Design masterpieces become cocktails at the Strucchi x Cassina Café
Design masterpieces become liquid art. This is what happens at Strucchi x Cassina Café, the venue opened last year just steps from San Babila, in the heart of Milan, by spirits entrepreneur Paolo Dalla Mora, in collaboration with Cassina, an icon of Italian design (see Strucchi x Cassina Café, the new confetti bar in central Milan). During the Salone del Mobile, the venue presented The Seating Col
The Seating Collection's creations
The drinks feature Strucchi vermouths (Rosso, Bianco, and Dry) and bitters (Rosso and Bianco), created by Dalla Mora as a tribute to the renowned Piedmontese winemaker Arnaldo Strucchi and the fruit of extensive research, careful selection of ingredients, and craftsmanship. It's no coincidence that the collection opens with the Perspective Shake, where Bitter Rosso and Strucchi Rosso Vermouth meet the warm notes of ginger, the depth of black tea, and the freshness of lime, in a play of contrasts and harmonies. This cocktail, inspired by "The Cassina Perspective" philosophy, symbolizes the collaboration between the company and the spirits brand, founded on shared core values: planning, craftsmanship, and a commitment to excellence.
The collection continues with Tre Pezzi, inspired by the armchair designed in 1959 by Franco Albini and Franca Helg, a modern reinterpretation of the bergère. The tubular metal structure, reminiscent of the handrail designed by the same duo for the Milan Metro, supports the padded, enveloping volumes, resulting in an equally rounded drink, made with Bitter Rosso Strucchi, Vermouth Rosso Strucchi, and chinotto velvet, for a full and enveloping sip where the citrus fruit serves as the underlying theme.
Afra and Tobia Scarpa's Soriana (1969), with its soft curves and the famous metal grip that holds the upholstery, inspires a fresher, more contemporary cocktail made with Strucchi Bianco Vermouth, pear cordial, and hoppy soda. A light, almost informal drink, true to the spirit of the armchair.
The rationalist rigor of the Grand Confort, designed in 1928 by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand, finds expression in one of the most complex cocktails on the list, made with Bitter Bianco Strucchi, Vermouth Dry Strucchi, rye whiskey, elderflower, and chamomile. An enveloping drink, where the whiskey rests on a refined balance of spicy and floral notes in perfect harmony.
The Utrecht collection closes, inspired by the armchair designed by Gerrit T. Rietveld in 1935. Its famous juxtaposition of orthogonal elements is reflected in a twist on the deliberately clean and angular Gimlet, made with Strucchi Dry Vermouth, gin, lime cordial, peach bitters, green apple and basil.