Andrea Piras, our head room manager at the Bistrot La Fenice, AIS sommelier and bartender talks about himself and reveals the secrets of his work. The stubbornness and the ever lively curiosity towards the world of catering and bars do not betray his solid Sardinian roots. In recent years, in addition to wine, he has delved into the art of bartending and mixing, conceiving and creating unusual and always different cocktails in rotation on the Fenice menu.

What are your interests in the world of cocktails, which are your passion and also a hobby in your free time?
“I have always been fascinated by the world of cocktails, with their colours, flavors and niche products: over time I have created and created different ones, to amaze, but also to test. Once upon a time I was more interested in after-dinners, because I liked the idea of ​​relaxing after dinner in front of an intriguing drink with something to talk about before going to sleep. Now, however, I love pre-dinners more because they are a direct accompaniment to dinner.”

What are the best characteristics that a good cocktail must have?
“In my opinion, I consider well-made aperitifs in particular to be well-balanced in terms of alcohol, which perhaps include a portion of fruit or, better yet, some lime to freshen up the drink, or those which contain a bit of soda, thus softening the drink, are interesting. the alcoholic part”.

Yours is a very creative job: what do you feel when you create a new drink?
“I really like creating these cocktails because in my opinion the aperitif is that moment when after a day of work or in any case after a busy day, you finally relax in front of a drink. And if I may add, given the place where I work, you are also pampered by the magical sound of the lake’s waves. An ideal situation to open the senses to tasting a good cocktail with balanced and pleasant flavours. I like to think that this thoughtful drink helps our customers relieve the stress of the day.”

What is your favorite product for making your drinks?
“I particularly love Vermouth, or tanned wine or also called aromatized wine, an Italian product that truly has a long fascinating history. It seems that Hippocrates, a Greek doctor, already administered a similar flavored wine to those who suffered from loss of appetite. I find it to be a very versatile product and above all it allows me to reiterate my Sardinian origins in the glass because one of my favorite Vermouths is Sardinian, Silvio Carta, despite the origins and birthplace of the product being Piedmontese”.

So at this point tell us an original recipe for a cocktail!
“The cocktail I will present to you is a revised Americano. I use 1/3 of Silvio Carta red Vermouth which is a Vermouth with aromas of Mediterranean scrub – the laurel stands out on the nose, together with rosemary, it has a resinous part reminiscent of juniper, on an iodized background reminiscent of saltiness, the sea Sardinian. Then 1/3 of Mazzetti bitters – a pure bitter that brings hints of rhubarb, bergamot zest and a slightly spicy finish to the nose. Finally 1/3 of Baladin hay tonic – it is a tonic characterized by floral and herbaceous notes, given by the hay. Pour the Vermouth and the Mazzetti bitters into a low tumbler glass with lots of ice, pour in the tonic and mix everything well; finally the drink is decorated with a sprig of myrtle and a peel of bergamot which will perfume the drink. The name of the cocktail I created? I thought of a famous Neapolitan song by Renato Carosone: Tu vuo fa’ l’Americano!”.

In our showcase of artisan desserts you will find various proposals to satisfy your desire for sweetness: from the classic fragrant macarons, through to dry butter pastries, a vast choice of pastries with fruit, creams and chocolate up to the selection of single portions, small cakes enjoy alone or to share at different times of the day.

This dessert represents an excellent choice for a delicious and artisanal snack or even as a sweet gift for special occasions and moments. Smaller than a cake but larger than a mignon, it is a lovely dessert ideal for any occasion.

At La Fenice there are many varieties available: the classic Sacher according to the Viennese recipe with apricot, the fresh fruit tart with a biscuit and custard base without intertwined lines but with an explosion of color and freshness. Then again the classic soft and delicate tiramisu, loved by the most traditional. The three dark, milk and white chocolates that create a mix of sweetness suitable for the sweet tooth, the classic red fruit Bavarian cream with white chocolate and sponge cake, finally passing through the raspberry tart, which are found on the outside decorative but also as delicious pulp inside. Finally, the new features: the single portion with strawberries and cream looking towards spring, the apple tart with crunchy crumble and the brand new coconut and blackcurrant for lovers of more acidic flavours.

