A whim for every curl (sea-curls=sea-urchins)

Since we started talking about Salento and its beauty, it has not been possible not to refer to the sea as its primary resource.

We have exalted its color and its impalpable and crystalline transparency, we have recounted the physical shape of the beaches on which it pours in the days of high tide and we have appreciated the scent in the morning.

It is right to admit that what makes the Salento sea perfect are also the delicacies that gives us, first of all the delicious sea urchins.

Sea urchins, or echinoides, are common both in the oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea and prefer the rocky seabed as a habitat. They are very delicious for their intense and decisive taste.

But be careful, they are a protected species, to be consumed only during the periods established by the maritime authorities.

The best time is the month of July: the fishermen leave early in the morning to catch them.

The fishing of the sea urchins is a physical, emotional activity: you dive and manually extract the precious mollusks from the rock to which they are entwined.

Eating them is definitely easier. Just a nice slice of bread and a nice glass of accompanying white wine. You can buy them from the many kiosks that are on the coast from Otranto to Gallipoli, passing through the most beautiful beaches of Salento.

The ideal would be to go to the beach early, wait for the return of the fishermen, stock up on sea urchins, and bring them home, maybe in one of the luxury villas where you stay, to eat them for lunch with your family and your friends.

And for those looking for more refined and complex flavors, many restaurants offer dishes based on sea urchins, such as the famous linguine, always accompanied by a good white wine.

The sea urchin is one of the symbols of Salento and all of Puglia in general: do not be surprised then if around the souvenirs shops you will also find magnets that reproduce the cute spiny mollusk.

In short, you can not come to Puglia and not taste the sea urchins. The “sushi” from Puglia will satisfy even the most refined palates. We can not do without it, we at BeeYond Travel are convinced of this.