Tomato Passata sauce, part 1
Tomato Passata sauce, part 2
|
 Mussels soutè
Ciao, here I am back in Umbria ready to share a few words and many images with you showing what has made November an amazing month for me ,full of incredible emotions and beautiful experiences.
After flying to London for the second time this year I arrived in my “other kitchen” and with my friend Lorna proceeded to run two busy weeks of our Italian Cooking Workshop.
During this time not only it was a great pleasure to meet up again with some fantastic people who had also joined us last year but also to meet many more new lovely people. We proposed two different seasonal menus and the response was amazing. We all cooked together during the classes, we laughed, ate and drank 100% “Stile Italiano” .It was great fun and the time flew by so quickly.
 
 
 
 
 
 
The beauty of having a friend that shares your passion for food makes everything so much easier, she doesn’t regard you as mad or odd if after days of being enclosed in a busy kitchen all you want to do is see MORE FOOD being prepared and cooked by other people! So on our first day off we left Calbornow Road kitchen and we enjoyed an afternoon at the Maltby Street Food Market , I loved watching some great chefs cooking beautiful and tasty food ,with such a variety to choose from!
 
 
 
 
On our last evening , after work it has now become a MUST to finish in style and treat our selves for a successful year. We choose Kurobuta a Japanese trendy place for our last meal before I left the big city….
I just feel so lucky to be able to share my passion for Italian food in a different country by running these classes in London with a true friend and amazing chef like Lorna Dunhill.
What can I say I JUST LOVED IT ALL !!!
But the fun of my UK experience wasn’t over————
In fact it continued a bit like a romantic movie , after 18 days separation from my husband Nick, I was to meet him at Victoria Station, London. There I was standing in Victoria surrounded by my big heavy luggage looking very Italian and lost when Nick was walking towards me with a big lovely smile. He had just flown in from Italy ready to take me for a beautiful holiday in Wells- next- the- Sea, Norfolk
Wells- next- the- sea it is a small fisherman’s village, so beautiful and romantic in the winter time.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We were able to spend days and days walking along one of the most amazing beaches in Europe ,every evening we drank good wine and ate super yummy local food Mussel, Crab, and of course Fish and Chips and then Beef, Venison….OMG I tell you , I could keep going and going….but I think you’ve probably got the idea. Perhaps it was all that sea air that made us so hungry !!!
After a month away from my farmhouse, I am now back home. I must say I feel very lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world and after this refreshing holiday ,Nick and I are both ready and recharged to host friends and family for the Xmas holidays . The fires are lit and we are just planning what to cook …I am back in my kitchen!
 Homemade ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and Saronno amaretti biscuits, served with butter and sage sauce
It’s November and normally we are preparing for our annual olive harvest . Some friends have already sent emails asking to join us and the students from the University of Arizona in Orvieto say they are full of energy, happy and ready to help out.
 Pictures of our Olive trees First of all let me say : GRAZIE, thank you all for your kindness, but unfortunately for the first time in the14 years we have lived in Umbria, we do not have any olives to harvest ! And the reason for this is very simple, RAIN lots of it all through the summer. The few olives that are on the trees are not good or have already fallen to the ground … in short, a real tragedy.
 Allerona village with olive trees  Allerona village from our olive grove 
Other farmers in the area of Umbria and Tuscany are all having the same problem. This very wet summer has caused a lot of damage which started with the local grape growing (reduced by one third for many farmers) and now the olives.
 View of olive trees and sheep from our garden Sadly there will be a very little production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Central Italy this year.
So I’m sorry to have to say no olives, no harvest, no party.
This does, however, give me the opportunity to have few days to relax before my London trip.
Bookings are continuing to come in and I’m super happy about that.
Of course I’m talking about the ‘Italian Cooking Workshop’ that I will run for the second year with my friend Lorna. So London check it out !! Starting November 13th to 26th . This our sweet presentation video.
I will be there ready and happy to cook with those who have an interest and would love to get to know the REAL Italian cuisine. The location will be the same, Lorna’s beautiful kitchen, the TWO NEW MENUS will include Pappardelle with a rich game sauce, Homemade ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and Saronno amaretti biscuits plus Cantucci biscuits ……..but anyway.. maybe it’s better that you look directly at the menus, but I am warning you , be ready to have your mouths watering!
Booking is easy, so I hope it will be a good opportunity to get to know some of you UK readers.
