Førma Bakery, the new L'Aquila bread baker with breads and baked desserts

Førma Bakery, New bread baker in L’Aquila

Førma, the project by Roberta Milone and Simone Ciuffetelli, born in L'Aquila in 1993, which boasts a series of significant experiences, opened in summer 2020, in full pandemic. Together with chef Neil Perry in Melbourne, for example, then at 108 and at Bæst in Copenhagen, in Italy at Pasticceria Caesar in L’Aquila. It was in the Abruzzo capital that the project took root by inaugurating its first creation, with Roberta, Pamela Manieri and Silvia Cianfrini, in a historic building behind the Basilica of San Bernardino. The first restaurant to open in that area after the earthquake, a project studied in detail that has already given life to a new reality: opening its doors on 9 March 2022, Førma Bakery, a bread bakery created to satisfy the many requests for bread and pastries from the restaurant's customers, as Simone explains: "During the lockdown there was a very high demand for biscuits, lemon tarts, bread… so we decided to open a special laboratory. We also had in mind to organise brunches and we needed rye bread: the bakery was therefore born from different needs."

Førma Bakery products

The bakery is always located on Via Fortebraccio, about ten metres from the restaurant, and sells various types of bread, but also many desserts, "soon we will also include French croissants for breakfast, plain or filled with cream, almond paste and more." The flours are all carefully selected, organic and local, but the bread is not just the traditional kind, "we like the idea of ​​bringing our experience abroad, especially the Danish one, to L'Aquila." Green light, then, to loaves with type 2 flour, Solina and Senatore Cappelli, rye bread "with local wholemeal rye, farro and various seeds," and also baguettes with type 1 flour and corn polenta bread, "coming from a small local company." An important role is played by desserts, "lemon tarts in primis, it was the most popular in the restaurant," made with semi-wholemeal sablé, but also "Solina and rye" biscuits, and other proposals followed, especially for breakfast.

The Førma Bakery project in L'Aquila

The restaurant is small but well-furnished, with two counters and many products to choose from, prepared by a team of young and well-trained staff members. Despite having recently opened, the owner can already be satisfied, "the city is responding very well, the first day was sold out, people are intrigued." The attentive L'Aquila public is eager to learn about new products, "the clientele is attentive and very open to novelties," and continues to frequent the restaurant, which in these times has never stopped. Even during the hardship due to Covid-19, the project went ahead: indeed, the delivery service worked very well and the moment of pause "gave us great strength, energy, and made us reflect on what to do. The same idea of ​​the bakery was born thanks to the lockdown, as well as many other details that we have developed at the restaurant." For now, the team has no other projects in the pipeline, "we are already quite busy," except to continue on the path of quality and work well in the city: "We have done a lot in a short time, now we remain focused on these projects."

Førma Bakery – L’Aquila – via Fortebraccio - facebook.com/formaquila

by Michela Becchi