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| It was a totally incredible feeling, the kind of
feeling you get only when something really good unexpectedly happens to you, the feeling of freedom, of suspended animation of space and time, the feeling of flying without wings. John Lomitola |
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| This kind of thing that only happens in ones dreams; here we were literally flying over the German autobahn just inches above a smooth surface in astonishing luxury and comfort. The vehicle, a road worthy VW Phaeton V-10 TDI; the destination, the city of Ascona on Lago Maggiore at the southern edge of the Swiss Alps; the purpose, to spend several days of pampered indulgence at the Hotel Eden Roc. The team: Thorsten, Stefan and myself, abundantly equipped with overwhelming enthusiasm and anticipation of a special review at the “Il piacere del Sud” – “The pleasures of the South”. Anxiously looking at the GPS display to judge how much further our automotive pleasure will continue before we are reaching our destination Hotel Eden Roc Ascona, in Ticino canton. After finding our way easily to Ascona through some of the most picturesque mountainous scenery one can imagine, with Lago Maggiore as an inspiring backdrop, our first impression of the resort is promising. The driveway to the entrance is lined with harmonious sculptures woven together as sort of flowing fountains of 'feng shui'. | ||||||||||||||||
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We reached our suites by walking through what
seemed like someone's private residence in silent luxury, reflecting a refined
fusion of glamour, futurism and tradition. As the door to
our suite swung open,
what awaited us was simply awe inspiring and precious. There in front of us a
panorama of Lago Maggiore framed by mountains rising steeply from the shore, a
soft mist hovering above the ancient lake leading to the Brissago islands and
the frontier of Italy on the horizon. Could this be the Mediterranean I asked
myself while knowing full well the accuracy of the GPS system of the
VW Phaeton was beyond
reproach. Apparently a microclimate prevails over the lake with the Alps protecting it from the cold northern air resulting in a surprising diversity of plant life including many palms and other sub-tropical flora. This is great I thought: 'Come to Switzerland to lay under a palm tree!' Although mesmerized by the staggering views, I realized that Marco was waiting for us in the lobby and I tried to push us all to move in that direction. As we hurried through the halls on our way down to the lobby to keep our appointment with Marco for a personalized tour of the premises, we each seemed somewhat out of sorts. The view from our suites had already begun to work its magic, our perception of our surroundings intensified and the short walk to the lobby promised to reveal an underlying feeling of colorful harmony, peace and relaxation. |
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| Our tour now wound its way into the public areas of the resort and Thorsten noted the presence of fresh flowers all over the place. It seems that Eden Roc employs the talents of a full time florist on premise. Led through the magnificent hallways towards the guest rooms and conference areas, the route took us past original designer furniture that could have been works of art on display in a museum. Legs of chairs, tables and couches seemed to come alive with tropical plants and lighting fixtures sprouting from their tops. We didn't know whether to sit down and relax or stand in awe and admire the distinctiveness of the shapes. Marco told us that after taking over the neighboring Hotel Europa, the management hired a design team led by the top Swiss architect, Carlo Rampazzi to handle a complete renovation. It couldn't have come at a better time since a disasterous flood in 2000 raised the level of Lago Maggiore enough to cause extensive damage to the resorts. | ||||||||||||||||
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The magnificent hotel garden ends directly on
the shore of Lake
Maggiore where a private marina and water-ski school are also available for the
guests. It seems as though absolutely nothing was missed that could make ones
visit here more pleasurable and all this reflects the well thought out planning
that ensued prior to the renovation. Marco suggested that we proceed to the lobby to relax while he prepared some literature and CD Rom information on the hotel for us to take back for future reference. I think it was Thorsten who came up with the idea to challenge Marco upon his return, to develop a special outing for us to make use of the following day so that we could take the VW Phaeton into the surrounding area to view some of the highlights of the Ticino region. I guess that what we got in return was beyond our expectation and within minutes of our request, Marco had mapped out a most fantastic voyage into the valleys surrounding Ascona for a full day's excursion including several surprises of unsurpassed spontaneity. Best of all, it was his pleasure to lead us through it himself, to give us a personal, up front and sincere insight into adventures seldom experienced by outsiders like us. All this was being scheduled for the next day, which turned out to be his only day off. What glorious expectations awaited us! (And surprises too, thanks to Marco's ingenuity) |
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| Eden Roc also offers two other eateries including 'La Casetta', the
Italian restaurant located directly on the shores of Lake Maggiore. This is not
only a great restaurant for al fresco dining on the patio within reach of the
gorgeous lake; it is also an historical building with an intriguing past. It
seems that just before the official end to WWII, a truce was negotiated
secretly between Allied and German military commanders in Italy, which led to
their unconditional surrender to help shorten the war and save many lives.