When I arrived in England last year I had with me lots of goodies from Italy, smoked pancetta, pecorino cheese.. ok I know..I sound like the typical Italian who travels to a different country and brings her food with her, ITS TRUE !! I know it sounds pathetic and I know I can easily find lots of good Italian stuff in London…but I know I will exactly do the same this time. ONE because last time people that came LOVED the taste of this amazing cheese and TWO because it really is so good. Any way this time, in November I will fly with the British Airways , the national airline, so keep fingers crossed they will not notice my stinky cheese hidden in the suitcase!
So for now a big hug to all of you and if you like to keep up to date on how things are going on the trip once I am there, you can follow me and my stinky cheese through my social network.
 "Squashing down the grapes to make more room" “They came , they saw , but they very nearly didn’t conquer”.”Never in a field of grapes have so many been picked by so few”.
Is it just me or do these comments , continuaslly made by Nick over the last few days sound familiar. In any case they are certainly true. 40 quintali (4 tons) of grapes, picked from the vine , put into buckets , dragged up a muddy field , to be dumped into a massive container .
Unfortunately , a lot of people who had hoped to come couldn’t make it .This left us with more grapes than even the regulars had seen before and less people to do the harvesting.
Mamma mia ! No easy job , but our team of pickers threw them selves into this Herculean task with out complaint.
As the morning slowely passed , our goal seemed to be un obtainable. Luckily , just before lunch a group of friends and family from Rome arrived to help with the final effort to finish. As Nick said “better late than never”.
After all the work was done we managed to sit down to a relaxing late lunch . Old and new friends introduced themselves and swapped stories. It was at this point that I looked around and realized , why I love the vendemmia. Peoples generosity and willingness to get stuck in and help out , never ceases to amaze me.
THANK YOU ALL for your hard work . I promise next year , Nick will be walking around saying ” never have so few been picked by so many”.
Roll up , roll up ! This must be your lucky day, no need to be pushing and shoving there’s plenty of room for everyone. Just when you were starting to feel miserable about the summer coming to an end, we are here to brighten your day. Yes , that’s right , it’s time for our annual great grape harvest . THE VENDEMMIA !!
 All pictures by Sagraincasa
Now it would appear that people just can`t get enough of grape picking . In fact an article in The Week Magazine claims that multimillionaire singer Sting is charging £208 for you to pick the grapes on his Tuscan wine estate . Can you believe it ! and we let you do it for free . And not only that , we feed you and serve gallons of cheap wine just to keep you going !
”They must be mad ” I can hear you saying, and maybe we are but don`t let that put you off. Book your scissors now and come and join us and enjoy yourself on Saturday the 20th of September at this truly Italian experience in these beautiful hills of Umbria.
Joking apart , your help and participation would be greatly appreciated by both Nick and myself at this busy time of year.
Looking forward to seeing you.
 Bruschetta tomatoes and mozzarella cheese
We are experiencing a bit of a culture shock here In Umbria at the moment in the last 23 days we have only had about 3 days of sunshine. In fact the whole of July has been an incredibly wet month, even as I write it’s raining outside ! I am beginning to wonder if summer will ever arrive and perhaps we should bring some of our many still green hard tomatoes indoors and put them in brown paper bags to ripen in the kitchen ( Nick says his mum told him this )
However, in this wet and grey environment we have been touched by a much welcomed unexpected ray of sunshine and invited by some friends to join them for a few days break on the island of Ponza. Two nights on an island we have never been to before , sunshine (?), sea, a chance to catch up with good friends and definitely good food and wine … how could we say no?
We closed the shutters, organized the feeding of the animals, watered the garden (just in case during the next few days a shy summer sun should look in on Umbria), filled our backpacks and we were ready to go. Destination THE ISLAND OF PONZA. A pleasant ride on the ferry for an hour and a half and our destination was in front of us looking absolutely beautiful.
Our friend Dylan was waiting for us when we got off the ferry in the pretty little port, loaded with plenty of shopping bags filled with food and wine for dinner, he looked relaxed and tanned. A lovely promising welcome to the holiday.
We quickly popped into the local fish shop and bought some fresh swordfish, then straight from there we boarded a small taxi boat. The house they had rented was on the other side of the harbor, perched on the mountain. Dylan explained to us that the quickest way to get to the house was to cross the lagoon by boat , then from the beach walk about 15 minutes up the hill. `We are a bit isolated but the place is in a amazing spot`, he kept assuring us. So there we were surrounded by a crystal clear sea, with a backpack, chardonnay wine, sword fish and vegetables for dinner. What can I say…. so far so good !
 Seems that it's not only Nick who forgets to put the hand brake on ! 
The house was fantastic, a small sweet white house built inside the rocks with a huge outdoor space and just amazing views.
