Resplendent floral arrangements and candles around the pool define the outdoor entertaining style of Italian Ambassador Luca Fornari and his wife, Silvana Novelli. Inside, the living room and den are fresh and inviting, what with the creamy islands of comfortable sofas and chairs that you could plop in, and the burst of flowers. The appetizer trays are laden with antipasti, evocative of abundance, and typical of Italian hospitality.

Madame Fornari looked elegant in a red sheath dress. Walking in the backyard in high heels, she proudly showed us the plots of vegetables and herbs—pechay, lemongrass, tomato and eggplant.

The lanai, the heart of their entertaining, had been decked for the Cocoon shoot. “For the Mediterranean people, the outdoors is important. The garden is so beautiful and the tropical plants are so lush!” she gushed. To deal with mosquitoes, the garden is frequently fumigated.

A typical setting for them was to roll out the carpets and set the wicker furniture and buffet tables on the lawn. In the lanai, the main dining table was embellished with malachite obelisks, acquired by Ambassador Fornari when he served as consul general in Zaire in the ’80s.

Edible centerpiece

The obelisks were juxtaposed with the embassy china, stemware, flatware, and sliced pumpkins that held flowers. The edible centerpiece was a squash adorned with carved flowerettes made from radishes, pumpkins, oranges and red peppers. The head cook, Dionisio Borja, digs deeply into the spirit of Italian cuisine, turning out festive and refined dishes.

While most women of a certain age run to their plastic surgeon, Madame Silvana has no pretensions. To her, sophistication came with maturity. “If it’s my 59th birthday, is the dinner a private or a diplomatic affair? It’s both.”

After making the guest list and sending out formal invitations, creating the atmosphere is vital to an event’s success. “In Italy, we love china and tablecloths that match,” she said. One can have four sets of china with complementary tablecloths for a different look each time.

She pointed out that lighting is often taken for granted. When it comes to mood lighting, Ambassador Fornari is hands-on. “He loves candles and spotlights,” she said. “He is good in the details—the personal touch.”

What is most anticipated is the menu, naturally. “We love good food and good wine. Filipinos prefer soft drinks or iced tea, but for us wine is very important, and it has to be paired properly with the dishes,” Madame Silvana said. The meal usually consists of three or four types of appetizers such as Italian flan, vegetables, bite-size prawns, or salad followed by a four-course dinner. “When guests come to an Italian embassy function, they expect pasta.” The most popular pastas are the alla norma and the porcini mushroom.

Since local tomatoes are too acidic, imported peeled tomatoes are used. “We don’t do fresh tomato sauce. It doesn’t come out as nice. Make do with what you find. Pecorino and Parmesan are important for Italians. You can’t live without ricotta.”

She explained further, “There must be balance. If you have a fish appetizer with pasta and eggplant, you won’t have the same vegetables with the main course. It’s important that every course is distinct from the other. If you have something very light, balance with something heavy. Desserts are served on the buffet table, so people can get up and chat.”

Pomp and glamour

When the Fornaris arrived last year, they celebrated Italian national day with pomp and glamour at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The lobby and mezzanine were filled with food stations. The Italian cultural year ended with a jazz concert with an Italian musician and singer at Whitespace. The place was transformed into a 1920s jazz club, replete with theatrical lighting. Her favorite caterer, Margarita Fores, whipped up the meals, and the décor was by her Fiori di M.

“Perfection,” declared Lorenzo, son of Ambassador Fornari. In parties where people don’t know he is part of the family, he would overhear compliments. “They love the class, the style. Everybody enjoys the event and hopes to be invited again.”

Entertaining is in the Fornaris’ DNA. Madame Silvana recalled that her side of the family loved color, flowers and being with people. As the son of a diplomat, Ambassador Fornari was exposed early on to all kinds of socials. His mother Marella was a gracious hostess. “She was the best conversationalist. She could talk to the stones and melt them,” said Madame Silvana.

Even Lorenzo was a natural host. “I learned everything from my parents,” he said. “What you see here is what I try to emulate when I’m entertaining. It’s the mood, the people and a lot of little things you put together to make a whole. I’ve always known my parents to be very wholehearted in what they do, and people experience that.”

For his 18th birthday, Lorenzo rented an apartment before its renovation. People came in wigs and sunglasses. “When there are many people whom you don’t know, it takes longer to break the ice. With disguises, you can relax and be someone else,” he said.