Since ancient times, men used to sit around the fire, look each other in the eyes, exchange food and carry out the first communication. Among the smiles, the first words and the primitive practices of sharing food, the concept of conviviality made its way. Conviviality from the Latin cum-vivere ( living together ) today is contained in the image of being meaningfully together at the table.
Sitting together around the table, is a circumstance full of meaning to which we very often do not attribute the right human value. In fact, when we are at the table together, it serves to recover that family spirit and so the table becomes the place of mutual listening, of sharing, of exchanging words. Consequently, the most important decisions are often made while sitting at a table.
Furthermore the key element of the table is the food which earned more and more human value over the years. Food is language and culture, communication and then being together at the table underlines its symbolic-expressive power. Around the table you eat, taste, experiment and talk. Food and its flavors are transmitters of knowledge and stories.
That perfectly explains why lunch time during my tour, is as important as visiting a monument or a site. I spend time selecting the right restaurants since it’s as important as deciding the sites to visit. I believe that to truly understand the culture of a destination you must taste the local flavors.
Plutarco said “we do not invite each other to simply eat and drink, but to eat and drink together”. Sitting at a table for lunch, is the moment when my guests become my friends.
If you want to experience local restaurants and combine it with a guided tour of Puglia, have a look at our itineraries, price and description.