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Hometown
A Liberty Suburban Chicago Newspaper,
April 2002 Travel Section:
Tuscany's rustic beauty
is food for the soul
by Judy Hostert-Cassidy
It is a meal I shall never forget. Sitting
on the sunny grounds of a centuries-old Italian estate eating a lunch of
a delicate fritata (omelet) on a bed of greens drizzled with a dijon
mustard vinaigrette, followed by a creamy radicchio risotto served with
a fruity yet crisp white table wine.
The table, covered with a yellow and blue
tablecloth and white and blue dishes, was set up under the chestnut tree
surrounded by huge, terra cotta pots filled with red hydrangea flowers
that looked as if they had been painted in water colors.
As I sipped my wine, I absorbed the scene on
this mild autumn day. The sunshine, the blue sky, the rustic food and
wine, the olive trees and the deep red and yellow exteriors on the
villas on the estate made my senses come alive. I was at once utterly
relaxed and yet in a heightened state of awareness. This was everything
I had ever heard and read about Tuscany and it surpassed my imaginative
imagination.
I spent eight days in this famed region of
central Italy during October 2001, argued by many locals to be the best
time of year to visit as temperatures stay around 70 to 75 during the
day. I was fortunate to attend the Toscana Saporita cooking school,
which teaches authentic cooking of the Tuscan region. ... Each day, it
was a quick walk down the flight of stairs at 8:30 a.m. to start the day
with a traditional continental breakfast featuring fruit and
fresh-baked, melt-in-your-mouth pastries from a local bakery, washed
down with espresso coffee (milk provided to cut it if you wished) and
fresh juice. There was even fresh cheese pizza for breakfast.
Our classes were scheduled each morning from
9 a.m. to approximately noon and on most days we went about 30 minutes
past that....Students ranged from those who had previously taken some
gourmet courses to beginners in the kitchen. Most were like me - people
who enjoy cooking and making good meals for family and friends and are
always looking to learn more.
The instructors created a fun, casual
atmosphere and encouraged questions and discussion. We learned by doing
as we prepared the dishes that we would be eating for lunch that day. We
often also helped with part of the dinner menu the chefs would cook for
us each evening....A closeness among the students developed as the week
went on. It's easy to bond with the person next to you when your hands
are sticky from pizza dough and flour or you're up to your elbows in
tomatoes as you squish them into a big bowl. Tuscan cooking is
definitely hands-on and we felt like a big family as we worked hard
together in preparing our meals. I have a new appreciation for the
talents and dedication of professional chefs. With the exception of
breakfast, we shared all of our meals together, enthusiastically talking
about the class. These chefs were hardly the stuffy or the secretive
types. They were free with ideas and tips, even giving us each a custom
cookbook at the week's end with recipes of everything we cooked in the
class and then some.
Our afternoons were spent on guided tours to
various towns in the region. By staying away from the more prominent
tourist spots, we were able to see the real Tuscany. We visited Lerici,
an ancient, hilly coastal town along an inlet of the Mediterranean Sea.
It was a favorite place of the English Romantic poets Byron and Shelly
as several hotels and shops bear their name. A 12th Century castle sits
high on a hill overlooking the bay. Small sail and fishing boats crowded
along the waterfront, which served as a real gathering place for the
locals. Families and couples, young and old, strolled along the walkway
or relaxed on a park bench with some cappuccino or ice cream while
leisurely talking over their day as the sun set in splashes of golds,
pinks and purples. I keep that image in my memory bank to pull up on
those days when the office life gets too stressful.
We followed up the next day by visiting the
town of Lucca, a real contrast to Lerici. Lucca is a flat, inland town
where the cathedral square is the center point. Lucca offered more
sophisticated shopping opportunities featuring pottery and glasswork by
regional artisans and designer clothing. If you were hungry, you could
certainly get your fill at the delis that were found along Medieval
cobblestone streets. These were the real deal as my nose was overwhelmed
by the pungent, flavorful smells of the local cheeses, antipastos and
meats. And, of course, there was the ever present selection of local
wines. ...
Our week culminated in the commencement
dinner and ceremony on our last night. Every student was crowned by
another student and received a diploma, signed by the countess of the
estate, and our school cookbook. It had the feel of a real graduation
night, as we passed around our cookbooks for others to sign, writing
down notes reminiscent of those found in our own high school
yearbooks....
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