In spite of our friends kind offer of a bed inside the house, Nick and I couldn`t wait to set up our belongings outside in the open space on the terrace. A hammock and a camp bed, the smell of the sea and the stars. Fantastico !
Unfortunately, the reality is not always as romantic as you expect: with lots and lots of mosquitoes, rain at night and waking up early in the morning, but we loved it anyway.
 Nick and My self picture by Alice Dunhill The second day, unfortunately the rain and the grey skies followed us from Umbria. But luckily for us on that side of the island there was an adorable restaurant which only opened for lunches. The owners gave us such a warm welcome and served a simple beautiful menu , all homemade with high quality ingredients . We ordered a selection of appetizers and even homemade wine. I loved every dish but for me the delicious bruschetta made with red juicy ripe fresh tomatoes, high quality oil, basil and mozzarella.…MAMMA MIA it was so GOOD ! Simplicity most of the time is the king of the most delicious dishes.
Even the sun decide to came back in the afternoon, so we were able to spend time in the fantastic
sea and have a second night under the stars to bring our beautiful little vacation to an end. Thank you again to Alice , Dylan , Olivia and Juliet for inviting us and making it possible, we loved it.
Now here we are back in Umbria and the rain still continues to fall in this years strange month of July. IT MUST STOP SOON !!! So , trying to feel in a more summery frame of mind , Nick and I decided to eat a good fresh summery bruschetta. This time using some of our own tomatoes (which by some miracle had managed to ripen without the brown paper bag ) and our own extra virgin olive oil , perhaps not such a good idea to sleep outside yet, but who knows, summer must arrive in Umbria one day …… and sooner or later the stars will begin to shine again.
 Spaghetti cooked in tomato water with shrimp and parsley sauce
Yet another month has gone by since my last update on my online diary .
To maintain a technological life, isn’t always easy! Yes, to link onto the social networks, download my instanphotos and add a few words about my dishes, that is the easy part … but, to be honest I like to be able to do more then that and pass on to you things that happen here ( small or big ) so that you can get the feel of what it is like living in the hills of Umbria, hopefully without talking to much rubbish.
So with no pressure then, I will get started and hope that you readers out there will enjoy sharing my little story :
Thankfully Nick and I have both been very busy since my last entry.The many many people who have passed thro my kitchen this month, and many other people, who I have had the pleasure of catering for , have given me great feedback about my food , so for ALL of this I am truly grateful and really happy. But also one of the most pleasing experiences that has come from all of this has been the great interest and enthusiasm shown about our vegetable garden, and as our policy is “the gate is open please come and PICK just PICK “ to be able to share this abundance of produce was wonderful.
Each May Nick and I give a lot of time and energy to the preparation of the vegetable garden, we have learned over the years how important this is, and when we see the plants starting to grow, well it`s a good feeling of achievement and what could be better then being able to pick and bring fresh ingredients into your kitchen and make a beautiful meal. This is what this past month has been all about, the FUN of picking FRESH ingredients and serving up YUMMY food.
So as part of the cooking class, boys girls and adults who all came from a variety of different countries, were out there picking planty of zucchini, looking for a red chili, trying to recognize ( or not )a climbing plant of green beans and so much more , it was a fantastic experience for me. Some had no idea of what an eggplant looked like let alone where or how it grows, and then a lot of people knew every possible variety of plant …. I learned many things from them and they learned some from me too .. I tell you what …we could have spent hours talking about vegetables , variety, soil and of course recipes!!
While all this activity was going on, with Hilda the goat in the next field keeping an amused curious eye on us, we were also having a bit of a “domestic “ One of our chickens had been very broody so instead of having some good strong Polish chickens from our helpful neighbour we decided to pin all our hopes under the warm bum of one of our own chickens. A tough survivor (remember the evil weasel story ) and very broody……………. 21 days is all she`ll need, they said, so we waited imagining lots of little chicks running around and plenty of fresh eggs for my future cooking.
Well, we waited and waited in fact we waited for over 30 days and then our super broody hen decided to get out from her basket and change her position for a better and more relaxing spot ! So, do you want to know what was under her big bottom ?? NIENTE !! NOTHING! Nessuno , nobody, a bloody empty basket, would you believe it.
Back to square one, here we are again planning how many and when to go and pick up the new polish ladies , I tell you what , the cockerel is definitely strutting his stuff with more energy, he must of overheard about the plan changing
Anyway ,when I told the local experts about our little drama at the farm, I was told that hens can suffer from hysterical pregnancy, exactly like humans, MAMMA MIA, I tell you what, in life, you never stop learning!
