In 1926, Cilento was not a place for the faint of heart. It was a land of limestone, stubborn mules, and hands marked by the earth. That autumn, in SAN MAURO CILENTO, the air already smelled of woodsmoke and an impending storm.
Don Pasquale gazed at his creation: the underground olive press, located on the ground floor of what is now the That’s Amore Country House. It wasn’t a workplace; it was a profane temple where the miracle of green gold was accomplished every year through sweat and brutal toil.
Inside, the light was dim from oil lamps. The sound was a continuous bass: the mule’s hoofs pounding rhythmically on the circular pavement and the groan of stone against stone. The Millstone: Two enormous granite wheels that crushed the “Salella” olives, reducing them to a dark, fragrant paste. The Mule: Blindfolded, so as not to dizzy, he walked in the darkness for hours, the tireless engine of a subsistence economy. The “Fisciscoli”: Discs of coconut fiber that were carefully stacked, filled with freshly pressed pulp.
That November night in 1926, a storm descended from Monte Stella and rattled the shutters. Don Pasquale watched the golden liquid separate from the vegetation water. It was a magical moment. In a time of poverty, that oil represented everything: Currency: With oil, debts were paid and trousseaus were purchased for daughters. Survival: A slice of hard, “scuarnato” bread and a drizzle of oil were a king’s supper. Light: It was the fuel for the lamps that chased away the shadows from the stone houses.
At dawn, the mule was finally freed. Don Pasquale, dead tired, dipped a piece of warm bread into the collection basin. The flavor was spicy, herbaceous, with that almond aftertaste typical of the Cilento region.
A hundred years have passed since Don Pasquale carried on these traditions. Then, in the 2000s, Remo brought about a metamorphosis. Remo transformed what had been a place of extreme hardship into a luxurious rural retreat: a country house, the That’s Amore Country House.
The real magic happens outside. Where once the sacks of olives were unloaded from the mules, there is now a beautiful patio where you can admire the view in complete relaxation, where children on vacation can play thanks to the playground (a small playground just a few meters from the building), where the strawberry grape pergola refreshes and delights our guests.
This is our story, this is the story of That’s Amore Country House.