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U.S. Events
Diary of a Memorable 2009 U.S. Tour (...with the launch of new events!)
Since 1998, I've been bringing Italy and the Italians to the U.S. in February and March through my cooking classes and lectures.
These coast-to-coast tours have connected me with wonderful people who have remained friends over the years. Each of these annual tours has been highlighted with new events. The 2009 tour was no exception. Talks and children's cooking classes in schools added an enriching new dimension to my 2009 tour.
The tour kicked off Feb 6th in Corona del Mar with a joyous cooking lesson in the home of former tour guests (now friends!), Brant and Nancy, who hosted their second cooking event with me. A class in San Diego followed and my warm and welcoming host, Didi, asked me back a second night to do another class: this time as a team-building event for her office staff! Enthusiastic participants cooked along with me at Tom and Mike's event in Del Mar, CA - and the evening ended with singing and dancing!
On to northern California for a class in Marin County, hosted by Howie and Dave who had toured with me (as did many of their family) here in Umbria some years ago. Our cooking class was a most enjoyable "reunion". In mid-February, I presented my illustrated lecture "Italians, HANDS ON!" to an audience of 500 in Los Altos, CA. In San Francisco, I presented a similar talk for the FIERI organization, a group of young Italian-American professionals. I gave my talk at Tarantino's on Fisherman's Wharf, as the young audience enjoyed wines and a buffet set out by the restaurant. "Fieri" means "proud" (plural form) and I hope that my talk made all the participants proud to be italiano!
Next stop was Dallas, Texas for cooking classes and talks at The Selwyn School in Denton, TX. The school was celebrating their International Week and my task was to bring Italy alive for all the students from 3 to 18 years of age. I had taught kindergarten-through-high school in a "past life" so I was eager to take up the challenge.
I decided to introduce the little ones to Italy through a cooking class. With the help of the teachers and teacher aides, I worked with nearly 50 three-and-four-year-olds making Italian fruit cup, macedonia. We talked briefly about their favorite snacks and Italian healthy eating as I set out all the fruits we'd need. Earnest little children carefully chopped pears, apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, tangerines and counted out the raisins for their macedonia, learning the Italian words for the fruits as they worked. After mixing all the finely-chopped fruits into a large bowl, the children stirred in orange juice and lemon juice - and then enjoyed the "fruit" of their work in paper cups. Kindergarteners and first and second-graders, too, made macedonia and many lined up for multiple helpings. One little first-grader l said to me, "I'm having a sleep-over on Friday - and I'm going to ask Mommy if we can all make macedonia!"
click to enlarge photos
With the older grade-school children, I offered my talk on Italian gestures - and all went home enthusiastically talking with their hands. My talk, "Italians, HANDS ON!", enlightened middle-school and upper school students on the Italians and Italian life-styles.
My day at The Selwyn School was certainly a memorable highlight of my 2009 trip and has inspired a new addition to all future tours: cooking classes and talks in schools. Time to share Italy, Italian lifestyles and Italian healthy eating with our children. (Click here to read my note to the Selwyn children and parents)
Before leaving the Denton/Dallas area, I also taught cooking classes in the evenings in the homes of The Selwyn School parents and staff - and Texas hospitality reigned everywhere!
From Texas, on to St. Louis, Missouri where I reunited with the Moore family who had toured with me here in Umbria: we shared Umbria once again (this time, in their kitchen!). Memphis, Tennessee area followed and here, too, my cooking class hosts, Scott and Sherry, had toured Umbria with me (on two different trips!) - as had their friends who joined in the class.
Once again, what a perfect way to reunite!
Atlanta, Georgia was my next stop and hostess, Becky, brought together a wonderful group of women friends for her class. Becky has not yet toured with me in Umbria but I shared with all an enticement to Umbria before we cooked: a photo presentation (on my computer) of Umbria and my dear farm neighbors who taught me to cook..
While in Atlanta, I met with a group of enthusiastic travel agents to present a talk on the "hidden secrets" of our bellissima Umbria.
Colette O'Brien Allen at Alliance Travel was my generous host and I am grateful to her for the opportunity to get out the word on Umbria.
From Atlanta, on to Snellville, Georgia where Karen and Donna put together a wonderful evening of Umbrian rural cuisine. Three of the guests - David, Cindy and Melanie - had toured with me here in Umbria, thanks to the rave reviews of Bobby G., beloved local Latin teacher and Italophile. Mille grazie, Bobby G!
West Palm Beach, Florida was my next stop and I think that my generous hostess there, Donna, has by now hosted my cooking classes five or six times!
Once again, Donna gathered a group of enthusiastic women who joined me in cutting, chopping and creating as we talked about Umbrian and Sicilian foods and culture.
Last stop this year was Durham, North Carolina, where hosts, Barbara and Joe, hosted a "banquet" dinner which I cooked (along with an assistant) for ten friends. Joe and Barbara had rented a villa here in Umbria for a month last year, inviting friends to stay for a week and then their children and grandchildren for three weeks. During my second night in Durham, Barbara herself cooked a wonderful dinner, inviting two couples and also their son, wife and three children who had toured with me in Umbria.
...and once again, my U.S. events linked me with wonderful people I had first met as their tour guide here in our bellissima Umbria.
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