Good for Food experience.
Taste Revival
Flavors of the past in Abruzzo's mountains.
The restaurant Locanda Sotto gli Archi embraces the philosophy of the albergo-diffuso (extended hotel) Sextantio in which it is located, created with the intention of protecting and promoting the identity of the medieval hill village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio in the Gran Sasso National Park. The rooms of the Locanda have been meticulously restored in a way that retains their ancient charm and it is here that the dishes of the local culinary tradition of Abruzzo, linked to the festivities and moments of plenty, are served. Locanda Sotto gli Archi's delicious cuisine is characterized by the exceptionally varied flavors which were in the past created, using whatever humble ingredients came to hand, by generations of women living in the Abruzzo mountains.
The memories of the town's older inhabitants have been essential in the recovery of long lost recipes which were linked to family traditions, the changes of season, and to local beliefs associated with certain foods. Some of the key materials used are produced on the Sextantio's farm (which has been responsible for the cultivation of a number of varieties of autochthonous mountain grains which otherwise risked extinction), or grow wild on the mountainside, where they are gathered as they were in past centuries.
The rediscovery of Abruzzo's peasant cuisine has been made with the aid of chef Niko Romito, the manager of the Reale a Rivisondoli restaurant, the only eatery in Abruzzo to have attained two Michelin Stars. This talented young Italian chef readily accepted the challenge to recreate the almost forgotten dishes of Abruzzo, to which he has added his own occasional creative twist.
Inspired by the philosophy of the Sextantio project, the furnishings of the Locanda Sotto gli Archi have all been produced by local craftsmen, and the plates and ceramics have been created by one of the last traditional artisans still working in the town of Castelli.
Locanda sotto gli Archi
at Albergo Diffuso Sextantio
Via Sotto gli Archi
Santo stefano di Sessanio (l'Aquila)
Tel. +39 085 4972324
www.sextantio.it
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