Opening up Trullo Azzurro 2009

Another flying visit to Trullo Azzurro (http://www.trulli-puglia.com/) to open up for the season. We are perhaps more conscientious than strictly necessary but we are scarred by our early experiences a couple of years back when the building works were half done.

Basically we moved in too soon and bought furniture and bedding while the plaster was still oozing moisture into the atmosphere. The following spring everything was covered in mould and anything organic was green and hairy. The rush seat bottoms were fungoid in the extreme, the wooden spoons went in the bin and the mattresses are still speckled with grey markings.

Since then we have been zealous about bagging up linens every autumn into "Vacu-sacs" and installing dehydration tablets. Last November we bought an electric dehumidifier and set it going on low over the winter.

Then we go out in spring to unbag the linens, air the property and wipe off any mould. The last couple of years it has got easier with less and less to do. Still it is good to reassure ourselves in person that the place has survived the winter. This year a little weeding, sorting out a couple of welcome packs for our paying guests and a meal out with Neighbours Chris and John more or or less did the trick.

We arrived Friday at one o'clock Saturday morning had a glass of red wine and went to bed. Saturday did stuff then in the evening John kindly drove us to Ostuni for a meal at "Porta Nova". It was out of the Michelin guide and was classy and expensive.

The antipasti came not as a whole slew of communal plates but three separate courses all small but perfectly formed. The main dishes were hot on presentation but thermally could have been literally hotter. Room for a dessert and coffee. There was an extensive wine list at sensible prices, of which we consumed three, even so we still managed to run up a bill of 60 Euro per head. Good but VFM? I am not so sure.