I have dreamed of travelling to Italy for decades (no need to tell you how many...). So, with my 16 year old daughter at my side, off we went. Based on the amazing Trip Advisor reviews (560 fantastic reviews surely mean great things!), I booked the Cooking Classes in Rome for our first full day in Rome, mid-July; great choice!! My daughter, who has stealthily dodged the use of all kitchen appliances sans the microwave and the toaster, smiled agreeably about indulging her mother's heart's desire of learning to cook authentic Italian cuisine. That submissive smile of hers, however, quickly turned into a brilliant beacon of pure foodie joy; really!
From the moment that we stepped into the dining room of awaiting fellow cooks, we felt welcomed and ensconced into a world of age-old tradition. Chef Andrea, serving cafe and biscotti, created a wonderful opportunity to chat informally, get to know each other a bit, provide some history of Roman cuisine, and set the stage for amazing things to come.
Donning our cooking aprons, off to the kitchen we went. Upon entry, a wonderful bounty of fresh produce and other local ingredients were the first thing to grab your attention. Chef Andrea shops the markets first thing in the morning to source out the freshest fare, and artfully arranges them..."feasting with the eyes" definitely rang true. As for the menu....ooh la la... in preparatory emails, Chef Andrea asked for menu suggestions, allergies, etc.... leaving it up to his discretion was (another) great decision. Picture this:
Appetizer: Pumpkin Flowers with prosciutto/eggplant and mozzarella & Southern Style Pesto
First Course: Homemade Cavatelli shaped pasta with fresh tomato sauce and basil leaves
Second course: Beef Scallopine with Mushrooms
Side Dish: Roman style zucchini with cream of pumpkin blossoms
Dessert: Tiramisu
Just the visual of the ingredients, coupled with the posted menu, was enough to get the gastronomic juices flowing. And then the hands-on fun began. Chef Andrea is truly a kitchen magician... his extensive knowledge, coupled with undeniable passion for cooking authentic Roman cuisine, was truly impressive enough ( I learned so many new, valuable tips to use forevermore)... now add to that, a fabulous sense of humor, the ability to engage all members of the group (ours ranged from 11 years old to um, my age), and the energy to keep us all on-task and on-time with our preparations. So many parts to making this a great experience and he did it all with skillful aplomb! Bravo!!
Transitioning from kitchen worker bees, to guests at his table, Chef Andrea then took on the role of our waiter and host. He artfully presented us with each of the courses we made together (just look at the pictures of the tiramisu... like, honestly!!). So glad that I opted for the wine pairing option, as the choices beautifully complimented each dish. The mood around the table was festive and we were incredulous, that four hours after meeting, this group of strangers had worked so flawlessly together to create one of the most sumptuous meals that my daughter and I enjoyed throughout our travels.
You'd think that the story and the review ends here...it does not. After travelling for another 3 weeks, my daughter and I arrived home to company from out of town. Without hesitation, and indeed with great vigor and excitement, we decided to recreate the meal that we so tantalizingly enjoyed and have since dreamed about. Chef Andrea emailed all of the recipes enjoyed to each participant, and it was great fun to go around my home community exploring where to best purchase each of the easy-to-find ingredients. Somehow, after collecting about 80% of the ingredients, I accidentally deleted Chef Andrea's email...panic!! Within hours of sending him my S.O.S., however, he supplied me with the recipes and further encouragement to share and enjoy what we learned in his kitchen.
Our guests were completely blown away with their dinner that evening... and I have to say, my daughter and I were proud kitchen peacocks! It's one thing to have a great, memorable experience in far-away lands.... it's another to be able to easily recreate it in your own home and share it with important people in your lives. That, to me, is the essence of the richness of this fabulous experience with Cooking Classes in Rome... it wasn't a "one off" thing that we had fond memories of... it was an experience that allowed my daughter and I to share in something fun and happy, and that will bring a lifetime of practical use.
I've been putting off writing this review as I could not think of how I could possibly capture the true joy we experienced in Chef Andrea's kitchen... but here it is, and I hope that after reading it, it inspires you to book a class and live the moment for yourself.
Ack! Can't download any of my pictures, so once that's figured out, I hope to update. read more