The water card in restaurants
And he explains to us that water makes a difference at any time of the day Andrea Battaini, assistant restaurant manager of Roteo, the fine dining restaurant inside the 5-star MUSA boutique hotel on Lake Como. «Before any menu, we usually share the water menu with our customers, the first to be served; many remain intrigued, perhaps even initially confused, but let’s try to explain, without boring, that the choice must be calibrated according to needs” says Battaini. Needs that range from food pairing, such as that proposed with the dishes on the fixed menu Aqua, with dishes such as oyster pearl, ceviche water, green apple or risotto with hazelnut, bottarga. In these cases, when the menu is varied, customers start with one bottle and continue with another perhaps with a higher fixed residue. Then there are also those who need more mineralized waters after doing sports, and so the suggestion is more easily oriented towards waters with a higher fixed residue. Last but not least, the presence of Arab customers, for example, «who, not drinking alcohol, choose water as if it were a bottle of wine.
In fact, by the summer, Roteo will also introduce some commonly unobtainable bottles into its water list, such as the Hildon, present on the Windsor table. «She was the favorite of Queen Elizabeth who chose her to accompany and lengthen her whiskey precisely because of the balance of her minerals. «With a neutral taste, it makes it perfect to accompany not only food, but also wines and spirits «so much so that since 1989 it has been the mineral water chosen by the sommeliers of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine. As well as the Canadian Iceberg or the Finnish Vellamo. Prices? From 30 euros up, like a bottle of wine.
The importance of water also in mixology
«Water is not just a simple tasteless and odorless chemical element, but a food in all respects says Elena Scordamaglia BRITA hydrosommelier and B2B marketing manager BRITA Italia, a leading company in water filtration. And he adds: «Its ingredients are mineral salts which help to stay hydrated, but also harmful substances, such as nitrates or volatile organic compounds, and chlorine which is used to disinfect the aqueduct pipes and which, although not harmful, it alters the taste and smell of the water.” To create culture there are some courses to follow, those of Aquademy by BRITA: a multilevel program to become experts in water and its areas of application. Aimed at everyone, even professionals especially in the coffee, mixology and pastry sectors. An example? Mosaico Spirits is the company that has patented a machine for personalizing gin that can be replicated anywhere through software. The water used is Brita filtered, in fact. «Gin is a cooking recipe based on a mosaic of ingredients, of which three are essential: water, alcohol and botanicals; water is essential for the success of a balanced premium product” explains Marco Bertoncini, CEO of Mosaico Spirits.