At the moment the days are a bit more peaceful here in the country so Nick and I decided to enjoy our small corner of paradise,and take a few nice walks . As you can see from the photographs this area it’s a beautiful spot of Italy and I must say we are very lucky and happy to be living here.
 Trevinano Village  Radicofani 
While talking about happiness, few days ago, Nick and I celebrated our seventeenth wedding anniversary , we had a great evening at home with bubbles and a yummy fish BBQ cooked by Nick. I love BBQ especially when Nick’s does it !
 Sagraincasa house So, here I am at the end of my little Umbrian story, I hope you enjoyed reading it and I wish you all a fantastic July with plenty of good things to eat and drink.
And don`t forget if you are planning to have in your holiday in Umbria, you are always welcome to pop in my vegetable garden and then in the Sagraincasa kitchen for some action cooking. Ciao e a presto, speak soon.
 Lemoncello Pannacotta served with a lemon Sorbet top ,crunchy pistachio and white chocolate .
Already we`re coming to the end of May and even though Nick and I live in the quiet peaceful rolling hills situated in a corner of Umbria near Orvieto we have had a hectic time this month both work wise and also socially which involved meeting up with lots of really warm friendly people.
Our vegetable garden is prepared and ready for full production. 60 tomato plants are in, beautiful and ready to grow. Zucchini, eggplant , green beans, you name it we`ve planted it. There have been a few of the usual problems with the salad planting caused by the damn snails thinking its party time and seeing fit to start eating it before we do. But never mind there is always plenty of food here for everyone , and anyway those snails could end up in a good sauce one day , so I’m happy to know they`ve eaten well and healthily !
Also this month, through my work, I have had the pleasure of meeting many lovely people who also share my passion for good food . As far as I am concerned if people are interested in learning new things about or just eating good food … what can go wrong in any language ?
But the big news , of which I feel very proud ,is, after a span of four years we have decided to give this small family business blog Sagraincasa a new modern facelift … how can I say…we just want to look a bit ‘ more professional ` a bit more `grown up ` So with the great help of a London design artist and using some beautiful photographs taken by Nick of the area over the years , we have created a new website for SAGRAINCASA , ok mine is clearly a personal opinion , but believe me It is BEAUTIFUL, I love it!
There are three things that I particularly like that you will find on the new site, the first and most important one is that after years of appreciation regarding Nick’s photographic skills , he has finally decided to teach and share his knowledge ( acquired over many years as a press photographer )and passion with anyone who is interested in photography. You can find all the info on the new website ( I feel very grownup adding this )
The second is that from now, it will be possible to take a look at what is happening daily (well almost) in my kitchen. You can do this just by clicking a page within the site ( Social Media) and even those who do not like to be part of the social network like FB or Intagram etc etc etc can have easy access . So I think this is pretty cool !
And the third is the THE COUNTRY WEDDING….but I`m not going to say anymore so please click on the link and have a look yourself at our exciting new ideas.
 www.sagraincasa.com So a short summary for this month, is that even though we love the country life, we have , at the same time, made a leap into the future. Also during this time so many people from different parts of the world have passed by and shared with us their stories and experiences. All in all not a bad month for a couple who live in the middle of nowhere!
 Sagra in Casa farmhouse in Umbria  Sagra in Casa farmhouse, Umbria
But now after all these deep and meaningful thoughts, it is better I come back to reality and go and check how many salads we have left in the vegetable garden , because yes while I do not mind being generous and sharing with the snails Mamma Mia there is a limit !!!!!!!!
 Black and white Risotto, using squid ink and a 24 month matured parmesan cheese for a creamy risotto served with calamari and a crispy parmesan waffle.
I would say most people ( understandably) assume that living in these fantastic hills of Umbria we are woken each morning by a beautiful dawn chorus, well at this time of year nothing could be further from the truth. It starts off not too bad ( maybe a bit raucous ) with our mad rooster giving his all at full volume but instead of the hills coming alive with the sound of bird music we are surrounded by the noise of machinery signalling the start of a long days work for the farmers.. Tractors, grass cutters strimmers (very popular at the moment ) in fact all manner of motors are being driven , wielded , pushed and dragged all in preparation of the soil for sowing seeds ,planting crops,vegetable gardens ,flower beds, vineyards
But this year my personal workload in the great plan of things is to focus only on the fun parts, planting seeds ,doing light tasks, and of course being in charge of the kitchen.. I know we are in 2014 and women are completely equal and as strong as men, but quite honestly this archaic concept of the man being the hunter and the little woman at home in the kitchen …. at this time …really appeals to me.. This could be of course because I`ve noticed over the last couple of weeks with this new arrangement my back and neck have not been so sore. Also Nick started to get worried when I priced up enough cement to concrete over our lush ever growing green green grass.Ok I `m only joking , but it really is never ending physical hard work making a living in the countryside and I can understand why all the farmers seem to have a curved back” the land is low” as they say.