The other choice is Restaurant Eden Roc, which offers classical French gastronomy coupled with a calm and relaxing setting to compliment the daily changing menus. Slowly its all making sense to us, Eden Roc has something for everyone including a Mini-Club for kids; a place where they can hang out while the parents can act like children in another part of the hotel. Now the question came up: 'Is it a hotel or is it a resort?' and we debated it with each other for a few minutes. We all agreed conclusively that a resort offers its guests the diversity needed to keep one challenged and engaged while achieving a state of relaxation and stress reduction. This pretty much defines the Eden Roc from inside out, combined with the fact that even though the average stay for a guest is 5 days, often it can be several months. What a sublime thought… |
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| I think when I alluded to the possibility of staying for something like a month or more, I could have forgotten to mention that it all comes together with style and grace and ends in your room when you turn in after a busy day for a refreshing rest. Furnishings have been well thought out as if inspired by the ‘Masters’ of canvas and sculpture and reflect the style from minimalist through purist to ornate. All rooms are equipped with the state of the art technical refinements (even the electrical chords were bundled together neatly), including remote control communications systems for lighting, TV, games, internet, ISDN telephone and automated wake up. Did I mention that there is a ‘terrace couch’ on the balcony comfortable enough to sleep on with a major view of the lake and dazzling sunsets? | ||||||||||||||||
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| By the looks of him, Executive Chef Rolf Krapf
presents himself in an elegant, professional and worldly fashion. But, his
youthful appearance defies his extensive experience and award winning
excellence, which earned him 16 points with the prestigious GaultMillau and 6
Stars & 5 Stripes with the American Dream Cuisine™ Global Award
system. Krapf's distinctiveness is reflective of his inspirational approach to influences he has been exposed to from all over the world. His success is based on his manipulation of classical European techniques applied to fresh local sun ripened produce from Ticino and exotic Asian spices while being motivated by a passionate inexhaustible energy. We were seated in a pleasant location quite close to south facing window with a great view of the lake. The sommelier Mr. Sergio Bassi presented us with an APERITIF of: Prosecco "Sergio", S. Mionetto, Valdobbiader - Crisp fruit (peach and apple flavors) and balance, with well made bubble; clean with a restrained and delicate nose. As usual, Thorsten prepared the way for Chef Krapf to use his ingenuity and recourcefulness to create for us in any way his thoughts would allow. "Put away the menus", Thorsten said to the Maître d'. "We would like for the Chef to feel unrestrained by any boundries and be able to produce according to the limits of his own imagination". Maître d' Nicetto ordered the menus taken away and hurried into the kitchen for a rendezvous with the chef. Within a few minutes the first course arrived with accompanying wine paring: |
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| SECOND COURSE: Trio di salmone - a charming combination of house made gravlax, fire roasted smoked salmon and cured salmon served with the accompanying chopped hard boiled egg whites and yolks, wafer thin sliced local red onions, capers and supported by squares of slender earthy fresh baked black bread with piquant mustard sauce. | ||||||||||||||||
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| In the process of savoring the
initial gustatory onslaught, there was lively discussion between us all as to
the intense flavors contrasting with subtle overtones of the several original
creations presented so far. I felt that if this was a habinger of things to
come then we could quite possibly be in the presence of a masterful culinary
artist. While we continued our debate the Maitre 'd arrived with our
THIRD COURSE of: Penne al pomodore ramati, zucchine e melanzane which combined penne pasta with special Ramati (copper colored) tomatoes, baby zucchini and Italian eggplant. Also served was: Gnocchi di marroni con fegato d'oca brasato - Chestnut gnocchi with duck liver au jus which proved to satisfy our intense discussion of exotic combinations. WINE PARING: Bianco Rovere, Guido Brivio, Mendrisio, Mendrisiotto 2001 - another great example of the expertise of the winemakers of Ticino in the perfection of 'white' merlots. Fermentation takes place in new oak barrels (barriques) for eight months, which results in the bright color of golden straw, mild bouquet, with a hint of vanilla and a toasty flavor. The rich aroma lends itself to a soft round taste with considerable structure. |
