“Cooking is an act of love, a gift, a way of sharing with others the little secrets -- 'piccoli segreti' -- that are simmering on the burners.”

  Sophia Loren  

Living in Italy awakened my taste buds and inspired me to learn how to cook Italian food

My first foray into cooking classes was with a guy named Tony who had been a chef on a cruise line.  The classes took place in Pinetamare, a coastal resort north of Napoli. Each session had at least 10-15 people and he demonstrated while we took notes. Afterward, we got to taste the results.

Perhaps because he was used to cooking for large groups, his recipe amounts were often large. For example, his Pesto Alla Genovese serves 30 people and both his Mozzarella in Carrozza and Pasta e Fagioli Alla Napoletana serve 14. His Melanzane Alla Parmigiana recipe uses over 5 pounds of eggplant!

 Before showing us how to make stuffed Calamari, he instructed us how to buy and clean the fresh squid: 1. Wash well in cold water. 2. Pull out the tentacle section from the body cavity. 3. Remove the guts being careful not to break the sac of ink. 4. Cut off the eyes. 5. Pull out the mouth. 6. Remove the spine. (He added a warning: If the calamari are not shiny, they’ve been frozen.)

About a year later, I had the opportunity to participate in a more intimate setting. I went with 2 other women and spent many mornings in the home kitchen of Marianna, an Italian woman who lived in Posillipo, one of the hillsides in Napoli. We would chat, watch, learn, take notes, and then sit down for lunch with Marianna. The meal was always paired with a bottle of red wine—Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. I have almost 5 dozen of her recipes and often use them. Some of my favorites are Pasta Ai Quattro Formaggi, and Pasta Con Melanzane, Panna, e Salsa. She taught us to make rollups similar to filled manicotti but using crepes instead of pasta. That dish was covered with Ragu Napoletana, a thick tomato sauce which simmers for 7 hours. She also taught us how to make 2 different versions of quick tomato sauce. One has olive oil, onion and dry white wine added to chopped tomatoes. The other adds oil, garlic, basil, and parsley. The latter can be varied as All’ Arrabiata by adding hot pepper, as Alla Puttanesca with black olives and capers, or as Alla Pizzaiola with oregano.  For good pasta, she recommended Dececco or Voiello, and for good olive oil: Dante, Bertolli, or Carapelli.

While in Italy, I met a French woman named Jacquie who offered to teach a small group of us how to cook some French cuisine. We met at her home and it was a similar format to Marianna’s— chatting, watching, learning, taking notes, and then sitting down for lunch with Jacquie. I have almost 3 dozen of her recipes. Some of my favorites are Roasted Gigot, Coq Au Vin, and Sauce Rémoulade

When we moved to Germany, I didn’t take German cooking lessons. However, I did learn how to cook some Chinese dishes from a Chinese/American woman named Dinah. A few friends and I joined her in her kitchen for lessons and lunch once a week for a month.  We made such things as Spicy Chicken Wings, Stir-Fry Beef with Julienne Vegetables, and Mu Shu Pork with Pancakes.

My travels have taught me to appreciate cooking with fresh ingredients and to enjoy wine, mussels, fresh crispy bread, and a variety of cheeses, my favorite being Gorgonzola.