HANDS ON Those Italians in Brooklyn (Mar 14, 2013)

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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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Old Hens and a Young Rooster at a New York class (Mar 13, 2013)

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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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A Musical Dessert at a Connecticut Class (Mar 10, 2013)

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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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“The Stuff That Binds” in Dallas (Mar 4, 2013)

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“Thank you for such fun cooking classes in Dallas. Annie, you are the stuff that binds (all of us),” wrote Jon, my Rome junior-year-abroad friend, after this year’s third (and final – for 2013) Dallas cooking class. Jon, your words touched me..but hold on: cooking together, too, links, binds, ties, connects. People of all ages, all backgrounds form bonds, group together as feasts come together.
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A Dallas Culinary Reunion (Mar 3, 2013)

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Julie and Jo, so good to connect once again over the burners! Can it be four years ago since Julie’s cooking class (with Jo as guest)? Jo, thanks for opening your door this time – and kitchen cupboards, fridge and oven! – to an enthusiastic group (everyone bubbling away as they cooked, like that chicken simmering on the stove). Jon, mille graze to you, too – not just for acting gamely as sous-chef for three Dallas classes – but also for having me in your home, for getting me to classes (and not only) during my memorable Dallas stay. (Over forty-five years after our junior year-abroad in Rome, Italian food is still a part of our lives, vero? Now we’re cooking it together!)
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A Family Connects While Cooking – and Not Only… (Mar 2, 2013)

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An early-March Lantana, Texas brought together an entire family, everyone connecting in a “culinary” way this time as they prepared our feast. Linda and John, happy to reunite with you about three years after our lunch together in our Assisi farmhouse – and over food once again. Such a pleasure to cook with all your family and thanks so much for including an old friend of mine, Jon: we’d studied together in Rome, junior-year abroad, 1968 – ’69. Logicamente, neither of us could have imagined that we’d be celebrating Italy and Italian flavors over forty-five years later in a Texas kitchen. Che bello!
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Umbrian Rural Friends Highlight a Colorado Feast (Feb 28, 2013)

2013 U.S. Tour, U.S. Cooking6 Comments

“A picture is worth a thousand words”, the saying goes. Jackie and Gina proved it: a display of their Rural Life Revisited tour photos (last October with me in Umbria) launched their Parker CO cooking class. Hostess Jackie talked about their ” unforgettable day” with our rural neighbors, backdropped by the photos of our farm friends. Her talk made me feel like I was back in Umbria again while introducing our group to the goodness of our region and to the people who cook the goodness.
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