Puglia does seem an interesting place for wine. Which year did you drink > in this case?
>
>> I "hepped it up" with some extra black pepper rubbed into the meat,
>> added a half teaspoon of garlic powder and increased the dried basil
>> from the called for ridiculous 1/8 teaspoon to one half teaspoon. That
>> paid dividends in the final product. It was served with Basmati rice
>> and my signature three minute microwaved Broccoli Crowns.
>
> Godzilla Monster, It would be nice to see you make a second posting
> after preparing your meal with.....
>
> -freshly ground black pepper [instead of (presumably) pre-ground] -fresh
> garlic [instead of powder]
> -fresh basil [instead of dried]
> -fresh broccoli crowns dropped into boiling salted water for 5 minutes
> [instead of microwave of (presumably) frozen]
>
> I hope my comments above do not cause offense! I am just a big fan of
> everything fresh!
>
> And Puglia is one of my favorite destinations for food. The passion for
> very fresh, very tasty agricultural products was reflected in virtually
> every dish I tried there.
>
> TB
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Just to ease your worries, I ALWAYS grind my pepper (both white and black) to order when cooking. The Broccoli crowns were fresh, not frozen. Fresh Basil is more difficult to come by, unless one is willing to pay an "ojo de la cara" for a minuscule package of dubious vintage at the supermarket. Living in an area dominated by voracious White Tail Deer, growing anything myself is not a viable option.
If I live long enough to outlast my present responsibilities, I would definitely like to visit Puglia. :-)
Godzilla