At the end of your meal you can choose your favorite flavor and each diner will be able to satisfy their desire for sweetness by opting for the single portion that best suits their tastes, spending the tasting moment in company.

Which is your favourite? Come and discover them!

La Fenice has been experimenting with a balanced dough for more than ten years now balanced for its leavened products: the Easter Colomba and the Christmas Veneziana. In both cases are two traditional desserts, consumed during the two holidays most important of the year: Easter and Christmas. Alongside the traditional product, the same every year, which contains soft and fragrant Armogiana apricots candied and pitted by hand, a special edition is produced every year always different and curious: an opportunity to try new combinations and refresh your palate with innovative flavors. But where does the Easter leavened product come from? dove-shaped?

It is known that the dove has become the reference par excellence of Easter pastry shop; however love, purity and peace are the key concepts that are found behind this Christian symbol. They were born around this dessert also many legends, which certainly partly reflect the history of its origin. However, this is what we like to convey with the artisanal Colomba of the Phoenix is ​​that these principles translate into reality: loving every morsel of this very special and refined dessert, the result of very long experimentation and dedication; purity is expressed in its totally natural raw materials and finally peace, because our wish is that the sharing of this dessert traditional brings serenity to every family.

According to tradition, the Easter dove was born in Lombardy, in our region. Legend has it that, around 610, in what was the capital of the Lombards, Pavia, Queen Theodelinda hosted a group of Irish pilgrims, led by the famous Saint Colombano. The sovereign offered the guests a rich banquet, but the saint refused the offer because they were in Lent. Theodelinda and her husband Agilulf were very offended to see their generosity rejected and so it was that Saint Colombano decided to bless the rejected game banquet by transforming it into numerous doves of white bread.

A second version always has the center of the narrative in Lombard Pavia, but dates back to 572, during the government of King Alboin who waged war on the Byzantines by besieging the city. After three years the resistance was defeated and the barbarians finally entered the city. It was then that the locals decided to give the invaders some soft sweets in the shape of a dove, an undisputed symbol of peace, in an attempt to stem their war violence. A gesture that avoided the sacking of the city, which even became the capital of the kingdom.

A third Lombard version takes us to the battle of Legnano in 1176, in the late Middle Ages, when the newly created Municipalities of the Lombard League defeated Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. It is said that a leader saw two pigeons alight on the League’s insignia, unconcerned by the sounds of battle. To instill courage in his men, the leader had the chefs make dove-shaped bread, made from eggs, flour and yeast, reproducing that very shape as an apotropaic and lucky symbol. But a version of the colomba also exists in our neighboring region of Veneto, where the Christmas tradition of our Veneziana also comes from (as a variant of the classic Milanese panettone). It is a variant of fugassa, or focaccia (a term which, in the Serenissima of Venice, has always been associated with various types of desserts) with the addition of the shape of a dove. The ingredients, according to a precise specification to which our pastry shop adheres to maintain high quality standards, are: flour, sourdough starter, eggs, sugar, butter, honey, salt, vanilla, cocoa butter, almonds, hazelnuts, corn starch and candied fruit. All the ingredients are kneaded together several times, then the dough is left to rest for a long period, before proceeding with cooking and a further rest upside down for the final maturation of the artisanal product. The epicenter of focaccia and Venetian colomba is the famous city of Verona, not far from our Garda shores. The antiquity of the dove-shaped version of fugassa is more uncertain, but it seems that in Verona it already existed at the end of the 19th century as a common and traditional baked product for Easter.

If you would like to taste our artisanal Colomba for an all-round sensorial experience (smell it before biting into it, you will discover that your senses have something more to tell you about it!) in the classic version with Armogiana apricots or in the special edition “colomba egg” with wild strawberries and white chocolate, you can buy it directly in store or online from here: https://caffetteriapasticcerialafenice-onlineshop.it/products/la-colomba-della-fenice.

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