The Cooking Classes

The classes started at approximately 9:30 and went to approximately 1:00 each day, followed by a lunch "based on our efforts" as the brochure says. All the lunches included all you could drink of white or red wine, plus still or fizzante water. They were hands on classes held at Chef Claudio's B&B in La Cucina, an underground large room designed for training 12 people at once. The kitchen included two 8 burner gas stoves, ovens, a large sink, and plenty of counter space. The only thing there wasn't a lot of were chairs, but I never even thought about using one while focusing on the cooking.

The 12-students in the class were an interesting mix of personalities. We ranged in age from 30 to, I would guess, the mid-60's. I know one couple was there celebrating their retirement. The one thing we all had in common was our love of food and cooking. However, our experience levels varied from those who just enjoyed cooking to those who are truly passionate about it. The one thing we did not have were any professionally trained chefs, besides Claudio. As a whole, the group got along very well, which is a good thing when you are spending so much time together.

Monday, 27 August 2007

• Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Pecorino Cheese
• Barley Soup
• Tomato Bread Soup
• Beef Stew w/Peppers and Onions
• Zucchini Timbale
• Potato Gnocchi w/either Tomato Sauce or Butter and Sage Sauce
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Tiramisu

Don't worry, I won't describe each recipes in detail, only the ones I thought were the most amazing! If you have any interest in knowing more about a specific recipe, please let me know. I'll be more than happy to explain it.

From the list above, I absolutely LOVED the Beef Stew (less the peppers and onions), and Tomato Bread Soup. Jeremy was our sous chef for the Tomato Bread Soup, but honestly, I think I would have loved it no matter who made it. It came down to being only a few ingredients such as leeks, olive oil, tomatoes, water, basil, salt and pepper to taste, and stale bread! A good friend of mine in Chicago who is Italian American and a trained chef told me once that all Italian cooking was limited to a few ingredients and only those in season. Cooking with Claudio only strengthened her words. For the Beef Stew, we took beef shoulder, not a great cut of meat in general, cut it into cubes, then sauteed it in olive oil. Next, covered it in water and boiled it down to a low gravy. Step two repeat water. Step three, pour bottle of Chianti over the meet, and boil to a reduction. Repeat with water until meat is fork tender. It takes a while, maybe a few hours, but was to die for amazing. I was truly shocked. I made both the Beef Stew and Tomato Bread Soup at home. The stew came out "to die for", but I think I added a bit too much bread to the soup. It was ok, but not perfecto. I do think it also would have helped for me to have Tuscan style (no salt) stale white bread instead.

Back in class, I made the eggplant parm. What I can tell you is that authentic Tuscan cooking isn't exactly like Italian American cooking, which is heavily Sicilian influenced. All I did was lightly fry the eggplant in olive oil, then layer it with fresh tomato sauce and a bit of Parmesan cheese. It was good, especially if you love eggplant, which I do, but it wasn't what I was use to. I did notice I needed to change my thinking on a few items.

Now, for those of you who love Tiramisu, yes, fabulous! The only thing we added that I did not know was in the recipe was vermouth. What can I say, when in Figlene ... :-)


Tuesday, 28 August 2007

Today cooking class actually started at the local fresh food market. Once a week, a huge market comes to town. They sell everything from toe nail clippers to trout! It was truly complete and the prices very reasonable if not down right inexpensive. Claudo lead us around the market pointing out the different cheeses, vegetables, meat, and fish. One person commented that he liked Rainbow Trout. "You like Trout. We make Trout." was Claudio's reply. Another person saw anchovies, and we ended up with them, and where they delicious!!!!

Today's Creations included

• Porchini Mushroom Soup
• Polenta layered with gorgonzola dolce cheese
• Rainbow Trout, fried
• Swordfish
• Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta with Calamari and Tomato Sauce
• Fresh Spaghetti Pasta with Clams
• Hot Caprese Salad
• Fried Zucchini Flowers
• Fried Pecornio Cheese
• Risotto w/ gorgonzola dolce cheese
• Biscotti

What I found the best for today, for my taste, was the fresh pastas. It turns out, they are actually very easy to prepare. Sure, opening a package of dried pasta and throwing into boiling water is easier, but for the few minutes it takes to make the pasta, I did think it was worth it. The only tool needed is a pasta press. You can pick one of these up at most cooking/kitchen gadget stores. If you want to make fresh pasta to eat immediately or, at the most, within the next two days, you make it with 100 grams of flour to 1 egg, per serving. Four servings equals 400 grams of flour and 4 eggs. That's it. Keep it in the refridgerator and do NOT freeze. If you want to make pasta to freeze or dried for later, you make it with semolina flour and water only. We did not make this kind because Chef Claudio prefers fresh. I'm going to look it up. Sometimes, your own dried is better than a store bought brand ... sometimes.

