About the Italian Cooking Walk in Rome
Spending time in a Roman kitchen provides an unparalleled opportunity to dig beneath the surface and learn about one of the most important aspects of this city's culture: its cuisine. Context's half-day cooking lesson takes us into the home and kitchen of a local chef, where we'll learn some basics of Italian cooking and then indulge ourselves in a feast of our creation.
We begin at the Testaccio market, one of Rome's most famous outdoor markets where we'll explore the season's finest and freshest fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Our culinary expert, an Italian native with extensive catering experience, will teach us how to read the food stands for the very best they have to offer and explain the seasonality that is so crucial to real Italian cuisine. We will also explore the local bakery for freshly made bread, stop at the local butcher's shop, and learn about subtle art of freshly made pasta. After shopping for the day's menu, we will make the short walk back to our docent's
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Spending time in a Roman kitchen provides an unparalleled opportunity to dig beneath the surface and learn about one of the most important aspects of this city's culture: its cuisine. Context's half-day cooking lesson takes us into the home and kitchen of a local chef, where we'll learn some basics of Italian cooking and then indulge ourselves in a feast of our creation.
We begin at the Testaccio market, one of Rome's most famous outdoor markets where we'll explore the season's finest and freshest fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Our culinary expert, an Italian native with extensive catering experience, will teach us how to read the food stands for the very best they have to offer and explain the seasonality that is so crucial to real Italian cuisine. We will also explore the local bakery for freshly made bread, stop at the local butcher's shop, and learn about subtle art of freshly made pasta. After shopping for the day's menu, we will make the short walk back to our docent's beautiful home on the nearby Aventine hill (the very heart of Ancient Rome) where in her modern, well-equipped kitchen we will discover the secrets of recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation. Whether we are seasoned cooks or beginners in the kitchen, a morning with our expert will not only help develop culinary skills, but will provide a fun way to learn more about Italian culture.
Through the hands-on cooking class we will discover how to prepare both typical Roman and southern Italian dishes. (Note, participants who are more comfortable observing and tasting rather than actively cooking are welcome; there's space and snacks for you while we work.) We will also spend time learning about the natural ingredients that we selected that same morning in Testaccio. Menus vary according to the time of year and are based on what is fresh at the market that day and might include: bucatini all'amatriciana; orecchiette con broccoli; pasta e ceci; eggplant caponata; stuffed, fried zucchini; and chicken with peppers. Recipes for mouthwatering desserts like homemade fruit marmalade cake or creamy mascarpone cheese with fresh fruit will not be neglected.
By the time we finish and sit down as a group to enjoy the fruits of our labor, enjoying a bit of local wine chosen to accompany each dish, the lessons we've learn will leave us sated in a deeper way, ready to return home with some new recipes and insights into real Italian cooking.
Please note any food allergies or intolerances in the Special Requests box or your Travel Notes. Even in a small group we can work around restrictions (no gluten, no dairy, vegetarian, no seafood, etc), especially if notified in advance.
