In the Cucina
How I spent my vacation in Italy…in the kitchen! I’m the woman who gets excited over receiving a kitchen appliance for Christmas. Wrap a big bow on a Viking range and I will kiss you all over. Remodel my kitchen to look like this…with everything included, and I will love you forever.
Today I had double the cooking classes. Beginning at 10 am for Traditional Cooking Class 3 followed by Dessert Making Class 4. My second class of desserts was just Chef Raffaele and me. Lauren from Cooking Vacations came by to give an informal discussion on Italian Renaissance women who shaped Italy’s food, fashion, art and literati scene. This I loved as I have always been fascinated by the history of food.
For this post I will just leave you a teaser of the foods we made and ate as I had a very full day…
As we arrived, Chef served us Chocolate Almond Flour Cake with coffee, just in case we were a bit hungry before we got started. Aprons on, hands washed, ready to cook….
Arancini Di Riso (rice balls)
Ravioli Capresi
Spigola All ‘Acqua Pazza (Sea Bass in Crazy Water)
Crostata Di Frutti (Apple Tart layered with jam, custard, lady fingers and apples)
Semifriddo Al Croccantino (Caramelized Hazelnut Ice Cream Cake)
Wine Biscuits
Layered Limoncello Sponge Cake and Custard
As if this wasn’t enough, after my dessert class, Chef Raffaele prepared me a dish of freshly made pasta with pesto for dinner.
I’m happily exhausted and deliciously satisfied.
Ciao xxox
spicegirlfla
I love being in the kitchen. Early mornings, soft music, a hot espresso. Easing into the preparation of delicious meals. Glancing through cookbooks, gathering inspiration and planning my day. I look forward to the cycles of the seasons, the pleasures of tasting and savoring and sharing this with those dear to me. Weekends are special to me as my week days are often rushed, but still I create the ambiance, light the candles, set the table and uncork the wine.
15 Comments
Chica Andaluza
Oh you lucky, lucky signorita! I’d have to figh you for the kitchen…. 😉
Mad Dog
Me too! I bet those arancini were good. I always think of the Sicilian detective Montalbano when I see arancini – apparently his housekeeper is an amazing cook:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvo_Montalbano
spicegirlfla
Oh , I will have to get that book! They were really good. I’ve not had any since my mom made them when I was younger. That whole staying away from carbs. Not at all on this trip though!
I think we’d all love to get in there and “play” in this kitchen. It was small and modern, the appliances in there were to die for…quick chill fridge, under counter refrigerators…it is a restaurant that opens for dinner only…certainly not grandma’s Italian kitchen!
Mad Dog
There’s a TV series too 😉
spicegirlfla
Now you have me very interested…I just seached him up at the library to get a book!! Angelica’s Smile !
Hotly Spiced
What a fantastic kitchen. That cooking course must have been fantastic. I can’t believe before you started you were given cake! As if there wasn’t enough food. The pesto pasta, arancini and ravioli all look like my favourites but there isn’t anything here I wouldn’t adore xx
spicegirlfla
These classes are very good. He is strict about making sure we do it correctly. He will toss out anything that wasn’t prepared right and then lecture on not wasting food so you need to do it right! I’ve learned quite a bit, especially during my one on one class. I agree, I loved every dish made!
Mimi
oh my god. what fun! I did get a Viking range for Christmas years ago. Sadly I had to leave it behind when we moved… Cooking vacations sounds really interesting.
spicegirlfla
I think I would not have moved 🙂
Jovina Coughlin
I have made the fish in crazy water. It is excellent. Those rice balls look really yummy.
spicegirlfla
Both were new recipes to me and now I’m sure I will be making them often!
Bam's Kitchen
How fun and I am so happy for you. Love how cute your little caprese ravioli look.
spicegirlfla
I thought they were so cute…like little flowers 🙂
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
What a swish kitchen! I’d love a kitchen like that. It’s a work space not an entertaining space. 🙂
spicegirlfla
Yes, true, not really an entertaining space. It was all the professional appliances I really loved and watching all the majic that happened in that busy little kitchen!