Bar Crawl! One can’t possibly appreciate Pontelandolfo’s culinary delights without experiencing the cultural delight of the Southern Italian bar. Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo, the program we started i 2016, offers more than tasty cooking. Participants also have unique tasty experiences.
Pour yourself a glass of something sparkling and join me for a Pontelandolfo Bar Crawl.
First stop – Cafè Style. Run by the Nardone sibling, Antonio and Asia, the bar is nestled above the village and morning coffee there includes a glorious view. For our bar crawl, the participants – many for the first time – try a “spritz.” Often advertised in the USA, Aperol is the go to ingredient for a spritz. This orange aperitif, along with ice, Prosecco and a dash of fizzy water makes a colorful sparkling drink. Aperol is produced by the Campari Group. Speaking of Campari – Campari is my go to ingredient for a spritz that is a bit bitter and has a higher alcohol content. Just switch out the Campari for Aperol in the recipe and sip a great end of a long day adult beverage. The other happening spritz option is Limoncello, Yumm it tastes like a cool summer lemonade. My famous Los Angeles niece, Alexandra, turned me on to those. I hadn’t seen them in Pontelandolfo. The minute she told me to try one – zoom – I saw fashionable people sipping them in Piazza Roma. How did I miss this perfect summer trend??
Now, a spritz can’t be had without a little nosh. An aperitivo and a big nosh is called apericena – who needs a dinner. Frankly, I don’t want to waste my third act worrying about dinner and often grab Jack and head out for that 8:00 PM adult beverage and apericena. Ahhhhhhh.
Since this is the season of cucumbers, tomatoes and other early garden crops, Group 2 enjoyed an amazing cucumber salad, bruschetta of fresh chopped tomatoes, local cheese and sausage. Culinary plus cultural adventure number one!
Onward! No weary partiers in our groups! Next stop Bar 2000! Down the hill, around the curves and into the center of town we go! Bar 2000 is owned by Ghaleb, a Tunisian expat, and his wife Rosaria. Calcio may be booming on the large screen but the late night snacks are middle eastern. The scent of the large skewer of meat slowly turning on the electric spit wafts down the street. Think of all those places you have visited serving Gyros. Here a handheld version is made with the addition of lettuce, tomatoes and more. These palate pleasing “piadine” are wrapped in foil and scarfed down by all. I suggested Italian beer as the cultural experience but, hey, I’m not their mom and one could drink what one wanted.
Since no one except me was tired. We ambled down the cobblestones to our final stop – Bar Cafè Elimar.
After a long day filled with conversation, tasty morsels and alcohol, what could be better than a Nutella filled crepe accompanied by a digestivo! Some adventurers tried Strega, the aperitif made locally. The Strega recipe of secret herbs has been guarded for centuries. Others, myself included, sipped dark colored digestives like Amaro di Capo, Cynar, Vecchio Romagna, or- gulp- sweet Limoncello.
Huzzah! We made it through another bar crawl. What culinary and cultural adventure waits around the corner? Everyday, life in a Southern Italian village like Pontelandolfo reminds me that we truly are lucky to live “la dolce vita.”
Ci Vediamo
Nonna's Mulberry Tree 
The narrative is both colorful and appetizing. The facial expressions speak volumes. The group had a delightful time, and gradually became ever so slightly (but visibly) and sweetly tipsy. Midge, you seem to have recovered from your face plant. We look forward to our visit in early September. – Charlotte G, formerly C
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