Tucked into the rural heart of Ortelle, this intimate tasting event brings together two of Puglia's most storied agricultural treasures: the prized White Chickpea and the ancient carruba, or carob fruit. It's a dialogue between earthy legume and sweet pod, between soil and sun, presented in a setting that feels like stepping into a working farm where tradition still shapes the table.
Where Ancient Grains Meet Forgotten Fruits
The White Chickpea of Ortelle has been cultivated in this corner of Puglia for generations, a creamy, delicate pulse that thrives in the area's limestone soils. The carob, meanwhile, grows wild across the region's stone walls and dry hillsides—a tree that fed communities for centuries before fading into obscurity.
This tasting experience celebrates their reunion. You'll discover how local producers are bringing both back to the forefront, transforming them into dishes that honor the past while embracing modern culinary creativity.
- Taste the nutty sweetness of chickpea-based spreads and fritters
- Sample carob in unexpected forms—from dark, molasses-like syrups to baked goods
- Learn about the traditional farming methods that preserve these heritage crops
- Discover how both ingredients shaped the diet of rural Puglia for centuries
A Farm Setting That Tells Its Own Story
Agriturismo Aia San Giorgio provides the perfect backdrop—a working agricultural estate where the land itself is part of the narrative. Stone farmhouses, olive groves stretching to the horizon, and the kind of quiet that only exists far from tourist circuits.
The tasting unfolds in spaces that still smell faintly of hay and earth, at tables set with the same simplicity that defines Puglian hospitality. It's an experience designed not just to feed you, but to connect you to the rhythms of rural life.
Why This Experience Matters Now
In an era of monoculture and industrial agriculture, events like this are rare acts of preservation. The White Chickpea of Ortelle is a Presidio Slow Food product, safeguarded by farmers who refuse to let it disappear. The carob, once dismissed as peasant food, is being rediscovered for its nutritional richness and natural sweetness.
By participating, you're supporting the network of small producers who keep these crops alive. You'll leave with a deeper understanding of why biodiversity matters—and how good it tastes.
Plan to linger after the tasting. Ortelle itself is a quiet village worth exploring, with its baroque church facades and narrow streets that seem unchanged for a century. Just a few kilometers away, the Adriatic coast offers stunning swimming coves and fishing villages like Castro and Santa Cesarea Terme, perfect for rounding out a day spent savoring the inland flavors of Puglia.