It turns out that many of our unique kitchens are located around the Mediterranean, in an area where western culture mixes with that of the Orient; where the cicadas sing their sun-drenched love songs between cork trees, pines, cypresses, cedars and olive trees.
The Arabs say that the Mediterranean stretches as far as the olive tree thrives. Alain Ducasse praises Mediterranean cuisine for being simple, healthy and almost vegetarian, and olive oil plays an important role. It subtly mingles with nuances of garlic, basil and pine nuts. Cardiologists are fascinated by this, and they talk of “delicious fare” because the people on the shores of the Mediterranean live healthily for longer, and cooking with olive oil is manna for the heart. It is known as the Mediterranean diet. Ducasse also says that Mediterranean cuisine is the cuisine of the sun. We create sunny kitchens that embody that same warmth and brilliance.
The diversity of Mediterranean culture is already demonstrated by a typical drink, pastis. In Greece and Bulgaria the aniseed drink is called ouzo, in Turkey it is known as raki, in Lebanon its name is arak, in Italy it is sambuca and in Spain gazalla. However, it also shows how much the west is still blended with the Orient.
Because Saanenland enjoys an excellent reputation among international visitors, many of our customers come from all over the world. Many of them originate from the French Mediterranean region. This brings back memories of the Côte d’Azur and towns such as Cassis, Saint-Tropez, Antibes, Cannes, Nice, Monaco and Menton, but also of composers such as Charles Gounod, Georges Bizet or even exceptionally gifted painters as Chagall, Manet, Degas, Matisse, van Gogh, Cézanne, Picasso, etc. Even spread over such a large area, there is no uniform cuisine. In the Languedoc region beefy casseroles charm the taste buds; in Marseille it is the famous bouillabaisse and in the Provence Region there are the aromatic herbs. These are completely different culinary worlds. The interior architectural ideas of our customers in the French Mediterranean region are as varied as the Mediterranean cuisine and… we like this. Thankfully, the lightness of being and the art of a beautiful way of life are not standardised. And just as the cuisines portray different regions, we can provide solutions for the most varied kitchen dreams; whether in country houses, mansions, country estates or castles.