Fresh and Delicious - early supper at Pulia in Borough, London
I couldn't resist the invitation to sample the food at Pulia, the new Puglian deli in Stoney Road, South East London. I love Italian food; I mean who doesn't? And I've been to Puglia -- the heel of Italy -- so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. Or so I thought. But this bright new space, a stone's throw from the foodie mecca Borough Market, has much more on offer than I could ever remember eating on that unseasonably chilly holiday 19 years ago. I was pregnant at the time and I remember dangling a toe in the icy water of the outdoor swimming pool at our traditional Puglian resort, gazing forlornly at the drowned worms. Food was our salvation. We were staying in our own Truli -- a sort of bleached white brick teepee. It was our base from which we would stroll into town and sample the incredible range of ... pizzas!
Without the expertise of a regional expert like George Tohme of the Pulia project (a range of Puglian branded products and four restaurants in four major cities in seven months), we didn't really get to sample the artisan foods of the region. The Borough deli provided me with more flavours and experience in one enjoyable hour, than the week I spent there. The place is like a large glass extension kitchenette. The walls and furniture are Puglian white -- like the Trulis -- and lined with glass jars of artisan products: olive oils, artichokes wrapped around tuna, black olives, green ones, all delicious .... The centre counter displays a range of ready-to-eat food: slices of foccacia, topped with mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, glorious mozzarella and caramalised onions. The panzarroti (savory pastries) were bursting with flavour. I tried one crammed with soft cheese and spinach, before cutting into a bag of the plumpest and creamiest buffalo mozzarella.
We finished our meal with a light, crispy topped custard filled cake -- perfect with coffee or a glass of Puglian red or white.
I visited the restaurant with two teacher friends after an afternoon at the nearby open air Globe Theatre. Like my holiday in Puglia, the weather was unseasonably cold. On the eve of the partial solar eclipse, the wind rolled in from the river, leaving us shivering in the stalls. We badly needed the warm hospitality of the Pulia deli; its flavoursome food and welcoming, stylish surroundings. I would recommend a visit to anyone with a love of authentic Italian food. Importing direct from Puglia to London, New York, MIlan and Venice these people are putting Puglia on the map.
