OLIVE BRANCH

When US soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful filmed 10 episodes (including the long-awaited wedding between Hope and Liam) in Puglia, Italy, the region achieved cult status within the collective consciousness of daytime TV fans. Puglia ticks all the boxes when it comes to representing rural Italy: old stone houses, olive groves and tradition.

For Rome-based couple Monica and Jacobo, though, the Puglia region located 500km south-east of Rome (smack in the heel of Italy’s boot) represents their family’s history and heritage. Through decades of summers past they have established firm family roots here. This motivated the couple to purchase several terraced hectares of olive and almond trees. Besides continuing the family tradition, they wanted to embark on