Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Cooking School Day 1

This cooking school thing is pretty much the best decision I have made in a long time. We have only been here 2 1/2 days, but it has been so much fun. Most of the people in the 16 person group are very nice and a few are hysterical. Our first evening we took a walk around Soriano, the little Hilltown we are staying in. Then we went to dinner at a restaurant at the top of the town called Taverna Dei Frati. Our waiter Mario was being typically Italian and a total show.  He has a whole repertoire he goes through that involves grabbing side boob, giving sweaty hugs, trying to pour bottles of booze down your throat, and a grand finale of an ass pinch . . . good times!  The food was indescribably amazing and there was so much of it: antipasto was prosciutto, salami, fried olives, 4 kinds of bruschetta; 1st course was a delicious little pasta that looked like mini parachutes filed with ham and cheese in a light cream sauce; followed by the entree of balsamic marinated flank steak with rosemary and olive oil roasted potatoes, salad; then a layered custard cake with drinks of Limoncello and grappa. Before dinner we went shopping for some of the ingredients we would need for our first cooking class. Great day!


Sunday morning started with cappuccino and a pastry at the cafe in the piazza then we all headed to the villa for class. This place is my dream come true. The house and the land have been in Paula's family since the 1700s and she and her husband renovated the whole thing for this business. Carla is Paula's sister and she teaches the classes. Rita and Catia help with prep and cleanup all the while speaking no English. You can cook as much or as little as you want, open bottle after bottle of wine, or hit the cellar and drink as much homemade grappa as you want. There is unlimited cappuccino and espresso, I mean really what the hell else could you ask for?!  Once we get finished making all the food we are out on the terrace underneath the gorgeous cabana eating. I thought I died and went to heaven. After eating we piled into the bus and drove to a little Town called Pittigliano to see is medieval Jewish ghetto. After that it was back to Soriano for a 5 course dinner with loads of wine. There is clearly no shortage of food and booze on this trip. There is, however a shortage of time to write . . . Too busy drinking and laughing.













1 comment:

LaLa said...

Happy for you and your mom, totally jealous too!