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Troia

Troia Cattedrale was constructed in the early 1100s, so it's just a little bit older that its sister Cattedrale in Trani.   Unlike Trani, much of whose original internal material such as the column capitals were monstered during the craze for baroquing, Troia's nave has survived unscathed, although the chapels in each end of the transept were rebuilt after earthquake damage in baroque style.   The facade (which faces north west and does not get much winter sun) has just emerged from under the scaffolding of a major restoration. 

The west facade window of Troia Cattedrale is unique amongst the Puglian roses because the 11 spaces between the spokes of the wheel are filled with stone screens, each with a different pattern.  One wonders whether there was any muslim influence here ?

Taking advantage of the low winter sun which just touches the edges og the NW facade - a very weathered flying cow and a lion being nasty to a human (both images are to be found on most cathedrals down here).

Down the road is the even older little church of San Basilio Magno, also recently restored.

Helping out in the a tourist information office with empty brochure shelves - Orante di Nicola, who says his family goes back to Roman times.

Around the Duomo

1st November is Ognissanti - a public holiday in Italy, when families remember their forebears and living relatives, flower seller markets expand around cemeteries like this one in Troia, and everyone takes the opportunity of the holiday to go out for a good intergenerational lunch full of family stories.  Or would you prefer to live in the "trick or treat" UK culture, where it is now reportedly not uncommon to have abuse and eggs thrown at your house if you do not respond to demands for treats at Haloween ?

Troia is a refreshingly real and friendly small Italian "tufa town" (more correctly "bracingly" - it's apparently one of the colder windier places around).   Not much in the way of modern shop fronts generally - the two newsagents we visited looking for a guide to the Cattedrale, were both cluttered and dark, but both yielded a part solution and ten minutes of fun and informative Italian conversation!  Likewise the tourist Information centre was ill equipped with printed material, but overflowing with friendliness and a desire to help.  On the main drag were several "neat" old palazzos with the occasional glimpse of an internal courtyard.  Some of the houses near the main drag had boxes of fruit or vegetables for sale on their doorsteps - the one above right had an interesting promotional concept.

And the Osteria "Fra due Terra" was the only eating house the Dom, who has a keen eye and nose for these things, thought looked interesting (actually, it was just about the only ....).  Here's the team - from the right - Maria-Neve, Giuseppe (joint proprietors) and Andreia (who is Portugese and also speaks excellent English).

On the left below is Francesco - Giuseppe's brother - who dropped in for a bite to eat and had his photo taken as well.  And as can be seen it was the day before Haloween.  The family produces wine and also does agriturismo (complete with a piccolo zoo of animale da cortile near Troia). 

And for a good "country lunch" there was:

A small sea shell shaped pasta (cavatelli) with fagiole (white beans) finocchio (fennel) and cotenna di miale (small square pieces of pork skin) ... the pasta is cooked in the bean juice and the fennel and pork skin added.  All the components are the same order of  small "chunk" size.  There is plenty of liquid in the final product, in fact one could also make it as a soup.

Salsiccia alla Contadina (sausage in the way of the peasant) - thin sausages cut into approx 5cm-ish strips, red peppers of similar domensionality, black olives ... all colourfully fried together.

A special preparation for the Dom of a tipico dolci di Novembre - vincotto with pomegranate seeds and pulp and other unidentified small things - the taste being like a strong liquid Christmas cake.

Note that many of their dishes are described (in Italian) on their website

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