The teeming catch from the nearby sparkling Adriatic Sea and produce from Puglia's rolling hills form the basis of Puglia's healthy, hearty cuisine.

Seafood, olives and olive oil, durum wheat and tomatoes are staples of the local diet. Local cooks make the most of seasonal produce, especially artichokes, mushrooms and snails gathered on countryside walks.

With this rich local harvest, Puglian cooks make seafood salad, seafood risotto, Ciambotto (mixed fish sauce over pasta), pasta with beans and mussels, Ciceri e Tria (strips of fried pasta with chickpeas), fava beans with chicory, salsa all'Sangiovanniello (sauce made with olive oil, capers, anchovies, parsley and hot peppers), zampina (meat sausages) and spit-roasted kid.

If planning a day-trip to the countryside, pack a picnic basket with excellent local delicacies such as capicollo (ham seasoned with peppercorns and wine), cervellata (sausage made with veal, pork and garlic), tarantello (salted tuna), panzarotti (fried bread filled with cheese, vegetables or meat), focaccia barese (stuffed pizza) and delicious Arab-influenced pastries made with locally grown almonds.