching fish. Not really, but we did eat some raw seafood, practically fresh off the boat! We ate at a place called Da Tuccino, best known for its incredible raw seafood. Some critters I have never before seen, and some names I had to laugh at too; like carpet clams and hairy mussels. What really stumped us was the imperial clam, the one that looks like egg drop soup. Chris wasn't willing to try since we couldn't quite figure out what we were looking at, but I dabbed into it a little. We also tried raw cuttlefish and red shrimp- Gamberini di Rossi- which is very popular in Puglia to eat raw with olive oil and squeeze of lemon. Some like to suck the heads of the shrimp or prawns like they do in southern America, but I don't recommend it.
What I found unique was the shrimp cocktail. The red shrimp were cooked and served warm with an aioli that tasted of warm mayo and ketchup. The shrimp were drenched in this sauce, I couldn't even see them on the plate. I was very surprised to see something so fresh and delicate served this way.
Christopher could live by the ocean for eternity, but me, I loved these Truili houses. If I ever had the means to purchase a home in Italy, I would buy a Truili house in Alberobello. They were so precious and so imperfect with their cute slanted doors and colorful flowers scattered about. The Trulli houses are a sign of love and fertility and many have painted designs on their cone-shaped roofs. Puglia is known for craftsmanship so, many of the storefronts sell handwoven linen towels with peacocks, Truili houses, or stripes. Although a bit of a tourist area I had to buy one because it's something to remember from the area. What I also loved about this town was how the village wove together like a corn maze, but I wasn't scared to get stuck in between. The houses were so quiet and small, I fantasized families inside spending hours together drinking cafe while Sunday dinner was brewing on the stove.
For what Puglia has to offer these are the best spots to be! Right between the ocean and a slanted doorway in Alberobello.
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