You know what they say…”When in Rome…” So we did what Romans do. We ate. And we ate. And we ate. Delicious food. We had to… we didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
It’s hard to believe that a full year has passed since celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary in Italy. And even crazier to think that exactly one year ago today, we, and seven others, joined forces for a spectacular gastronomic experience that can only be described with one word : Perfetto!
We took a cooking class.
We began this blessed day in Rome Central Market where we shopped for both the freshest produce and the best meats. Included in our tour was the chance to meet farmers and butchers so passionate about their food, we couldn’t help but be lost in the moment and struck by the enthusiasm bouncing off the umbrellas. We could have hung at the Market all day, but as appealing as that thought was, we couldn’t ignore the slow simmer of anticipation bubbling up inside us. We knew the sooner we made our way back, the sooner we’d be igniting all of our senses.
Our trek back to the private residence, where we cooked in the kitchen of an English-speaking Italian, was met with slate-colored skies and Italian raindrops – splasha – splasha – splasha. It didn’t matter. It did not matter. Even Italian rain sings.
Once inside his enchanting villa, dried-off and aproned-up, we chopped veggies, rolled pasta, drank wine, and broke bread. The personalized instruction we received from our very knowledgeable food expert left us feeling pretty confident, however, when I asked how much flour goes in the gnocchis, with the tiniest click of his tongue, our fearless leader replied, “You Americans, not everything is so precise, so perfect… we know by feeling… Try two cups.”
He was a good sport!
We made enough food to feed an army. Artichoke stuffed ravioli, vegetable lasagna in a bechamel sauce, gnocchi in marinara, and pork braciole in gravy.
The moment finally arrived.
We could hardly contain ourselves.
The table was set.
The wine would be poured.
The food would be served.
And satisfaction would reign.
It’s gnocchi time.
Ciao!
“Even Italian rain sings”
♥
It sings. <3