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Rome Secrets - A conversation with Susan Wright and recipe for spaghetti alle vongole

16/7/2014

 
Susan Wright, author of Rome Secrets
Australian-born photographer Susan Wright, author of Rome Secrets
'Falling in love with Rome came very naturally and easy to me. As an artist, photographer and a dreamer at heart, my imagination was captivated and inspired by the timeless grandeur, compelling beauty and irresistible ambience and spirit of this great city.'                                  
                                              -- Susan Wright in the introduction to her book, Rome Secrets

It's always interesting to meet Australians who live and work overseas. Susan Wright is one such Australian — a photo-journalist living and working in the heart of Rome. She has compiled her love for and knowledge of this ancient city, together with other fascinating regions of Italy, in her first book, Rome Secrets: Cuisine, Culture, Vistas, Piazzas. 

An Aussie girl born into life on a cattle station west of Townsville, Susan has worked as a professional photographer for more than 20 years. Her travel and landscape images have appeared in many national magazines, travel brochures, calendars and books. 

In Rome, Susan found herself to be like Alice in a Roman Wonderland, exploring the rich, vivid, beautiful city full of exotic theatrical characters. Through her book, readers can travel along with Susan as she discovers secret doorways, delicious districts, amazing vistas, and the changing moods of the city throughout the seasons. Susan also shares her favourite destinations for eating, relaxing, shopping, romance, strolling, and even prayer.

Susan says she has traversed many corners of Italy to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation and love for the culture. 'In creating Rome Secrets, I hope to impart to all travellers a local's view of this eternal city,' she says. We caught up via email recently. Our conversation is below:

Susan, congratulations on the publication of your book, Rome Secrets. It's a big, beautiful book and a credit to your work. Thank you for taking the time for a conversation with me!
It's my pleasure, Liz, thank you for this opportunity.

You grew up on a cattle station in Queensland, such a vastly different landscape to Italy. Tell me, what first sparked your interest in photography and how old were you at the time?
Yes, an incredible contrast both visually and culturally. Even as a child growing up in rural Australia, I was an avid artist. I loved to draw and paint portraits of people in both charcoals and acrylics. When I moved to Sydney in my late teens, I became interested in photography and was inspired by some of the great photographers of that period - Herb Ritts, Annie Liebovitz, Patrick Dermarchelier, Robert Maplethorpe, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and others. I traded my paints and charcoals for a camera and films and have loved the medium ever since.

What first took you to Italy and how long have you been living there?
I came to Italy in 2003 for a photographic conference in Orvieto in Umbria. I found the country, the people, the landscape, the culture and the history so incredibly inspiring and fascinating. Previously, I had been working in a government position as a photographer for more than three years and I felt my creativity was depleted. I knew without a doubt that I had to follow this rich source of inspiration that I found in Italy as a positive step forward in my artistic and personal journey. Now I have been here for ten years and am continually inspired and discovering so much about this amazing country and culture.

Do you have a most favourite place in Italy? Tell me about it...
Gosh there are so many that it is really hard to narrow it down. Rome is of course a city dear to my heart, but I also love the mysterious beauty of Venice and the spectacular landscape of the Amalfi Coast. I also love Torino – a super elegant city with exceptional cuisine and in complete contrast, Palermo for it’s vivacious energy and raw beauty.

Who are your food heroes, or who inspires you the most when it comes to Italian food and cooking?
I’ve met and photographed so many amazing people here in the food industry it’s really hard to narrow it down. Italians are so proud of their food culture and passionate about enjoying quality food. I think they are all ‘heroes’ - from acclaimed chefs in Michelin-starred restaurants to the hard working, dedicated producers in the fields, vineyards and crops. Their passion and enthusiasm is inspirational. 

When it comes to the cookbooks you cook from, do you prefer to keep the pages pristine or do you like it when they’re well used and the pages are just a little splattered?
Most of my cookbooks are beautifully illustrated coffee table books, so I tend to keep them as clean as possible.

Do you have an all-time favourite recipe? Would you like to share a recipe with Good Things readers?
When I first came to Italy 10 years ago, I was really taken with the cucina Amalfitana - Dishes from the Amalfi Coast. My favourite dishes would have to be the traditional Spaghetti alle Vongole and Spaghetti alle Cozze… even better when eaten by the sea on a pretty coastline somewhere in Italy.

