La Locanda sotto gli Archi, S. Stefano di Sessanio, (Aq) Abruzzi

​The restaurant, with its stone arches resting on supporting pillars, and central stone fireplace, has been restored in tune with the conservation philosophy in order to return it to the original architectural characteristics. New additions which broke this stylistic integrity have been removed, as well as the external heating elements, which have been placed under the stone floor, again recuperated from compatible materials and architectural traits.

Fortunately the changes over time have only been of overlay and not substitution. So the only removal necessary has been of the thin 19th century partition walls, superficial plaster work – while the reintegration of missing elements with analogous recuperated local elements: large stone paving blocks whose deteriorated bits were restored using ancient materials and techniques; plastering with whitewash lime; locally sourced recuperated stone stair blocks. For the most delicate and degraded parts – mainly the wood framing and attic lofts – the answer was imperceptible and subtle use of highly advanced technology for heating system under the floors: remote tele-heating.

LOCAL SPECIALTIES
The historic isolation of these territories, as well as the population’s attachment to traditional economy – have favored in these esconced valleys the persistence of ancient cultivations, and the survival of otherwise abandoned and extinct cultivars and varieties. Ancient Mediterranean cultivations still grow here: spelt, lentils and garbanzo. Also Medieval cultivations grow here in their original form, like saffron, dill and parsnip. A reflection of this autochthonous culture is the tradition of local gastronomy, less structured than the peasant mountain cuisine, yet more articulate than the one belonging to the milder hilly areas.
As part of the project also nearby plots of land were purchased in order to grow the local produce and procure, in the renovated historic location, the traditional mountain cuisine of Abruzzo.

The Locanda Sotto gli Archi restaurant is therefore oriented on the most genuine local gastronomy, with crops autonomously managed in order to faithfully reproduce the cultural heritage so deeply bound to daily life of the population.