The food in Italy is as delectable as rumored. A summer of dining at trattorias, ristorantes and cafés, confirmed that I needed to put on my cooking gloves. Mind you, I’ve never spent much time in the kitchen, but I was optimistic!
I decided to take the gastronomic leap and to my culinary delight found Cooking in Tuscany, a class where I could learn and cook many traditional Italian dishes. With wavering confidence, I signed up for the Full Flavours Immersion Class where for five hours I would prepare a 5-course meal. No small feat for a cooking novice.
With transportation provided from Florence for a nominal fee, I arrived at The Torre Castle, a 13th century villa built by the Pandolfini family. I and my three other cooking companions were introduced to Chef Maurizio Moretti who quickly set the stage for the day’s agenda. It was ambitious! On the menu: bruschetta, eggplant and pecorino cheese crositini, toasted bread with sausage and stracchino cheese (crostini di salsiccia e stracchino), pesto sauce, potato gnocchi, tomato and basil sauce, Etruscan chicken with olives and white wine, handmade tagliatelle (ribbon pasta) and my favorite, torte di chocolate (chocolate torte)!
With aprons donned and ingredients at hand, I spent the next five hours making beautifully colored pasta, a delectable pesto sauce and much, much more. The flavours, smells and colors of the food were extraordinary. With patience and an easy style, Chef Moretti showed me the joy of cooking Tuscan food. My taste buds were in heaven! I enjoyed all that we prepared, drank vino (wine), grappa (grape liquor) and found that cooking is indeed a sensory experience unlike any other.
Chef Moretti recommended the easy-to-understand cookbook, The complete book of Florentine Cooking written by Paolo Petroni. It offers more than 250 traditional recipes that are easy to prepare and delicious to eat. With this and my newly acquired cooking skills, I am excited about preparing delicious Italian food for my family and friends.
If you’re ever in Italy, make sure to take a cooking class. I had the time of my life! For more information, visit Cooking in Tuscany Buon appetio!!