I also really enjoyed the Hot Caprese Salad. It was a basic fresh mozzarella slices with olive oil, but the kick was cherry tomatoes. They were sauteed in olive oil first before being poured onto the cheese. We didn't put any basil on it, but if I were to make it again, and I would. I just love the taste of fresh basil.

I also learned that since gorgonzola dolce is one of my favorite cheeses, that I don't like to mix it with anything. I felt it was lost in the polenta and the risotto, but again, that is my own opinion. That said, I did have TWO servings of the polenta. It was so decadent that I knew I would never make it again!

BTW, I made the biscotti at home. Now that was PERFECTO!


Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Today's Creations included

• Foccaccia
• Ricotta Gnocchi
• Ravioli
• Risotto with Saffron
• Risotto with Grape Tendrils
• Anchovies
• Torta della Nonna (Grandmother's Cake) with Figs
• Sangiovese grape pie
• Pasta Fagioli
• Barley Salad

+++ Special Porfiteroles prepared by Chef Claudio in honor of Jeremy's Birthday+++

Today was a Tuscan Food Orgy. I felt as if I couldn't move when we were done. Personally, I made the Foccaccia and was blown away by my talents. I had never made bread before, except a quick bread like Banana Bread. This turned out so wonderful, that I'm going to attempt it at home. I say attempt because we cooked the Foccaccia in an outdoor pizza oven. It had to be at least 600 degrees. My test at home will include a pizza stone and an oven as hot as I can get it.

Today, it just seemed like the food never ended. AND having three desserts really didn't help the waiste line one bit. Of course, everything was so amazingly perfecto, I HAD to try a taste of it all. I think I may still be recovering.

Thursday, 30 August 2007

Today the class went from 12 students to 6. As I mentioned before, there are two options, the 3 half days of cooking or the 4 half days with a full day of touring. In addition, Chef Claudio had been picked to represent Tuscany in an International Cooking competition in Munich. He had to leave for that. His sous chef, Niccola took over the lessons for the day. This was an interesting change of pace. Chef Claudio is truly wonderful, but after three days, it was nice to get a different prespective. We did not make as much today, becuase there were not as many of us to make it!

Today's Creations included

• Black Eye Pea and Barley Soup
• Salt Cod with Tomato Sauce and Fried Potatos
• Duck Breast
• Egg White and Green Pepper Fritatta
• Eggplant Timbale
• Penne Pasta with Tomato Sauce
• Sauted Zucchini and Tomatoes
• Grandmother's Cake w/ Pine Nuts and Raisins

Trust me, this was plenty of food, again! Today, my challenge was the Grandmother's Cake. It is more of a pie than a cake. We used a butter, flour and egg batter. I'm use to shortening, flour and water only. The crust did turn out good, but it was much softer than I'm use to working with. It will take practice, but practice I will, if I must. :-)

The other cool tip we learned today was with the Penne. If you are using a short (like penne -- NOT spaghetti), dried (not fresh) pasta, you can cook the pasta in the sauce rather than in water. So think of this, most of us boil water, cook the pasta, and mix it with the sauce. If you take the pasta, put it into the sauce, slowly cook the pasta, the sauce infuses into the pasta. It added an entirely new level to the pasta. The starch from the pasta also thickens the sauce. Everyone in the class agreed that this was a wonderful discovery!

Unfortunately, after day four, cooking classes were over. Honestly, I felt great about the amount of time we spent. Technical knowledge, and hands on experience we acquired were perfecto without becoming tedious or routine.

To anyone who loves to cook, I was say take the four day class. To anyone who likes to cook and just wants to enjoy Italy, I would say, take the three day class. BTW, Chef Claudio NEVER made anyone attend a class, participate, or eat anything they didn't like. Truly perfecto!!!