SUMMER PRESS TOUR
When the moment finally arrives for a project to come out of the factory as a product, it literally raises a barrage of questions.
Because the new functions have not yet become part of the domestic routine, there are no immediate and quantitatively reassuring responses: that leaves us to rely, first of all, on our own intuition, hoping that it is again on target for the times and the lifestyles; and then, more importantly, on that precious little black book of addresses that we adore, especially when their reports are flattering: the press.
We therefore waited until the weather came to our rescue to organize a lovely informal “cookout” of meat and vegetables on the grill, taking advantage of the event to test our brand new kitchens for the outdoors.
The testers, chefs and waiters were the entire Alpes staff and family, the guests, observers, and critics were a group of women journalist friends from our favourite magazines, the place, a garden that had practically been ignored until then, and was discovered to be magnificent, just the right size and the right degree of privacy: best of all, it was our own garden.
The technical and culinary details had obviously been perfected in the factory during the construction phase: the gas function, because that is the only way that the T-bone steaks or vegetables will not lower the temperature of the hot griddle, no skimping on the thickness of the plate, so that those 2 cm of hot steel will hold the heat longer, and as a result, everything will be cooked to perfection, and last but not least, griddles only, not grills, everything cooks better, everything tastes better.
It was a lovely summer evening; the garden, enigmatically lit by the installation of lamps by Prandina, a company that is also based in our region, was truly scenographic, the tables and chairs, brought down from the attic of the building, were totally authentic, the direction of the event apparently invisible but solidly in the hands of our PR experts Evelina and Chiara from Umbrella.
Even the founder of Alpes Nico Moretto, who is our most critical observer, was enthusiastic and insisted on setting a date for a replica of the event.
We at Alpes were able to test our kitchens and are now on the roster of companies whose products contribute to furnishing the OUTDOORS: we should have a new word for dining out in the open air with our journalist friends.
We would like to thank:
Paola Riva for Brava Casa, Antonella Galimberti for Case da Abitare, Paola Girardi for Casaviva, Elisabetta Rosso for Elle Decor, Katrin Cosseta for Interni.
Programme.
After travelling from Milan to Bassano, we started the day as guests of the Nardini grappa distillery, in its historic headquarters at the Ponte Vecchio.
Aldo and Bruno Moretto from Alpes, Sergio Prandina and Lamberto Scalabrin from Prandina, Giuseppe Nardini and Antonio Guarda Nardini from Bortolo Nardini, Evelina and Chiara Bazzo from Umbrella and the journalist friends were all part of the group that gathered for an aperitif followed by lunch on the veranda overlooking the Brenta, the river that flows through the centre of this city in the Veneto region.
Second stop, the visit to the Bolle Nardini – a space for events and research, designed by Massimiliano Fuksas in 2004 to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the foundation of the company; made of glass, steel and concrete, in perfect contrast with the contemporary architecture, it is sited in the Porcinai Park.
Coffee at Prandina naturally followed, to view and appreciate the new products shown at Euroluce 2011, with a presentation of the production processes, followed by a question and answer session.
The group ended the day at Alpes, hosted first in the showroom spaces featuring the giant photographic prints of flowers by Fabio Zonta, then in the garden for dinner.
Video.
