Six years ago, I met Kathy, Steve and daughter Carolyn, over flowers (literally): they all joined my Umbrian Infiorate. FESTAtour centered on Spello’s astounding floral petal carpets festival. Now we meet over food: Kathy and Steve are often hosts for my U.S. culinary events in private homes.
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Last night’s gathering in Bethesda started off with nibbles of the fresh bread made by delightful hosts, Lisa and Gary. Whilte breaking bread before we cooked, some at the class re-united, others connected for the first time. Mike and Joanie, old friends from Rome junior-year-abroad, thanks again for your parts in yet another D.C. area class (this is becoming a tradition, vero?) Christina, glad you came along with Mike, reminding me of our family’s wonderful stay a few years ago in your country, Nepal, as Mike’s guests. (Next time, let’s cook a bit of Nepalese, too!).
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Michelle and George, Joe and Kay, Skip, well, I made it this year: I stayed on my feet for this year’s memorable cooking class in Joe and Kay’s lovely kitchen. My Greensburg stay three years ago was memorable, too: the morning after my Italian gestures talk (at Westmoreland Community College – sponsored by Professor Michelle), I fell down the stairs, ending up in emergency and finishing up the last ten days of my US tour with a cast and on crutches. Mamma mia. Teaching that post-fall Greensburg cooking class seated on a kitchen chair was a challenge, only made possible by the enthusiasm of hosts Vince and Patti and all Greensburg guests.
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It was a rainy day in Leola, Pennsylvannia but we still saw a buggy or two along the highways – and across the fields, an indomitable Amish farmer plowing his fields behind his team of huge mules inspite of the steady drizzle. My host Jerry took me on an area driving tour of Amish country – including a stop to see the quilts – before we headed home to cook. Table all set, wife Cathy was busy in the kitchen setting up for the arrival of our cooking guests.
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Like arriving home in Italy as soon as I walked into Frank and Sharon’s welcoming Malvern home: chatter filled the kitchen as Frank’s sisters washed a colorful array of fruits and vegetables for our class and in the corner, a pizza oven’s cheery flame warmed all. Pizza was not on our menu but southern Italian foods highlighted our feast: a good culinary match for Frank’s family of pugliese origin and guests with Sicilian ties – like Ed. And they all knew about the need to keep away the malocchio or evil eye- and the right gesture to do it.
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The students at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn are now ready for their Italy trip this summer: whether or not they can speak Italian, they’re now ready to communicate with the people. They’ll use their hands. Art professor Jane Beckwith, their tour leader, has done a numero uno job of orienting her students to Italy, the art, the people: their enthusiasm was palpable at my talk at the college, for Italy-bound students and their parents. Mille grazie, Jane, for such a wonderful gathering and all your organizational work prior. Thanks, too, for welcoming Anton, Ken and Theresa – enthusiastic non-students who’d asked to join in.
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All ages came together at our Long Island cooking class, hosted by Mickie – and what a way to re-unite! (Mickie, husband Jeff and their four wonderful children had toured with me in Umbria – in blazing summer heat but those children so attentive to every word). Mickie and family had lived in Florence for two years and their love of Italy and its flavors lingers: in fact, the children (and lots of their friends) were in the kitchen to taste-test our dishes! (Empty plates were the approval indicator).
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Friend Laura did not “sing for her supper” at our Gourmet Galley Catering cooking class in Connecticut but she sang for her dessert (sort of). While finalizing all with host Mary for the class at daughter Anna’s catering kitchen, I proposed inviting Connecticut friend and opera singer, Laura, to add an Italian musical note as a surprise for the students. Both Anna and Mary were enthused – and so were the students when Laura topped off our Italian feast by bringing us to Italy through her bellissime songs.
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Well, i really don’t have to write this blog tidbit at all as Italian-American host Rick did it for me in this note on the Millis, Massachusetts cooking class in he and wife Peggy hosted in their home…
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The TEMPO website lets us know that “TEMPO…… in greater Madison… connects women leaders with diverse backgrounds and experience to support, advise, learn and create relationships with one another” – but it doesn’t tell us what great cooks those TEMPO members can be! Flanked by chefs Paul and Joe, the TEMPO members all gathered with…