A kitchen capable of satisfy even the most discerning palates e refined and credit is due to a tireless worker who is always smiling, helpful and positive. Simplicity, authenticity and experience are the key ingredients that distinguish the cuisine of Bacchus Hotel Hostaria, a historic restaurant in Furore in the province of Salerno. In the kitchen the queen is. Erminia.
The two gulfs, that of Naples and that of Salerno, have main meeting point that is Punta Campanella at the edge of the Sorrento Peninsula. Here the meeting is on the water. There is a secondary meeting point, on high ground we would say. This meeting point is at the overpass of the Monti Lattari. From Stabia coming, then from the Gulf of Naples, we climb up toward Gragnano, the city of pasta, then Pimonte, and then we reach the summit of Agerola, famous for its fresella, for its dairy products and for the Provolone del Monaco DOP. This is the meeting point on high ground, from here the Path of the Gods begins. One descends toward Amalfi, then toward the Gulf of Salerno, and, meeting it thus on the way, fleeting, nothing prompting it to make itself conspicuously manifest, almost reluctant to show itself, the fairy village of Wrath. For a great many tourists passing through the Amalfi Coast, Wrath Is a fjord, beautiful to see, fascinating, but still nothing more than a fjord! But no! Furore is this wonderful village that is terrace over the world, where the world is the Gulf of Salerno.
A century-long history in just eight years. It was 1930 when the then tavern began to soothe robust appetites of workers and capricious desires of those movie stars who began to discover the unique charms of the Coast, which thus became divine.
The connoting factor of the unparalleled cuisine of Bacchus furore is in the uniqueness of an area that combines mountain and sea. Harmonious junction, with tasty overlapping edges, between land and sea dishes. This is possible because the people of Furore are farmers by day and fishermen by night.
In the kitchen, governing hard-working and close-knit brigade, ready to fulfill wishes of cosmopolitan clientele, is the very talented cook Erminia. At the stove for as long as she can remember. The government of the dining room is entrusted to her son Domenico, diligent, attentive, nothing escapes him; frank and not facade his beautiful smile. Erminia e Dominic, family continuity Ferraioli, well present in Furore with husband/dad mayor for decades, and in kinship with the good and famous winemaker Marisa Cuomo. It is his Furore White Fiorduva from Fenile 30%, Ginestra 30%, Ripoli 40% grapes that, in appropriate chalice, will know how to contribute to making the sumptuous dinner memorable, accomplice also to the sickle moon.
That original combination, simply not possible elsewhere, of sea and mountains finds immediate expression already in the persuasive antepasto proposal that Domenico can tell us about: Fresella of Agerola in tomato water with mountain tuna (pork shreds in oil), parsley sauce, curly escarole and walnuts. Puzzled, one asks what mountain tuna is. It is the very good, diligent and kind Maria, Domenico's helper in the dining room, who reveals it to us. Mountain tuna is pork, here offered in shreds in oil.
Calembour in the second component of an appetizer that alone, in its generous articulations, would already be worth the whole dinner: Anchovies as before. The anchovies are those of Cetara, a coastal village also famous for the Colatura di Alici di Cetara Dop. Another greedy case of sea-land combination are the Sea mounts. Erminia seasoned the montanare with butter, added anchovies and zeste of sfusato amalfitano lemon and garnished gaily with squid ragout and the aforementioned Colatura di alici di Cetara DOP. Again, capers, walnuts and olives.
Olives, both green and black, along with capers and walnuts, and with a well-executed addition of pine nuts, we find them substantiating a first course that to call exquisite does little credit to Erminia's sublime skill: Linguine with Colatura di Alici di Cetara Dop.
Another unmissable first course, thrilling homage to the great Anna Magnani, is Ferrazzuoli alla Nannarella with smoked swordfish, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, raisins and arugula.
Right here, at these tables, at dusk Nannarella would come to spend her happy hours with her great love, director Roberto Rossellini.
Only two firsts!!!? Come on, three is better than two, and then, offering it to us from the kitchen is Erminia herself, here is the Risotto with zucchini, yellow tomato sauce and sautéed cuttlefish. A true delicacy. The rice comes from the Magisa rice fields on the Ionian coast of Calabria.
Blend of Piedirosso and Aglianico half and half, this very pleasant Amalfi Coast Rosé made by Marisa Cuomo, who from risotto to continue accompanies us.
Millefoglie di pesce spada con zucchine alla scapece is the second course suggested by Domenico: excellent. But it really seems to be the glass of Rosato that claims it and so the frittura di paranza, a true little masterpiece, comes to the table.
She is the very good Mary To interpret the unexpressed desire. As long as tastings and not whole portions, why put in OR what an AND deserves?
That is, why choose between this one or that one or that one more when we would like to taste all three!
And here then is the triumph: Brioche col tuppo filled with sfusato amalfitano lemon sorbet; Atranese bocconotto with short pastry, cream and sour cherries; Almond tozzetti with elixir of...red Furore wine.
To close, thus bidding farewell to the Ferraioli family, a small glass of Nanassino, the prickly pear liqueur that Erminia makes.
Just a few hundred meters and you reach the comfortable room of the Hotel Diffused Bacchus Furore.
The next morning, at the same table, there is the sun rising in the east, exquisite breakfast. New day begins here, in Furore, the enchanted village that has eliminated the boundaries between sea and land; by roof, a sky of stars and a crescent moon, it is the Amalfi Coast!
Bacchus 1930 Hostaria-Art hotel-Widespread hotel
Via G. B. Lama 9, 84010 Furore (Sa)
Tel. 089830360
