Ancient Rome, Felipe V and the Roscón de Reyes

Origin of the dishwasher

"If no one else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I'll do it myself"

The dishwasher, which today seems indispensable in any kitchen, is a relatively recent invention. Its origins date back to 1886, when Josephine Cochrane, an American woman, tired of her dishes being damaged when washed by hand, decided that ‘if no one else was going to invent a dishwashing machine, she would do it herself’.The first dishwasher consisted of a copper kettle with a wheel with compartments to put the dishes inside. The wheel rotated while the soapy water came out under pressure, washing all the pieces. This first prototype could wash and dry up to 200 dishes in two minutes.Her invention was presented at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and the first to include them in their kitchens were hotels and restaurants. Her machines were sold to prestigious hotels such as the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago.Josephine patented her ‘dish washing machine’ and founded her own company, the Garis-Cochran Dish-Washing Machine Company, which later became KitchenAid (owned by Whirlpool). Motivated by the desire to popularise her creation, she also developed a model adapted for domestic use just before her death in 1913. For decades, however, the dishwasher remained a professional product. It was not until the middle of the 20th century that, thanks to the increasing electrification of homes and the search for greater efficiency in domestic chores, its use spread to households.This development marked the beginning of a new era in kitchen design and in the evolution of household appliances as tools for optimising everyday life. We share the pursuit of what you believe in. The importance of taking the time to identify needs and solving them. The way to improve people's lives.  

Tiramisù

A modern story with classic flavour

Tiramisù is the fifth most well-known word from Italian cuisine abroad, and the first when it comes to desserts. The name tiramisù, in the Venetian dialect, means “tirami sù”—literally “pick me up”—referring to its energizing effect, both due to the coffee and because it is considered a light dessert. The most documented version places the origin of tiramisù in the city of Treviso, in the Veneto region. It is said that during the 1960s, at the well-known restaurant Le Beccherie, chef Roberto Linguanotto and pastry chef Ada Campeol—the owner’s wife— invented this dessert. Tiramisù is based on sbatudin, a traditional preparation made from beaten egg yolk and sugar, typically given to children or newborns as a nutritious food, and incorporates mascarpone, savoiardi biscuits, coffee, and cocoa. Other accounts trace its origin back to around 1959, in a handwritten tiramisù recipe by Norma Pielli, the longtime cook at a hotel in the town of Tolmezzo, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. For locals, the fetta di mascarpone (slice of mascarpone) was served to hungry hikers and climbers in this mountainous area. Although its true origin remains uncertain, tiramisù was traditionally a family dessert, served on special occasions in Italian homes. It was only from the 1980s onwards that it began to be commercialized, appearing on restaurant menus both in Italy and abroad. Its presence in international cookbooks increased interest in tiramisù, leading to many adapted versions—but the balance of the original—biscuits lightly soaked in coffee, mascarpone cream, and a dusting of cocoa—remains hard to improve upon. We’ve shared our family tiramisù recipe in the Recipes section.

Orfèvrerie Ercuis

Tradition and craftsmanship since 1867

The origins of Ercuis goldsmith's house date back to 1867, when Father Adrien Céleste Pillon, a parish priest in the village of Ercuis, 50km from Paris, founded a religious goldsmith business to make silver- and gold-plated pieces.To finance the business, Pillon set up a local newspaper, which he also used as a means of advertising his creations. However, the business was soon taken over by Léon Durand, the former production manager of the Clichy glassworks, who redirected it towards the art of the table. In 1880, they opened their first shop in Paris.In 1886, Ercuis goldsmiths signed an agreement with the producer George Maës, adopting his ‘poinçon carré’, the official contrast in France for silver-plated metal, represented by a centaur, which has become the symbol of the firm to this day. The Maës family spearheaded the growth and expansion of the house for three generations.Throughout the 20th century, the house gained prestige and recognition, participating in various Universal Exhibitions, equipping the great hotels of the Côte d'Azur, the Côte Basque and Paris such as the Pavillon Henri IV, and receiving important commissions such as the silver-plated pieces for the ocean liner ‘Le France’ or for the Orient Express.From 1980s onwards, the company became a public limited company and changed hands several times. Today, the brand is owned by the Italian group Sambonet. Ercuis hallmarksThe Ercuis pieces bear at least two hallmarks: the goldsmith's mark and the quality hallmark. - The goldsmith's mark is represented by the inscription ‘ERCUIS’.- The hallmark may be represented by the ‘poinçon carré’, the official French contrast for ‘metal argenté’, or by indicating the percentage of silver with each number in a square. The Ercuis ‘poinçon carré’ includes a centaur with the initials ‘OE’ identifying the house, and the indication of quality in Roman numerals: I or II, depending on the microns of silver in the piece. The high quality of the silver plating applied to their pieces makes them of superior value on the antique market.