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| WINE PARING: Riflessi D'Epoca, Guido Brivio, Mendrisio, Mendrissiotto 2000 - Grown in one of the oldest vineyards havesting merlot grapes they allow high natural levels of consentration by limiting the output per acre. The result is a wine of brilliant ruby red color, which is also the product of aging in barriques made of French oak. An aroma of black pepper and spices is recalled although it finishes dry with good body and harmony. |
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| To start with, they presented us with Tiramisu con bacche rosse marinate or tiramisu with marinated fresh forest berries and truffeled vanilla gelato. A handsome presentation encompassing three small ramekins and fresh red currants dusted with sugar. | ||||||||||||||||
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It has now come time for a fitting end to an
absolutely marvelous evening drifting through culinary paradise in
La Brezza Restaurant. We
decided to 'retire' to the famous
Eden Bar for an after
dinner cocktail or what Stefan calls "Absacker". What makes it famous is the
fact that the personable bartender
Maurizio Cassaro was
awarded the runner-up prize for ‘Bartender of the Year’ in all of
Switzerland. It was easy to see how he could have been selected out of thousands of candidates in this competition since his professional demeanor was surpassed only by his infectious smile and gracious hospitality. From what we have observed during our brief stay here, this is the common thread that is woven by the management at Eden Roc Hotel throughout the entire staff and results in a cohesive, well coordinated and accommodating team. |
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| The special effect of the 'microclimate', fresh air, mountains and
lake produced one of the best restful nights for all of us. In case you're
wondering, I did lay out on the patio for a few hours, sightseeing the
constellations and myriad of stars that illuminated the hills surrounding Lago
Maggiore with a sort of mystical glow. Upon wakening, we were treated to a most unbelievable panoramic view of calmness and tranquility produced by the ancient gifts of nature; jagged mountains, deep green valleys and decidedly cool blue waters. Breakfast is available in-room upon request, if you simply hang your order on the latch of the door prior to 3am. Your order will be delivered according to your wishes at precise 15-minute intervals beginning at 7am. Our desire was to leisurely stroll on down and enjoy a fantastic breakfast buffet in the Eden Roc restaurant prior to the beginning of our surprise tour of the surrounding area with Marco. This promises to be a very special day for us all. |
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| It wasn't long before the rumble of tummies led the boys to dry off
before going up to the breakfast buffet in the Eden Roc Restaurant.
With the smell of freshly brewed coffee drifting through the marbled hallways, the urgency to get settled into the breakfast buffet propelled us even faster to make it all happen. Thorsten and Stefan had the inclination to start with the wide selection of locally produced meats and cheeses, the kind your most gourmet shop would have available back home. Yogurts abound with at least four choices along with various muesli, granola, nuts, raisins, fresh figs and dates to place on top. Juice is just as difficult a decision for us since the selection includes fresh orange, grapefruit, red or black currant, papaya, carrot or tomato. More importantly, we all agreed that the appropriate thing at this moment was to satisfy the coffee urge! It seems amazing to me that coffee tastes so much better when served in elegant silver pots and poured into fine bone china cups by expert servers using the underliner to guard you from any unintentional splashes. That is stylish, well trained service at its best and we all agreed to the feeling of gratified pampering. As we continued with breakfast, our view of the lake produced the magnificent effect of tranquility and peace as if 'angles had sent us here' according to Thorsten. When Marco arrived to join us for breakfast, he came equipped with our itinerary for the special outing. |
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| As we left the driveway of the hotel we literally had no idea of what
was in store for us on that bright, balmy morning. Marco told us to punch in
some coordinates into the GPS of the
Phaeton and we took off riding
softly on a cloudless day up and up along well maintained Swiss serpentine
highways into what seemed like 'seventh heaven'. Riding alongside sheer cliffs
that hover above distant rivers down below, constantly negotiating switch back
turns while steadily ascending in altitude made for an exhilarating climb.
