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Thursday, July 16, 2009
cooking with Marianna
When I discovered InItalyTours offered a cooking class in the mountains in a little country home I could not resist the offer from Tania the founder of the company. Since I also have a company that runs tours to Calabria .I wanted to sample this cooking class for myself. Marianna lead me to her herbal ,vegetable and fruit garden in the field where they are grown . My husband and I were also shown how to make home made fisilli (pasta). Our meal was accompanied by some wonderful Calabrese wines .It was like a journey through time.. What made this night so special was sitting down with Tania , Mariana and her husband Franco surrounded by the rustic beauty in the hills of Tropea . As we sat in the middle of the field under a beautiful white canopy with candles burning and the brilliant stars above I knew we were about to indugle ourselves in a great Calabrese feast.Buona Petito!!!!!!!1
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3 comments:
Sounds simply amazing. What an experience to have. I can only imagine that fresh, homemade calabrese feast. Buon appetito is right! :)
Can You send me to Cooking School in Italy now?
It is October 15th, and our dream of seeing Calabria has become a reality. Our Mothers (sisters) are from Albi in Calabria. My cousin and I stepped out of the van onto the land of our ancesters and felt the excitement. We walked to the waters edge and looked behind us to a fabulous view of mountains, sharp cliffs of ledge with colorful homes chisled into the mountainside climbing higher and higher, which seemed to us a roadway to heaven. For us, we knew, our family walked in and about this terrain.
Nancy, our tour guide had arranged a private van w/driver, a specific day to begin our adventure. Maria our driver knew the way but did not speak English. Nancy speaking fluent Italian with the correct dialect was just what we needed. As we climbed higher and closer to a town, we saw people walking and staring at this unfamiliar vehicle. We stopped in front of a storefront and the shop keeper encouraged us to come in and have some cappuchino while Nancy explained (in Calabrese) who we were looking for. Because the store keeper's father was in his nineties she thought he may remember the family. He was bedridden, so she left us to enjoy her hospitality while she went to his home to ask of our family name. Unfortunately he did not remember. Our second stop was at a couple's home. They insisted we come in and enjoy some orange soda and talk about our family since they had the same last name. They even showed pictures of their family.They were so warm and caring. I felt so much compassion for the woman, she reminded me of my own mother.
Our next stop was for directions from a young school girl. She directed us to her families restaurent "Penny Lane". The warmth, love, excitement and helpfulness of this family came through in the food they cooked especially for us. (Italians always talk through the delicous foods they cook and serve). "Manga, mangia" was what they said and believe me we ate all the scrumptous food they made, just like "Mamma's". It was the highlight of the day. We felt as if we were eating in auntie's kitchen.
When completely satisfied, no room for even a pinoli, they took us to Town Hall to meet the Mayor and then to the church on the edge of the mountain where our grandparents married many years ago. A feast was going on in the streets and we toured the streets, tasting the delicous specialties of the region. As we feasted Nancy again spoke for us as we received many smiles and hugs.
We started the drive back down the mountain road (which was one car width wide), we could see between the trees and cliffs the beautiful blue/green Ionian Sea, the sun shining through the trees, streaking fingers across the olive groves.
What did we think! We just drove from Heaven on Earth.
Our experiences would never had happened if not for Nancy's knowledge and love of her beloved Calabria. We can't wait to return.
WITH NANCY, OF COURSE.
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