Via Rognano – Pantaniello neighbourhood
Phone +39 0823 467494, fax +39 0823 467988
www.sanbartolomeo-casaincampagna.it

Banquets for gourmets
 
by Giulia Cannada Bartoli

The banquet business, an important sector of the catering field, is usually considered characterized by mass products. But many years ago in Campania they started to believe in the territory and the local excellent products. Both the protagonists of the renaissance of the high level catering and the young chefs have understood that it is possible to realize a high level banquet. They propose great local products reinterpreted with imagination and a mix of classic and modern features, elegant hotellerie in a minimalist style, a perfect service and an innovative presentation of the dishes. More than ten years ago in the province of Caserta a young woman, seemingly slight, with blue eyes and a very determined character, moved to the splendid Caiazzo village with her family.

She is Rosanna Marziale, the owner and the chef of Le Colonne restaurant from Caserta. Rosanna’s family has worked successfully in the catering field for more than forty years in the Caserta area. In 1998 Rosanna and her brothers Loreto and Maria took over and restored the family restaurant. 

Le Colonne restaurant is a landmark in the high level catering in Italy and abroad. Rosanna has cared for her professional growth: she is a sommelier, an oil and cheese taster, she knows the products (not only the local ones) very well and she is an indefatigable traveller. Loreto and Maria are enthusiastic and professional. In 1998 they opened this unique restaurant which combines high level catering, environment protection, respect of the tradition and the products and the main features of the banqueting and event activities.

San Bartolomeo – Casa in Campagna is located on a splendid 4 hectare estate. Here the guests are welcomed in a modern and traditional ambiance: warmth and professionalism are mixed in a perfect way.

When you arrive you go through a fantastic garden including rare plants and protected fauna, in fact Loreto loves animals and created a small naturalistic oasis here. In 2007 it was included in the Great Italian Garden list. The main building has been built with tuff, it is in a country style and innovative, the interior is dominated by the white colour, glass and iron, the lighting is warm and coloured by the red of the “annurche” apples, the intense brown of the chestnuts and the bright or delicate colours of the flowers of the season. On the upper floor you can see the modern kitchen from a large window. Rosanna checks the room from the kitchen. Near the main building there is a cottage including the offices, it is surrounded by climber roses which can be reached trough a path with lemon trees supported by chestnut wood.

The dishes are presented in a very refined and simple way with features which remind us of earth and nature. The menus are realized considering the banquet and guest needs, but are in the Colonne restaurant style and respect the tradition: instead of banal seafood salads and mixed fried food you will find small buffalo mozzarellas, Rosanna’s favourite products, ricotta, croutons with tomatoes and ricotta, pastry pockets stuffed with vegetables, fantastic shrimps in kataifi dough, “mozzarella in carrozza” (mozzarella fried in bread) and delicious vegetable quiches. Instead of risotto with champagne and “scialatielli” pasta with seafood you will find wedding soup with croutons, extra virgin olive oil, fresh ricotta and pieces of very good lard and then pasta made with flour and water seasoned with cherry tomatoes and vegetables. Instead of the tuna veal or sea bass, you will find a great buffalo casserole with black Pallagrello wine, pureed potatoes and sautéed broccoli.

You can finish your meal with a delicious dessert of the season, the “winter thrill” in fact the Marziale family has prepared desserts for more than 50 years. This dessert is a pork blood sauce with dried figs, hazelnuts, chestnuts from Roccamonfina and delicate scents of cinnamon. There is a triumph of the revisited pastry making tradition: you can enjoy delicious small assorted pastries like chocolate mousse, “migliaccetti” and fondant chocolate, accompanied by high level distillates, rum, grappa and the inevitable delicious hazelnut liqueur produced by Curti. The wines are the local ones.

For a gourmet banquet you will roughly spend 80-120 Euros per person, a very fair price for an exclusive banquet.