Anyway that is why it is very important to escape from time to time, which we do , and just walk and look around and appreciate how beautiful mother nature is naturally Not only are we completely surrounded by all this spectacular Umbrian countryside we don`t even have to work at it, not even cut the grass. I LOVE IT
 
Then when we get back home Hilda the goat is still busy feeding, the chickens are happily pecking around and the rooster is still singing his heart out, so nothing changes. I cook a nice Risotto ,we open a bottle of wine and we sit under the porch having had an amazing afternoon with a great ending. And just let me say that at that stage we revert back to modern times just long enough for Nick to do the washing up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 Sagra in Casa House  
I wish you all a great week end and see you for the next story about my countrylife in Umbria.
Ciao e un abbraccio a tutti.
 Scamorza cheese and grilled cherry tomato
During a recent cooking class in the Sagraincasa kitchen , Nick had the great idea to film the lesson instead of taking pictures. This is a new experiment and we hope that you will enjoy it.
 Hummus and Baccalà
Last Sunday I woke up with a really good happy feeling it was going to be one of those special days.When I opened the shutters at the kitchen window the sun was warm and beautiful , Hilda the goat was happy to see me ( it meant it was time for her breakfast ) and the cockerel crowed and strutted around showing off for his three chickens who were very excited to hear his beautiful song .
And so I sat in the garden with them enjoying a large cup of black coffee and going over in my mind all the plans I had made for the exciting busy day ahead of me.
I had previously been asked to hold a cooking class that afternoon in the professional and beautiful kitchen of the Palazzo del Gusto in Orvieto.
Even after planning every single detail for this class over the last couple of weeks, to be honest, the more I thought about it as the day went on I became more and more panicky that something could go wrong…well you never know right? You could forget something in the oven or you could have a cup in your hand thinking its salt and instead its sugar…. stupid I know especially when I would have a great team working with me, my three young talented assistants Caterina, Erica and Adrian .
So after loading my car with my necessary equipment, I drove out to Orvieto and met up with my trusted helpers.We were ready and full of energy.
With not only four different dishes to teach I also wanted at the same time to try and pass on my passion and experience with food to about 40 people ..Mama Mia I have NEVER had so many people in front of me watching my every move !!! In fact I was really shocked when I heard the number of reservations that had been made for the course .. .. so please, before I go any further,I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone for the great turnout GRAZIE WITH ALL MY HEART
After a brief introduction about myself ( my voice was a little ‘ shaky `with emotion,) the lesson began.
Different people, all different ages , some from Orvieto , others from Rome ,a group of Americans, and a beautiful French girl .. ,they were all there ready to actively participate . Seeing people enjoy this cooking experience , getting to know each other and sharing a lovely Sunday afternoon was WONDERFUL to see . Thank you all again for the warm participation , the hard work of my wonderful assistants and a special thank you to my husband Nick Cornish for not only taking the photos during the class .. but above all for his support and encouragement.
The event was brought to an end with a tasting of all the food made during the class accompanied by two fantastic wines produced in the picturesque wine region of Orvieto, located within the Etruscan caves beneath the Monastery of St. John. Definitely a place to visit when you are on holiday in Orvieto !
Any way so now with the summer days around the corner the next stories will be back to what is going on in the Umbrian Countryside and in the Sagraincasa kitchen. Hope you enjoy .
Ciao
 Spaghetti cacio&pepe with a crispy egg yolk
Remember my last story when I got really carried away about the spring sunshine that was shining, the happy birds that were singing , no more fires to be lit indoors etc etc etc well forget it ,unfortunately I’m still having to plod around filling the wheelbarrow with wood for both the house fires dressed in not the most flattering warm woolly clothes. In short spring has decided not to arrive in all her full glory just yet even though we are surrounded by countryside drenched in the most beautiful intense colors .
Not only that but someone who was not at all welcome came to visit a few days ago..it was a horrible creature called a Weasel . A long and thin animal capable of breaking the neck and then sucking the blood of our two beloved chickens. These two unfortunate chickens had in the past had some love problems with our rooster so Nick had to separate them from him , because they were continually being attacked by the big boy . Slowly in their new house the two girls had grown back their feathers (without having to wear the vests Nicks mum had knitted for them ) and also began to lay eggs once again, so I can honestly say they were healthy and happy. I can also honestly say I ABSOLUTELY HATE THE Weasel !