SPAGHETTI ALLE VONGOLE
1.4 kg
 vongole (baby clams)
450g
 dried spaghetti
220ml
s extra-virgin olive oil
1
heaped tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon
 chopped red chilli
salt
100  white wine, such as pinot grigio
½ cup
 chopped flat-leaf parsley

Soak the vongole in cold water for 12 hours to purge them of any sand or grit. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the spaghetti, cooking until al dente. Just after adding the pasta, heat 120 ml of the olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. When hot, add the vongole, garlic and chilli and turn the heat to high. Stir once or twice as the vongole begin to cook. When around half of the vongole have opened, season with salt to taste and add the wine. Simmer briefly. Add the remaining oil and parsley. Drain the spaghetti and toss through the vongole.

And finally, what’s for dinner this evening in your part of the world?
Tonight I am cooking another of my favourite dishes – Pasta alla Norma. I ventured to the market at Circo Massimo this morning so I have some delicious fresh produce to cook with. This is a delicious dish with eggplant in tomato sauce and I will top it off with mozzarella, fresh from the farms just outside of Rome in the Latina province. Yum!

Rome Secrets by Australian-born Susan Wright
Rome Secrets by Susan Wright (photo courtesy images Publishing)
Rome Secrets by Susan Wright $60 is published by images Publishing. I'd like to thank Susan for the opportunity to catch up and discuss her life, her work and this beautiful tome. 

Thanks to the generosity of Susan Wright and her publisher, I have ONE copy of the book to give away.

To enter the competition, simply sign up to receive my regular updates (via the subscription box on the top of my side bar), and in the comments below tell me in 50 words or less why you'd love to win a copy of the book. Make sure you use a current email address in your entry, one that you check frequently.

Apologies to my readers from overseas, this giveaway is limited to Australian readers only. Please do pop in to Susan's web site to find out more about her work. The competition will close at midnight on 27 July 2014.

This competition is now closed. Many thanks to everyone who commented and entered. And the lucky winner is Kyrstie! Congratulations Kyrstie, it seems you did not have enough time to explore and savour when you visited, so Susan felt perhaps the book might whet your appetite for more. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and commented. xo

Tell me, dear readers, have you ever visited Italy? Perhaps you live there? And for my Australian readers, why would you like to win a copy of Rome Secrets?
Gourmet Getaways link
14/7/2014 10:43:39 pm

Interesting story! I'm fascinated by how people like Susan are able to be well-traveled, meeting a lot of people, photographing, learning to cook and appreciating the culture all at the same time. What an admirable woman!

Julie
Gourmet Getaways

Ann Brady
15/7/2014 01:13:17 am

I would love to win the book because I adore the Italian Culture & food. Rome holds special memories & a book with great photos would let me treasure them.

Choc Chip Uru link
15/7/2014 01:38:54 am

Wow, Susan is so incredible. Culturally and how she approaches cooking, I would love to learn more about her :D
Great write up!

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru

Alison Neville
15/7/2014 12:42:28 pm

I loved Rome and one of the best meals we had in Italy was there. Susan's book would be a valuable addition to the book shelf. Is it too early to start a Christmas wish list?

Alison

Dhanya Samuel link
15/7/2014 01:25:56 pm

Except for a few travel shows, I do not really know much about the cuisine in Rome. One of my dream destinations, it would be so much better to travel there after having read this book.

Eha
15/7/2014 02:23:03 pm

fell totally and absolutely in love with Rome many years ago and it became the first destination ex Sydney every year for the whole of my family. Standing atop the Spanish Steps just a few paces from our hotel life was thrilling sweet - always! Would love a permanent volume 'to'remember' . . .

Kyrstie @ A Fresh Legacy link
15/7/2014 03:26:08 pm

When we visited Italy last year we had only a day and a half to look around the magnificence of Rome. I literally started crying when the cab drove past the Colosseum, I couldn't believe I was finally in Italy! I loved every minute of our day and half but we RACED around to see as many things a possible. I would love a book like this to plan what to explore and eat at a more leisurely pace next time around. I am fascinated by the idea of living in Italy - ahhhhh if only! I tossed my coin in Fontana di Trevi so maybe one day....

