My wife’s great grandparents came from Sepino, a little south of there, but we haven’t gotten around to visiting (yet).
From Wikipedia: “.. Beginning in the late 19th century, many residents of Sepino have immigrated to other countries. The earliest waves migrated to the United States (particularly [Hartford]…” Bingo.
I drove through Sepino (unexpected road closure meant I had to) on my way back from the archaeological site of Saepinum while I was staying in Molise. The town looks very charming, and Saepinum was fantastic. I hope you make it there someday. This was an easy trip from Isernia, and would also work well from Campobasso.
I had Saepinum to myself the afternoon I visited. Definitely an undervisited site.
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I had imagined that, after almost a decade, that there would be more restaurants in Santo Stefano proper. I was wrong. The restaurant in my hotel is well regarded, and the food is good, however a bit expensive for the area.
Although there is a full degustazione, I went a la carte. Sorry for photo quality, let’s put more of the blame on the candlelit room and less on the photographer.
An amuse–puff pastry, sheep’s milk cheese and a delicious local nectarine.
Hmm, this was potatoes, zucchine, eggplant with a tomato sauce. Not much to look but very tasty.
Tagliatelle with sheep ragu. Homey, comforting, really good.
Zabaglione with chocolate and almonds.
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Great report, and I’ll echo everyone’s thanks for keeping it going 
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I moved from Montana to College Park MD to go to school. Made a good friend there, he invited me to visit Baltimore with him over the summer. I do and ask him to take me to an old school ethnic place in the city. We went to Bennigan’s. Irish, he said. He was serious.
Years later we hung out in Little Italy there with Italian friends and I asked him about it. He still thought Bennigan’s was Irish.
Sometimes we do not recognize our own blinders.
Now I am going to re-think all my favorite cafes in the DC Metro area…
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You mean you did not want to use a flash as you took photos of your dinner?
I am with you on that one. I will photograph my food with relish, but using a flash to do so is a bridge too far for me.
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I don’t use flash, but also I often feel rather self-conscious taking photos of my food, and therefore try to do so surreptitiously, quickly, head-lowered in shame lol. This leads to some pretty sorry results. Depends on the restaurant, of course. But it is by and large a “me problem.”
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I understand the wish to be surreptitious with the photographing of the food. I am doing the same thing. As you note, the slower we take the photos the better they sometimes turn out. I have learned to force myself to wait a second or two after the phone camera focuses because it seems to allow the light sensor to adjust a bit better and the photos are noticeably better. But waiting there with my phone out and my dish centered in the viewfinder seems to take forever.
Your photos are very good and your choices for food at Gli Archetti and Sextantio look outstandingly delicious!!
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Especially when I want to start eating!
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The many trails of Il Gran Sasso beckoned.
There are easy walks and more challenging hikes to undertake. In my trip planning, I had researched shady trails with waterfalls/dipping pools, thinking I didn’t want to end up as an international news story: American woman in her fifties dies of heat exhaustion hiking solo in Italy in August. But the Gran Sasso is at high enough altitude that I hadn’t been concerned. Off the road on my way to some major trailheads (also a ski area with lifts), a few food trucks were setting up.
I bought a panino with red figs and ricotta, first half enjoyed on a rock in a meadow with lovely view on my way to the top of Monte Aquila. Simple, simple panino–extra, extra delicious, largely because of the quality of the foccacia, the figs, and the incredible Abruzzo cheese.
Don’t give up! You’re almost there.
Treated myself to the rest of my panino when I reached the top.
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