However as a result of this tragedy in this small corner of our Umbrian country, a friend of ours has offered to give us a couple of new hens. These hens are Polish , they are strong and not afraid of the cold, have a strange haircut and they lay green eggs!!!!! ! How could we refuse such a generous offer ? So we decided to say SI, and in a couple of weeks the Polish hens will move in with the rowdy rooster , three very chatty italian hens (who can stand their ground with the bully boy ) and Hilda the cheeky goat.
So we decided to say SI, and in a couple of weeks the Polish hens will move in with the rowdy rooster , three very chatty italian hens (who can stand their ground with the bully boy ) and Hilda the cheeky goat.
In spite of this sad happening life goes on and a fantastic and fun cooking class took place in the Sagraincasa kitchen yesterday.
11 American students all full of enthusiasm to learn, cook and expecially eat Italian food. After the class, regardless of the weather they decided they wanted to enjoy their lunch under the porch in the garden. “We have heard so much about this porch and the beautiful views from it “ they said “ so we really don`t care if we need to wear our coats while we eat Simona, anyway isn`t it spring now ?” they said.
What could I say, they were right we should enjoy any flower and any sunbeam when we possibly can and go outside and give a welcome to this shy spring.
By the way do not forget that I will be at the Palazzo del Gusto in Orvieto this Sunday for a new cooking course all about Finger Food …so if you fancy it i hope you will join us.
 Pigeon and pancetta risotto
After 14 years of living in the Umbrian countryside, I still feel so happy and blessed that we were able to settle and make our home here. Yes I am a Roman and Nick a Londoner ..so we both come from pretty nice, busy towns but, in my opinion,you have to go a long way to beat the beauty of living in the country, to have the ability to hear, see and smell day after day the changes of seasons on your own doorstep. At this time of year we have green meadows covered in daisies, trees in bloom and the birds singing happily in the morning glad the freezing days are over (well almost). This is the time I love the most! Spring is here and I feel really positive and full of energy.
Unfortunately you only need to go for a coffee in the village to hear the voices of doom because, here in our corner of Umbria, in the past we have had snow and frost even during the month of April and so the elderly locals do love to spend the time of day remembering these disastrous events that have ruined the olive plantations, vineyards etc etc. Yes of course we MUST not forget ,but for the moment I prefer to plan the planting of new basil seeds, parsley,herbs ,vegetables, salads, fruits and anything else I can think of, and hope that over the next few months filling two wheelbarrows full of wood for the fires indoors will no longer be part of my daily chores!
Anyway a week ago while in my super positive mood, I suggested to the Palazzo del Gusto (the Palace of Teste) and to my friend Graziella from the Enoteca Regionale in Orvieto ( the Regional Wine Cellar in Orvieto ) that a fun and tasty cooking class followed by a wine tasting in the beautiful Palazzo del Gusto in Orvieto was just what was needed. Why not have an Aperitif cooking class all about finger food followed by sampling some of our wonderful local wines ??, “Why not indeed “ they said “ its Spring, lets do it “ So here it is, on the 30th of March, on a Sunday afternoon, an event will open for everyone in the area .The cooking class will be in Italian but don`t be put off, I will be more than happy to explain in English what’s happening and help you out with the crazy lovely Italian people, we may bark but we don`t bite xxxxx
So, for now a big hug to everyone and if you feel like joining us on the 30th send me an email or contact Graziella’s mobile, she will book you in and put an apron aside for you !
Check out the Flyer for all the info…..of course it is all in Italian, but if you are in for it, i can give you all the info by email.
 Myself in London , picture by Alice Dunhill
February 14th I excitedly packed my suitcase with just a few clothes leaving plenty of room for lots of Italian goodies such as Parmesan and Pecorino cheese, Smoked Pancetta, super local Extra Virgin Olive Oil cold press from my Umbrian green hills and headed for the airport .I was off to start my London adventure, a two week cooking workshop all about Italian cuisine .My first worry was about being stopped at the airport with all these delicacies and my second was that I would be walking around London with my clothes smelling of parmesan etc.etc. I think I am right in saying it would not have been very pleasant to say the least !!!!!!!!!
Fortunately everything went well and so the London experience got off to a good start.
This continued because as soon as I walked into Lorna`s wonderful kitchen I knew this was the perfect location for our cooking workshop.. Bright and full of character ,expertly equipped, I felt at home straight away.
 Lorna and myself in the London kitchen, picture by Alice Dunhill
The next day we set off with a shopping list and did a thorough search for the best products to be used during the courses. I have to say I was really very impressed with the variety of ingredients that you can find in London and the quality and prices are not so different from here in Italy.
