I can’t believe it took me so long to get to Salento and I can not wait to go back. June was the perfect time to enjoy the desolate beaches in Gallipoli and empty streets in Lecce before the late July/August rush overpopulates the peninsula.

Relais Corte Palmieri - conveniently located in the old part of the city. Impeccable customer service and beautiful rooms.

Swordfish carpaccio, rosé and my favorite food from the area: TARALLI (sweet or savory circular crackers).

Hot & cold fish appetizers at Angolo Blu. 

Spiaggia della Purità

Samsara Beach

Getting lost in Lecce. One of the few cities I’ve visited where I felt as if I was stepping back in time - maybe to the 1920’s. Some call it the Florence of the South and, in my opinion, Lecce is about 10,000x more beautiful. The exterior of the Basilica di Santa Croce was under construction, but it should be breathtaking once it is completed.

Last bite in Salento - bruschetta made with crispy bread, stracciatella cheese, cherry tomatoes, arugula, olive oil and sea salt

(Almost) six months later, I decided to give the Fast Track Detox  another run. I really enjoyed my results and wanted to get back on track after a very long winter. Well…and to prepare for my trip to Salento in a few weeks!

I’m currently on day 3 and enjoying it so far, mostly because of my new blender. I don’t know how/why I’ve lived without one for so long! I have to admit that I was already bored after the first day until I decided to go a new route in incorporating the vegetables, instead of just eating plain salads and steamed greens.

I’ve also been drinking lots of water infused with mint, cucumber and lime. Just like a Moscow Mule, one of my favorite cocktails…without the vodka.

One beet, 10 cherries (no pits), small handful of raspberries and juice of one lime. AMAZING. You can’t taste the beets at all and the consistency was very thick and creamy. I just used fresh fruit (no ice or anything frozen added). 

I will be making an arugula, pear and kiwi juice tomorrow. What are your favorite juice recipes?

My new favorite pizza: Zola Rossa (gorgonzola and fresh tomato sauce). It’s not usually found written on pizza menus, but you will definitely be glad you tried it. I finally tried Sibilla (Via Mercato, 14) last night and was really impressed. The crust was both pillowy and crispy, the gorgonzola was mild and the olive oil drizzle was nothing short of amazing - one of the most fragrant I’ve ever tried on a pizza. 

PS: I would definitely recommend checking out Orticola (Giardini Pubblici) this weekend! I had a great time at the event last night and will definitely be stopping by for more plants and flowers!

As strange as it sounds, one of the foods I miss most from America are pickles, especially the super crunchy garlicky ones you find in a deli. I came across some pickles here in Italy, but they were usually tasteless gherkin pickles…boring! I headed to Pinterest to find a good recipe, but I noticed that many of them included adding 2 cups of sugar. TWO CUPS?! I would rather have some gelato or nutella for that much sugar, not some pickles.

I finally came across this recipe with no sugar added! I had to tweak it a bit because I couldn’t find dill seeds or fresh dill so I used 3 tsp of died dill. I added an extra clove of garlic and swapped black peppercorns for red peppercorns. I would definitely use this recipe again, probably using less vinegar. 

PS: Heading to Salento (Brindisi, Lecce & Gallipoli) in a few weeks…any hot spots or restaurant recommendations in the area?!

Completely forgot that today was Cinco de Mayo! Anyone know of a good Mexican restaurant in Milano? I tried the few that the city has to offer, but they weren’t very good.

This Real Simple Lime Sorbet Margarita recipe is perfect to celebrate! I substituted the lime sorbet for lemon sorbet and I prefer salt on the rim instead of sugar.

Ingredients

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

1/4 cup salt

2 pints lemon sorbet

1/2 cup tequila

Directions

Rub the lime wedges around the rims of 8 stemmed glasses. Place the salt on a small plate. Turn each glass upside down and dip the rims in the salt to coat.

Place 2 scoops of sorbet in each glass and pour 1 tablespoon of tequila over the top of each. Serve with a spoon.