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rustica RETRO

on the slow trail in Italy

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contacts and links

email me: alicekiandra.adams@gmail.com

click and follow the links to find out more about:

my food styling work on alice adams food stylist

latteria studio and events like market to table

lubriano and renting our house on airbnb

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daily grams

My next door neighbor at Lubriano sent me a photo of my darling plum tree under blossom. Yes, I would love to be in that sun dappled garden as spring is springing, but the directions were to stay at home, and so we are in Rome. To everyone, all over the world, if you are relocating, from city to country, from main house to holiday shack, you need to go into strict 14 day quarantine wherever you go. There are so many asymptomatic carriers of covid and it’s not fair on the small communities when city dwellers rock up to their holiday pads, bringing the virus with them. Sorry for being boring, but this is my only social media channel and I needed to get this out. #thinkfirst #thinkcommunity #stayathome #iorestoacasa
In the what feels like half a lifetime ago, @rachelaliceroddy would breeze into the studio with a smiling group of curious cooks and a caravan of bags of produce and @carla_tomasi or I would be there, the big moka pot bubbling and maritozzi just out of the oven, cooling under a slick of sugar syrup and ready to be stuffed with whipped cream. Oh, I am starting to really miss those mornings with my cooking pals, and the fine folk who always join us for #markettotablerome. Sigh. Rachel’s column in today’s @guardianfeast is about maritozzi, which I think make a fine antidote to this particular moment. The recipe is also in her first book Five Quarters, it’s the grubbiest page in my copy. #staycalmandbake #stockuponflour #romanbakedgoods #maritozzi ps. For those booked to do coming M to T, we’ll be refunding all classes that can’t go ahead, stay tuned, and stay hopeful.
Day 10 of lockdown. Finished a blog post I started perhaps 18 months ago. Let’s call it a win. Rustic tarts of various kinds, link in profile. #torterustiche #tortesalate #rusticitalianbaking #lunchideasforlockdown 📷 by @giorgianofriniph
We are fine. Eating well, trying to stay positive, and using the excuse to shop at the market and little shops to stretch the legs. Thanks to everyone for all the messages of love and concern for all of us, and for Italy in this difficult and confusing time. The hardest bit in our household is controlling the use of our devices, I am glued to news bulletins and checking Instagram and Whatsap constantly. So, am going to lock my phone in a cupboard for a week and see how that helps. Might get a few other worthwhile projects done. Oh, and if you want a #pastaefagioli recipe for looming lockdown - I have one on my blog, link in profile. #legumesforlockdown #beanandpasta #pantrysaviors
My first trip to Italy was in 2003. It was September, and my brother and I found ourselves at an outdoor concert in front of the Colosseum. The city was bathed in a soft pink light, the streets were full of people and peace flags fluttered from the windows of every street. The city felt so alive. This weekend we will fly flags of a different kind from our windows. Hand painted with whatever paints we have lying around, joining with the spirited, brave, courageous Italian nation in saying ‘everything will be ok’ - ‘andrà tutto bene’. Italia, I have never loved you more than I do now. #celafaremo #andratuttobene #tuttiinsieme
Stay in, drink more (Italian) wine, eat well. Other than following the guidelines set out by the Italian health ministry what can we do? @girlinflorence has written a fabulous piece today, and also has a link to support #madeinitaly at this time where we can’t travel but we can spend online. And for all of us holed up close to home crafting, we can support our small local shopkeepers, shop at the market rather than the super (they are open air!!) and look out for elderly neighbors. #thenewchallenge #livesmall #gettingtgroughthis #learningnewlessons
What are we all going to with this enforced (and necessary) confinement? Cook more perhaps. Take walks. Try and shop local to help the little shopkeepers, eat at least a gelato a day to keep the gelatai in business, read, weed the terrace pots. Potato & fennel bake, the crusty, sweet, starchy, aromatic bake that goes oh so well with fish, but could also just be eaten with a spoon direct from the pan. Take a couple of bulbs of fennel, wash, trim excess and slice finely from top to bottom. I find it easier to remove the woody core after slicing, in this way slices remain intact. Peel and slice 4-6 potatoes. Layer potato, fennel, potato and so on, salting and drizzling with oil on each layer. Cover with foil or a tray and bake for 30 mins in a 170 C fan oven, then remove cover and bake a further 30 mins, until the top is golden and crisp and both potatoes and fennel starting to caramelise. The 🐠 in the photo are little merluzzi from the Mediterranean but unfortunately they are not super sustainable so perhaps I won’t be doing them again. Photo: Leonardo Carosi #finocchiepatate #gratinata #fennelandpotatogratin #eattheseason
To everyone out there who is dreaming of spaghetti alle vongole with sand between your toes, but is unsure what to do about this year’s travel plans. I would say: Sit tight, hold on, don’t go cancelling anything just yet. The Italian authorities are working hard to get on top of the outbreaks in small and well identified areas in northern Italy (that are definitely no-go zones at present). What some have defined draconian measures have been put in place to prevent exponential spread and strain on the medical response. Remember that Italy has a very high standard of medical care, are amazing at counter terrorism and that Italians themselves are disinfectant freaks. And when the warmer weather really arrives the risk of infection, already very low, will get even lower. And there are lots of ways to amend your travel plans too - visit smaller places, drive rather than catch the train (normally I would never suggest this), go self catering. Italy is waiting for you, don’t cancel too quickly. This month of March is going to be about hanging in there, finding something else to do in the imminent quiet period, and praying that this is all just going to blow over with the arrival of warm spring breezes. Photo by @sabrinarossi_ph from a shoot we did together last year for @henrimor
Whether or not this fine loaf was made with a century old Tuscan starter is something you can ask Jeremy @eatthispodcast at his Sourdough master class in Sunday April 5. It’s an all day class with lunch and being the week before Easter I believe there will also be hot cross buns. Info on Jeremy’s profile and the events page of latteria studio. #soughdoughschool #realbreadsecrets #startbaking #lessonsatlatteriastudio
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