Susan Wright link
29/7/2014 09:05:26 am

Kyrstie, what a pity you only had a day and half to experience Rome! I hope that my book will whet your appetite to come back and experience this amazing city and also some of the hidden gems far from the tourist crowds. I threw a coin in the Trevi Fountain every time I visited Rome and I always ended up back here .... now I live here :-) Hope you enjoy my book!

John @ Kitchen Riffs link
15/7/2014 04:27:14 pm

Great interview! Always fun to hear about how different people live & do their jobs. And Pasta alla Norma is one of my favorites!

Lizzy
27/7/2014 08:36:07 am

John, thanks so much! Sorry that it's restricted to my Australian readers.

Maureen link
15/7/2014 07:40:42 pm

What a beautiful book and such an interesting woman. Rome is a far cry from a cattle station, that's for sure. :) I really love Rome.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
15/7/2014 09:02:27 pm

How wonderful to live in Rome! I only had a short stay there but it was magical :D

ela@GrayApron link
15/7/2014 09:24:40 pm

Nice interview, Liz. I can totally understand the author. Rome and I, we have some secrets too...

ela h.

Lizzy
27/7/2014 08:36:22 am

Thanks Ela, very kind of you : )

KRISTA R BJORN link
15/7/2014 11:52:23 pm

This book looks so beautiful and sounds wondrously inspiring. I would dearly love a copy so I can cozy in on cold winter evenings and dream my way through Rome. :-) It is a city that holds such happy and warm memories for me, and I'd love to view it through Susan's eyes. :-)

Susan Wright link
29/7/2014 09:10:32 am

Thanks Krista for your lovely comments... I would have liked to give everyone a copy of my book... after many years of living here I saw how so many tourists really missed the essence and authenticity of the city... that is why I wanted to create the book and I hope that people can get to know Rome a little better through reading my book and have a better experience when visiting :-)

Anna Johnston link
16/7/2014 12:04:00 am

I am exactly the same with my cookbooks, I like them to stay nice and clean. Kinda defeats the purpose of the book huh?! Great interview Liz. :)

InTolerant Chef link
16/7/2014 01:06:05 am

Delicious recipe! Food is always more fascinating seen in it's cultural context- especially if it's seen with such gorgeous photos :)

Liz link
16/7/2014 01:45:31 pm

I remember being in Rome and pasta alle vongole was supposed to be a must try dish of the area! I'd love to recreate it at home. Lovely interview.

Lizzy
27/7/2014 08:36:42 am

Liz, thanks ever so much! It's a beautiful book!

Jen link
16/7/2014 10:10:53 pm

How wonderful it would be to have a comprehensive guide to Rome written and photographed by an Australian with first hand knowledge of the city. Rome is flooded with tourists so any tips off the beaten track would be a delight. Thank you for a great interview.

Susan Wright link
29/7/2014 09:14:11 am

Hi Jen,
Thanks for the lovely comments. I totally agree with you that Rome is overwhelmed with so many sightseers and often they miss the best that the city has to offer unfortunately. I hoped to create a book to give visitors insiders knowledge of the best places to experience the real, authentic character of the city. In reality though, one book is really not enough to include everything, but it is a start at least :-)

Susan Wright link
29/7/2014 09:14:50 am

Hi Jen,
Thanks for the lovely comments. I totally agree with you that Rome is overwhelmed with so many sightseers and often they miss the best that the city has to offer unfortunately. I hoped to create a book to give visitors insiders knowledge of the best places to experience the real, authentic character of the city. In reality though, one book is really not enough to include everything, but it is a start at least :-)

David Scott Allen link
19/7/2014 07:57:47 am

Lovely interview - and her book looks luscious! And I love the simple and authentic recipe.

Lizzy
27/7/2014 08:37:00 am

David, thanks so much for your kind words.

Ruth Janszen
22/7/2014 10:41:40 pm

Now this book perhaps would be the perfect lazy mans guide to a paparatsi loving baby boomer country cook seeking adventures in the rustic heavens of Italy.


Comments are closed.

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