Somehow it felt like we were in one of the James Bond movies being pursued by
some thugs with shoulder fired missiles… but not that fast … Our
first stop was the "Verzasca Dam" … 220 m (722 feet) high We were almost totally surrounded by mountains with an enormous amount of concrete at one end holding back a serene sea of slate colored water. As we perched ourselves at the top of the dam, looking down was dizzying to the point of a serious vertigo attack. Stefan mumbled something in German to the effect of "What an outstanding view!" Macro told us, that this was the dam used in the James Bond movie - Goldeneye where they filmed the 'bungy jump' scene… At this point, we were truly ready to feel the original James Bond bungy jump without actually attempting it... please take a closer look..., Thorsten may have been tempted when he saw the platform, but so said, it was not open for business at this time . ;-) Not a bad start for a lite morning excursion into the ‘hills’; what could possible follow? Marco indicated that it was time to move into another valley ‘just around the corner’ so to speak in Swiss terms, which could mean a half-day’s journey over treacherous terreine. “Not to worry”, he said as we dodged another oncoming vehicle along the impossibly narrow roadways. |
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| A quick look down revealed enormous boulders haphazardly strewn along
the bed of an ice green colored glacially fed river over which the old stone
bridge was built. Closer examination brings to light that we are about to cross
an ancient Roman bridge toward which Marco is now leading us. Macro told us
that the local young men make it a sport of jumping from the bridge in the
summer when the snow melt swollen waters are 14°C “warm” –
he did it too. “Once when you are on – there is no return.”
Marco said somewhat sheepishly! “That is why it is called ‘Ponte dei
Salti’ (bridge of the jumps).” Marco walked us over the ‘Roman’ bridge towards the densely forested opposite side which looked to us very much like a grotto. He led us safely across while preparing us for our second ‘surprise’. Please come with us over the bridge, and explore a treasured secret... A very special little restaurant Motto tucked deep into the side of the mountain awaited us and the hospitable owners shared some of their homemade wine with us. It is traditionally sipped from ceramic cups for good luck and we settled in and had an “original” lunch with homemade cheeses, sausage and locally produced crusty bread. “Who could asked for more?” queried Thosten in a moment of sincere satisfaction. The proprietors of restaurant Motto, Ms. & Mr. Celio & Fiorella Togni joined us briefly to tell us of many of their relatives and neighbors that have emigrated to the United States and now have a small Ticinese community growing there. We all posed for pictures together and promised each other to meet again some day to reminisce our special time together. Marco pushed on, eventhough he had succeeded in lulling us into a full sense of contentment and finality. Stefan asked quietly ‘What could possibly be next?’ and Thorsten agreed that this must be the moment when we will return to the Resort. Surely after spending several hours under the expert supervision of our genuine tour guide, the outing must be coming to an end. “Lets return to the Eden Roc” Marco said which only confirmed our intuitive feelings. |
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| We were focused on the picture of this well dressed
manicured sommelier polishing glasses all by himself and we failed to notice
the super sleek Chris Craft model Tony Giugliano tied up nearby.
