Peschici, Olive oil Mill, and Good Eats

The reason we chose to stay in Vieste was that it looked beautiful and it had ferries running to the Tremiti Islands. Unfortunately during the low season and winter, the ferry and helicopter only operate from Termoli a few times a week (the islands would not be the place to have a heart attack or stroke!!!) With our new free day, we decided to visit Peschici. 

With Puglia being a top producer of olive oil, it was important to visit a mill. We visited Oleificio F.Ili Vieste and the son Rafaele Vieste greeted us enthusiastically with a tour of their operation! They were pruning the trees removing the old branches getting ready for this seasons fruit. 

They will not harvest until October, so we saw nothing in action, but Rafaele went through all the steps with us. These are the granite blocks resting on a granite platform that they use to first press the olives. After the tour we tasted the olive oil, it was so fresh, and also a little spicy. The spice is a good thing since that is normally the antioxidants coming through. 

Peschici and a view from the old town. 

The old town with narrow streets and again Piaggio Apes driving up and down them. There were cats everywhere and Bogi was trying to seek every one of them out! 

Some of the roads peeked out to the sea, little eye candy surprises!!

Rafaele, from the olive mill recommended the seafood restaurant Porta Di Basso. We did not know we were in for this view and a meal from the famous chef, Cilenti Domenica. Outside the window, it drops straight down 100 meters to the sea. 

They also have two balconies jutting out over the rocky coast. 

We did the chef degustation menu. This was one of my favorite courses, bread soaked in tomatoes and olive oil topped with raw sea bass and citrus. It was bursting with many fresh, bright flavors.

The other course that really stood out was the deep fried prawn in a smoke flour. It was one of those rare times that the food matched the view. 

On the way back it wasn't just crazy scooter drivers to watch out for, it was a farmer letting his cows out to another pasture.