Linking Up While Cooking in Monarch Beach

Links are always formed at our Umbrian rural cuisine cooking classes and sometimes, surprising ones: at cousin Tom’s class in Monarch Beach, a participant, Sandy, had studied her junior year abroad in Rome where I had studied too (if quite a few years prior)! Sandy’s husband Randy proved to be an expert onion-dicer (for our Sicilian chicken dish) while Sandy worked on the Sicilian baked tomatoes with Cindy.

Cindy’s husband Dave – of Italian roots – kept an eye on the browning chicken, the marinated eggplant and also helped out on the cauliflower pasta sauce preparation. Becky and Ken, thanks for your teamwork on the amaretti-stuffed baked apples. Tonia and Ryan, thanks for pitching in wherever a hand was needed. And mille grazie to Sybil and Mark for opening your kitchen to us and to cousin Tom for connecting us all through cooking.

Thanks to each for your thoughts, post-class:

“Anne, this class is the best. Cooking..drinking wine..and sharing. Thank you for amazing dishes.” Cindy

“Thanks so much for an incredible night with wonderful food. I can’t believe you are a fellow Rome center alum!…” Sandy and Randy

“What a wonderful experience! Ken and I had the best time coring apples. Everything was delicious…..I look forward to reading your blog and attempting the recipes…hope to visit you in Umbria!” Becky with Ken

“Anne, thank you for a wonderful meal and a great experience with new friends! We love ‘real’ food for real people. Keep spreading your wonderful messages with the world!” Tonia and Ryan

“I love the italian food culture, especially since it is part of my heritage – Campobasso – I feel closer to my roots. Many thanks.” Dave