The two weeks flew by , every day I met some wonderful people , all keen and happy to learn about Italian cuisine .They all loved the simple Italian philosophy of using just a few but good quality ingredients ..
Lorna and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing our hospitality and professionalism with all the people who joined in our workshops .To share with them all the good food made during the classes accompanied by good Italian wine was a lovely relaxing way to end each day.
Here are some photos I took with my phone . I apologize for the non- professionalism of these photos , but Nick Cornish the official photographer of Sagraincasa was not with me in London (somebody had to feed Hilda the goat and the chickens )so I did the best I could and hope you will enjoy seeing how it all progressed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
All the positive feedback we received really touched my heart , so many wonderful kind words and compliments came via email day after day. In fact it was so successful we decided to repeat this experience next November and already have people asking to book , no matter what `s going to be cooked and even though an exact date hasn`t yet been decided , they just want to be on the waiting list!HOW AMAZING IS THAT???????
It was a wonderful experience for me and what makes me even happier is it’s the start of a FANTASTIC collaboration with my friend Lorna. Working with her was both a pleasure and an honer.
Clearly I was not locked in the kitchen everyday for two weeks , in fact I did manage to do some ‘personal shopping in my favorite stores too. Unfortunately when I realized that in a single day off I managed to buy 5 beautiful summer dresses, I had to admit it would be less dangerous for me to stay in the kitchen and perhaps just go for a run in the park if there was some free time!!!!! an option Nick totally agreed with. However he was very proud of all my hard work and the outcome of this new venture and some wonderful flowers were waiting for me in the house along with an excellent Prosecco to start the evening and a lovely dinner while the fire crackled in the fireplace .Home sweet home .
 Cooking Class 100% HANDS IN
Yesterday morning looking from my farm house in Allerona , Umbria you couldn’t`t see the end of your nose let alone the surrounding countryside! In fact the fog was so thick and eerie it seemed like I was on a different planet, I was even a bit scared to leave the house.
But being a country girl I decided to brave the elements ( but only because I had to find my car ). I knew it was near the vineyard, but where? ..Anyway in the end I found it by walking into it which was fortunate because I had to drive to Orvieto to collect a group of American students from the Study Abroad School of Arizona based in Orvieto. After filling both mine and a second car with 11 students we drove back to my country home” in the middle of nowhere” ( and this time this expression was VERY appropriate ). But inside the fire in the kitchen was on and the house was warm and cozy,and everything was ready to start a new cooking class. Among the students there was also one of the professors , I had the pleasure to meet him last summer during another of my cooking sessions , he loves Italian food and he was overjoyed to be able to join the group and follow a new lesson in my house.
The menu consisted of Appetizer:
Savoury Sesame Croissants stuffed with Mortadella , as well as a vegetarian version using sun dried tomatoes , black olives, basil and cheese
Main Dish:
Handmade fresh Tagliatelle served with a rich and tasty tomato sauce, sausage and mushrooms
Dessert:
Torta caprese, a gluten free cake made with dark 75% chocolate and crunchy almonds
The group was very enthusiastic , they ploughed into preparing the dough then rolled it and made their Tagliatelle. They learned why every sauce requires a different type of pasta and also some of the secrets of cooking a truly Italian meal .
Yet again it was a most enjoyable experience not just for me but also, from their reactions , for the student too. In fact one of the girls in the group was also celebrating her birthday and she was thrilled to have the opportunity to share an unforgettable day cooking and of course eating well , birthday cake included! surrounded by friends, beautiful green hills, olive trees, a noisy goat and clucking chickens. Even the fog had obliged and cleared
So now the days are ticking by and it won`t be long before I fly to London, the Italian cooking Workshop will begin February 17th .The themes of the classes will be; Italian Family Classic, Hand Made Pasta, The Building Blocks of Italian Food and last but not least Appetizers , Italian finger food to enjoy with a glass of wine .For those of you who have an interest in Italian food, it would be a pleasure and an honor to meet you in Wandsworth and share my professional knowledge and a few of my grandmothers tips .Here is the link for more information and booking.
Ciao and I wish a good week to all of you.
 Spaghetti alle vongole Yesterday morning I was woken up very early with a cup of fantastic dark coffee and a wonderful gift next to my pillow .There were two reasons for this, first it was very early because I had a busy and exciting day ahead of me and the second reason IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY. So here I am, a year older and I hope wiser, I definitely have a few more wrinkles but I also do have the good fortune to have a great husband, good health and am able to do a job that I love.
