Just like its English equivalent ‘taste’, the Italian term ‘gusto’ packs a double meaning. It is cultured discernment, that effortless instinct for placing the right chair, or word, or color, in just the right place. It is also one of our five senses – more than any other, that which brings us such pleasure at the dinner table.
Passalacqua’s world of design endeavors to combine discernment with delight. So too does its world of food, fine wine and cocktails. The key to the mix is simply stated: respect for good, fresh, seasonal ingredients, respect for time-honored recipes and traditions, and a belief in the richness of simplicity.
Perhaps the most important member of the entourage that would accompany noble Italian dynasties on their seasonal migration from city house to country retreat was the family cook. Trained in the art of culinary excellence, this figure, loved by all, was also well-attuned to personal tastes and preferences, with a range that extended from perfect scrambled eggs to the menu for a gala banquet.
One of Italy’s most celebrated chefs, Viviana Varese has passionately embraced what she calls “the greatest opportunity of my life”: to honor the historic Italian tradition of family cooks – most of whom were women – and redefine it for the 21st century. In the latest chapter of the story that led her from the seafood trattoria on the Amalfi Coast where she grew up to her own Michelin-starred restaurant in Milan, Viviana is making Passalacqua the benchmark for a new vision of alta cucina di casa, or refined home cooking.
One of the small joys of country house life is wandering into the kitchen, helping yourself to a tempting snack, striking up a conversation, getting involved in the baking or the pasta-making. Passalacqua’s open kitchen is yours, to learn in and to linger in. So too is our snug and stylish bar, which celebrates northern Italy’s vibrant cocktail and aperitivo scene and the gentle art of conversation.