The plan began to reveal itself to us. Marco had arranged for this magnificent vessel to be placed at our disposal for a leasurely cruise on the yacht through the lake. Well, needless to say we were speechless at this point and only the steady powerful rumble of the idling engines worked to put us back in reality. The captain, Mr. Jean-Claude Meier, beckoned us to remove our shoes and step aboard. He had been waiting to take us on a special excursion on Lago Maggiore to be able to view and experience what others seldom get to do. We pulled away from the dock to the sound of engines purring and the sight of a wake of foam building. Picking up speed, we passed by villa after villa perched precipitously on the sides of sheer cliffs. The engines began to roar louder as we picked up speed and started to level off as if skimming a few inches over the lake surface. We felt elated, trying to talk to each other over the din of the twin 360 hp Ischia engines without much luck. Stefan stood up to get a better look at the beautifully foliated island approaching fast, but shouted that it was the 'symphony of scents' that peaked his interest. No one heard him until we noticed that wafting through the air were the delicate fragrances of eucalyptus, lavender, lemon and curry, which could 'seen' even with our eyes closed. As we passed close to the Brissago Islands we slowed quickly, conversation picked up, and we could hear each other again. "The Alps to the north protect the islands from the cold northern air" captain Jean-Claude informed us, "This is the most northerly place that these sub-tropical plants can grow". |
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What we were about to find out was that Marco is
an official 'Champagne Knight' or 'Ritter' in German, one of only 4 such
qualified knights in all of Switzerland. Marco explained that he would now
attempt to open the bottle of Veuve Cliquot with his sword. "Why?" would you
ask, does someone need to open a perfectly good bottle of champagne with a
sword when all you have to do is pull on the cork. I never really understood
that. Tradition has it that 'Sabrage' (the art of opening a bottle with a sabre), started when Madame Clicquot of the aforementioned champagne family, gave some bottles of her exquisite juice to some of Napoleon's soldiers. As they rode off on horseback, they were only able to keep control of their horses and open the bottles simultaneously by drawing their sabers and beheading the bottle with a single strke of the blade. Hence the art that is still practiced today in some traditional societies. It was reassuring to note that the amount of champagne lost overboard during this procedure was negligible even considering the number of back-up bottles brought along in case of an unfourtunate misguided stroke. |
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| We should proceed now to the village of Ascona our pilot says, to
disembark at the town square. While approaching the village dock, it was as if
we were entering our own private paradise aboard a luxury yacht, a sort of
‘sub-tropical pearl of Switzerland’. More surprises awaited us behind
closed doors! A quick off load and we were thrust into another world of strolling villagers and we stood there waving good bye to our experienced and personable pilot Jean-Claude. It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and town was bathed in vivid multicolored sunlight filtering through the treelined lakefront walk. As we started to follow Marco to our next 'who knows what' destination, we noticed that Thorsten was missing from our team. We all knew that Thorsten had a tendency to just run into total strangers and strike up animated conversations that could sometimes last for quite a while. Although this in itself was not alarming, what we saw when we found him had all the makings of a Felliniesque scene. Thorsten was standing in front of a lifelike robed statue by the lake trying to determine if it were alive or not. But as soon as he heard us call him, he turned away; suddenly the statue reached out and placed its hand on his head thereby spawning a trifling 'cat that ate the mouse' grin. |
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| Urs led us to a room behind the store area where he had set up for a
tasting of Ticinese
wines specializing in local producers in and around Ascona. With fireplace
roaring and glasses set, I think by the look on our faces we were indeed ready!
Urs told us that eventhough he was born in Alpenzellerland (farm country to the
north), he moved to Ticino to persue his passion in wine. His formula for the tasting was simple, start with the basics and step up to the next level until you reach the seventh group, which is the least produced but highest quality, kind of like the shape of a pyramid. We were even introduced to a special 'white merlot', the description of which seemed like an oxymoron; merlots are supposed to be red aren't they? Urs proved to be extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the local wines, most of which have yet to be discovered by the US market. What we learned that day could fill volumes, but we came out with a new appreciation for these high quality, hand crafted works of art. Some of our favorites include: Quattromani 2000, Ticino (4 producers together in one bottle) Culdree Barrique 2000, Ticinio (only 1,800 bottles produced) As we began to gather our things to leave, Urs couldn't help but stuff several bottles of his and our favorites into our bags. One bottle of Culdree Barrique 2000 actually made it all the way home to Montauk where I shared it with friends and family on a special evening. What would you expect now that we had just finished an enjoyable afternoon tucked away who knows where, under the expert care and guidance of our wine connaiseur Urs Mäder discovering and sampling the precious secrets of Ticino? Well, just outside the door to the wine boutique Cantina Dell'Orso Sagl, Marco had arranged an Eden Roc limo to be waiting at precisely the right moment we were ready to leave. I sort of thought of myself as a leaf in a fall breeze somehow being guided safely and happily from place to place around the greatest countryside, only to land softly each time. |
