Rome: Centuries in an Italian Kitchen is the most recent offering from the husband and wife team of Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi. I can't resist beautiful cookbooks that explore the history and culture of a locale through food. Rome includes both modern and traditional recipes inspired by Romans from all walks of life. A vibrant combination of travel, photography, food and a country that I love. They also have cookbooks showcasing Venice and The Amalfi Coast as well as award-winning The Italian Cookery Course.
If you're like me and prefer to let the experts do the cooking, you can visit Caffé Caldesi Bar & Restaurant in Marylebone. This time, however, I was eager to do some of the cooking myself. I was especially looking forward to the Italian feast at the end of class.
I was registered for a weeknight class called "30 Minute Italian Meals." Perfect for someone like me that appreciates quick and easy recipes. We had an ambitious list of 12 recipes to prepare during the 4 hour class. This really was going to be some feast.
There were 10 of us in the class with various levels of cooking expertise. We were each greeted warmly and instructed where to hide our coats and bags. We made that awkward chit chat that you do in a room full of strangers. A white Caldesi apron was given to each of us so that we at least looked the part.
All of the freshest ingredients were laid out for us. It's a lovely spacious kitchen with all of the modern conveniences. Someday I'll have a kitchen like this. Although then I won't have an excuse for not cooking lavish meals every day. Sharp knives and pristine cutting boards awaited us.
Our chef/teacher was Stefano Borella and I trusted him from the get go. He had a relaxed and casual style. His instructions were clear and confident. He was full of patience with his reluctant students. The kitchen was quickly buzzing with activity. Obviously with 12 recipes to get through we wouldn't each be cooking all of the dishes. This was a group effort.
We started by prepping everything, cleaning and chopping all of the fresh vegetables, preparing the herbs, slicing the bread and cutting up the chicken and fish. They source the best ingredients locally.
I got to work on the mushrooms. To be honest, I don't eat mushrooms. It's a texture thing. But by process of elimination I was in charge of the Bruschetta con funghi trifolati alla Giancarlo. I cleaned and chopped the trio of mushrooms. When I was done, I found some other way to contribute and get involved in the prep. Peeling these chunky, roasted peppers was especially satisfying.
After the prep work, it was time to start cooking. By this time everyone was settled into a casual rhythm. Stefano orchestrated everything like a conductor. He knew where every dish was in the progression and what needed to happen next. He made sure that everyone felt included and had something to do. No wallflowers here.
The first thing that we tasted was the bruschetta with mushroom. They were cooked down and then a few magic ingredients were added to the pan. The bruschetta was rubbed with garlic, toasted and lathered in olive oil. After all of the effort I put into the dish, I had to put away my harsh feelings about mushrooms and taste it. Not only did I taste it but I enjoyed it. I'm slowly changing my mind about mushrooms.
Things started progressing quickly at this point with dish after dish reaching completion. After the bruschetta we sampled the Sugo Finto which is a vegetarian ragu that can work as a soup or a sauce. We started loading up the dining table for our feast.
We used a lot of the same ingredients over and over, tangy capers, golden olive oil, vibrant tomatos, and pungent garlic. Here's the rest of the dishes that we cooked: a frittata with ricotta and parmesan, a warm farro salad with bacon and leek, pesto, puttanesca, seabream with salsa verde, chicken with peppers, salmon with a honey and pistacchio crust, Nonna's potatoes, kale chips with chili and garlic and lemon cake.
Sitting down together to eat with my new friends was a delight. We were so excited and proud of all that we had accomplished in one evening. As we clinked glass of wine over this beautiful food, I did not want the evening to end. All of the food was wonderful, but there were several stand outs. The salsa verde sauce that we made for the fish dish took minutes but oh the flavors! It was a beautiful thing. The kale chips were incredibly moreish. I really need to make these at home.
This was a great way to spend an evening. They are rated as one of the best cookery schools in London and offer a really interesting variety of courses. They range from £40 for a basic class to £160 for a workshop. Several of the participants were using gift certificates and this would make a great gift to tuck into a little market basket for that foodie in your life. The Rome cookbook is £25 and is available on their website.
Have you ever taken a cooking class?
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*I received a complimentary course from La Cucina Caldesi for the purposes of review, as well as a copy of Rome: Centuries in an Italian Kitchen.
All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
You can find this review and many others in my
London Attraction Guide.
*I received a complimentary course from La Cucina Caldesi for the purposes of review, as well as a copy of Rome: Centuries in an Italian Kitchen.
All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
You can find this review and many others in my
London Attraction Guide.
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