Anyone in Australia and who loves cookery and food will know of Lyndey Milan - Australian home cook hero, celebrated TV personality and award-winning author.

Now she will add tours to her repertoire, beginning with Culinary Adventures in Puglia & Basilicata with Lyndey Milan scheduled from 1-7 May 2018. Lyndey plans to lead guests through an unforgettable week of culinary and cultural discovery in the deeply passionate and undiscovered region of Puglia, Southern Italy.

The planned group size is intentionally an intimate 12-16 places on the tour. Lodging will be in authentic, family-run noble estates and palaces, and the tour will be operated by local Puglia specialist Southern Visions Travel the leading experiential travel company in Southern Italy.

Puglia is the sun-drenched heel of the boot that spans two seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian. Basilicata is its neighbor to the west. Both agricultural regions with abundant healthy soil, over 50 million olive trees and a tradition of wine growing that has seen a fabulous dynamism in the last ten years, this area produces some of the most exciting wines in on the planet.

Did you know that: there are more olive trees in Puglia than there are people in Italy! 

Puglia is estimated to have 60 million olive trees, some as old as 2,000 years, all of which are protected by law. With this enormous number of trees Puglia produces more olive oil than anywhere else in Europe. Extra virgin olive oil is the basis of the now UNESCO protected Mediterranean diet along with fish, grains and vegetables and the cuisine in Puglia provides a perfect example of this healthy way of eating and living.

Pugliese cuisine:

The cuisine is an intrinsic part of the Puglia experience. Local dishes are simple yet thoroughly flavourful Pugliese pastas (home of the orecchiette) and breads are handcrafted from locally grown durum wheat. Sauces feature an abundance of fresh vegetables like eggplant, fava beans and broccoli rabe. Fresh fish is caught daily by local fishermen and sold right on the docks and in small fish shops. Burrata cheese is one of the region’s most famous products. Our trees drip with cherries, figs, almonds and of course, olives. Meat lovers should not fear though, cured and grilled meats also make a regular appearance on the Puglian plate.

(Inside a trullo)

What are trulli?

The whitewashed trulli are an icon of Puglia. The conical shaped dwellings that dot the landscape, especially in the area known as the Itria Valley. The trulli landscape resembles a scene from a fairly tale remarkably different from anything else seen in Italy. Once used primarily for farm storage and often part of a larger masseria (farmhouse) they are now being lovingly restored into beautiful lodgings

Pugliese wine:

Pugliese wine makers have progressed enormously in recent years and are achieving some well-deserved recognition. Puglia has always been a region producing a high number of grapes but until recently these were used as filler for blends produced in regions to the north. However, recently, wine makers in Puglia have been producing their own high quality wines.

The local people:

Contact with local people is such a high priority for many travelers these days and the people of Puglia are incredibly warm and friendly. Our guides are engaging and happy to share stories of their childhood. Guests will be invited into the homes of locals, to dine with them, share stories and really get in touch with the Southern Italian culture and give meaning to your experience.

UNESCO sites:

The regions of Puglia and Basilicata are home to two incredible UNESCO sites which are totally different character. Matera on the other hand is home to the legendary Sassi, ancient cave dwellings that have now been restored as shops and homes. The unique trulli houses of the Itria valley can only be seen concentrated in over 1,000 little houses in the fairytale town of Alberobello.

About Lyndey Milan OAM:

Lyndey Milan, Australian home-cook hero, is a familiar face on television and in print, and has been instrumental in changing the way Australians think and feel about food and wine for over thirty years. “Hospitality of the table” is her catchphrase, evidenced in her numerous television appearances, nine popular books and countless culinary events over the years, as she maintains her position at the forefront of Australian cuisine. An ability to connect with all audiences makes her the perfect tour host, having already led two very successful cruises and tours of the Mediterranean.

She has hosted eight TV series. Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Australia won Best Food TV series at the Gourmand World Awards, the accompanying book won Best TV Chef cookbook. She is a popular guest on morning TV and contributes to Selector magazine, a bi-monthly publication for food and wine enthusiasts.

She has a profile beyond Australia including: UK’s Saturday Kitchen; NBC Today Show during the Sydney Olympics; with Anthony Bourdain in Australia; in Rick Stein’s Seafood Odyssey. During her eight years as co-host of Fresh with The Australian Women’s Weekly on the Nine Network Australia, she regularly hosted such visiting chefs as Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Gordon Ramsay.

Lyndey is also Creative Director of Flame Media, an international TV Production and Distribution Company with offices in Sydney, London, Cardiff, Singapore and Eastern Europe and Flame Studio in Sydney.

A deeply held love for food and wine has made Lyndey an inveterate traveller for both work and pleasure and she has been to all five continents on earth. She has an extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for Mediterranean food and wine and fell in love with Puglia when she visited for the first time in 2013 with Southern Visions. Her friendly personality make her the ideal person to lead a tour and she takes special pride in seeking out special food and wine experiences for her guests.

++++

About Southern Visions Travel:

This is the only travel company in Southern Italy to have been awarded entry into the prestigious Pure Life Experiences Network. This network recognizes outstanding commitment to quality and authenticity.

Established in 2008 by Puglia native and former professional cyclist Antonello Losito, the company is known for its passion and dedication to showcasing the magic of the region to discerning travelers from around the world.

Alison Pike, originally from the UK but based in Puglia for many years, joined as a partner in 2011 and between them, the duo has brought together an international team of travel professionals who continue to deliver incomparable immersive journeys into the cultures of Southern Italy and beyond. The Southern Visions’ Team has a combined experience of over 30 years in the travel industry.