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Our driver smiled and exchanged Swiss Ticinese
dialect with Marco, they laughed and we were off to another surprise somewhere
over the next mountain. Laughing is universal, I thought as we passed through
another beautifully quaint village and crossed some railroad tracks finally
stopping in front of the RR station. But what's this? Upon closer inspection
what we were about to enter was a restaurant built into a former RR station of
the Swiss National Railway system. Hense the name Ristorante
Stazione. We had suddenly entered the special domaine of Agnese and Fabrizio Broggine, owners of this unique Ristorante. It is a special oasis of warmth and love, genuine to the core. Our entrance produced a flurry of activity punctuated by laughter and embraces for each of us. Even Blackie the big dog got into the act with his own version of a Ticinese kiss. It were as if the 'prodigal sons' had finally returned to a family reunion of decidedly grand proportions. |
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| He stopped us in front of a magnificent colossal door that had hinges
the size of ‘godzilla’s fists’ fastened to it, the kind only a
Home Depot-junkie like me would notice. He whipped out an ancient looking
‘jailor’s key’ and inserted it into the lock. "We will now climb the tower,” he said in a whisper. We looked at each other and agreed, but the question that remained unasked was of course 'How high is the tower'. "It is only 65 meters high", he continued before we could ask it and up we went….and up….and up…I paused to look up; no end in sight….up and up…we went. I began to feel like I was caught in some kind of ‘M.C.Escher’ graphic work, where endless stairs are the main motif and I became a recalcitrant individual neither going up nor going down both at the same time. I could feel everyone’s thoughts clamoring in protest, begging for a rest and then it appeared. The belfry was within reach now and we all fell forward as gracefully as we could into the small area, above which hung several tons of cast iron bells. Not being able to see too well in the darkness, we now watched as our guide Stefan lite a small flashlight into the corner to reveal that a bottle of Ticinese sparkling wine had been chilling since the afternoon and we were now about to celebrate our new found friendship! Moments like these are never lost and will be repeated many times in order to share the experience with the same eagerness and pleasure with as many as possible. We began our descent with a newfound spirit of fondness and respect for our guide Stefan Früh and his passion for his cultural heritage and birthright. It was almost pitch dark when we landed at the bottom of the tower and Stefan guided us back to the Ristorante Stazione. Our lavish dinner was about to begin and in the moments before the first couses were served many curious questions were asked about our impressions of what we just saw. It is fulfilling to witness such interest and sincerity on the part of such decidedly proud people. Once again, menus meant nothing, as it was time for a spontaneous demonstration of Executive Chef Adriana Gamma's terrific talent. We urged her to pull out all the stops and she started with the first course of: |
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| Next we were presented with the SECOND COURSE of: Homemade fresh pasta with fresh Centovalli porcini mushrooms. Fresh picked local valley mushrooms provided an earthy accent sufficient enough to propel the pasta into the limelight. WINE: Vinattieri Merlot 1994 - Nice aromas of berries, spice and herbs. Ripe fruit with rich balance and focus, spectacular finish. |
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| Next came the THIRD COURSE of: Assorted cheeses both aged and soft, produced with cow, sheep, goat and buffalo milk from the local Centovalli with fresh fig bread (also a local specialty) accompanied by the WINE: Dolce oro Terreni alla Maggia Ascona - gorgeous, exquisite, sweet and beautiful fruit notes. |
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| Across the room was an innocuous unobtrusive table stacked with about half a dozen very tall bottles. We should have become suspicious at the rather large size of the weights attached to the bottoms of the bottles since they were placed there to prevent the tall bottles from falling over. | ||||||||||||||||
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| It was a fitting end to an absolutely marvelous evening and fabulous
day in which we had made an enormous amount of special discoveries that could
only have happened under the guidance of well-informed sincere people who are
passionate about their lives and want to share it with others of different
cultures. Hats off to the wonderful people of Ascona and the surrounding villages and valleys of Ticino, an idyllic, magical place of quiet fulfillment. Special thanks to JT. |
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by John Lomitola, Stefan Deyerler and Thorsten
Piosczyk Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme Any comments? - Please let us know: Email us! |
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