The feel good feeling was further boosted when I received an email from my friend Lorna , saying that there appears to be a lot of interest and enthusiasm for the Italian cooking workshop I am presenting in London in two weeks time ,and bookings are going very well. What can I say ? the day could not have started better
So to continue, I just had to prepare a couple of things in my kitchen to take to my morning class of 20 American students from the Kansas school which is based in Orvieto, who all wanted to take part in a gastronomic Italian experience. After meeting my trusted assistant Caterina we headed up the mountain to the Orvieto market place to meet the students and present each one of them with a shopping list I had written——— in Italian !!!!!!!!! I thought they looked very courageous as they set off frowning and staring down at their bits of paper .
When this was completed we walked thru the old narrow streets of this beautiful, unbelievable medieval town to reach the Etruscan Cellars ,the location for our cooking lesson.
 Caterina and myself The theme of this lesson was to be Umbrian products protected and recognized by the Slow Food Association , and how to cook one of the most historical ingredients such as Spelt, first used by the Etruscans and later on in Roman times .
There certainly followed plenty of activity in this ancient site ,from energetic chopping, careful cooking to endless tastings .
The morning class flew by and was such a lot of fun. After the lesson the students were able to enjoy the results of their labor and also sample some of the local wines. Graziella , as an expert Sommelier taught them the basic techniques for wine tasting . At the end of the day both Graziella and I both enjoyed a great feedback with the American teachers very enthusiastic about all the food and wine experience.
For making all this possible I must thank the Cooperative ITINERA for asking for my culinary collaboration for these amazing events over the last few years. It has been both an honour and a pleasure to be involved. Grazie.
But now back to the birthday girl , to finish off the day I changed from my work outfit to a nice ( and sexy) evening dress , a pair of high heel shoes and a little makeup, Nick wore his best shirt and his favorite jeans and we were ready to party ! We lit a couple of candles , the fireplace in the kitchen was crackling and some gentle background music played.
Crispy fried fish as a aperitif served with cold and extra dry Prosecco and Spaghetti with clams (check for recipe and pics) followed as a main dish . A tasty and simple romantic dinner for two
I MUST SAY..Life is not too bad when you turn 42 !!!!!
|
|
No olives, no harvest, no party...BUT..
Homemade ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and Saronno amaretti biscuits, served with butter and sage sauce
It’s November and normally we are preparing for our annual olive harvest . Some friends have already sent emails asking to join us and the students from the University of Arizona in Orvieto say they are full of energy, happy and ready to help out.
Pictures of our Olive trees
First of all let me say : GRAZIE, thank you all for your kindness, but unfortunately for the first time in the14 years we have lived in Umbria, we do not have any olives to harvest ! And the reason for this is very simple, RAIN lots of it all through the summer. The few olives that are on the trees are not good or have already fallen to the ground … in short, a real tragedy.
Allerona village with olive trees
Allerona village from our olive grove
Other farmers in the area of Umbria and Tuscany are all having the same problem. This very wet summer has caused a lot of damage which started with the local grape growing (reduced by one third for many farmers) and now the olives.
View of olive trees and sheep from our garden
Sadly there will be a very little production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Central Italy this year.
So I’m sorry to have to say no olives, no harvest, no party.
This does, however, give me the opportunity to have few days to relax before my London trip.
Bookings are continuing to come in and I’m super happy about that.
Of course I’m talking about the ‘Italian Cooking Workshop’ that I will run for the second year with my friend Lorna. So London check it out !! Starting November 13th to 26th . This our sweet presentation video.
I will be there ready and happy to cook with those who have an interest and would love to get to know the REAL Italian cuisine. The location will be the same, Lorna’s beautiful kitchen, the TWO NEW MENUS will include Pappardelle with a rich game sauce, Homemade ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and Saronno amaretti biscuits plus Cantucci biscuits ……..but anyway.. maybe it’s better that you look directly at the menus, but I am warning you , be ready to have your mouths watering!
Italian Cooking Workshop London
Booking is easy, so I hope it will be a good opportunity to get to know some of you UK readers.
When I arrived in England last year I had with me lots of goodies from Italy, smoked pancetta, pecorino cheese.. ok I know..I sound like the typical Italian who travels to a different country and brings her food with her, ITS TRUE !! I know it sounds pathetic and I know I can easily find lots of good Italian stuff in London…but I know I will exactly do the same this time. ONE because last time people that came LOVED the taste of this amazing cheese and TWO because it really is so good. Any way this time, in November I will fly with the British Airways , the national airline, so keep fingers crossed they will not notice my stinky cheese hidden in the suitcase!
So for now a big hug to all of you and if you like to keep up to date on how things are going on the trip once I am there, you can follow me and my stinky cheese through my social network.