Olive Curing
Friday, January 16th
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Pablo Voitzuk - from Apollo Olive Oil - Award Winning Gourmet Organic Olive Oil http://apollooliveoil.com/

$70

Cured olives are some of the most delicious foods from ancient and modern times. Salty and tart, they can be enjoyed in almost any dish. That is, when they are cured. Uncured, olives are extremely bitter and sour tasting, not pleasant at all. While most people simply buy their olives precured, some people still grow, or glean, their own. While it takes quite a long time, curing is actually very simple.

Let Chef and Olive Know-It-All Pablo Voitzuk show you how easy it is to take your (or someone else's) bitter bounty and turn it into delectable gold. If you have your own olives, bring them. If not, we will have olives here so that each of you will leave the class with the beginnings of your new hobby.

We will prepare several dishes with previously cured olives as their base, and provide a glass of Italian wine to round out the evening.

Pablo's Tangerine-Cumin Olives

Bruschetta con Olive

Traveler's Italian

Mondays, February 9th - March 30th

6:30 - 8:30pm

Professor Sandro Spano

$145

This is the time to begin preparing for your spring trips to bella Italia. 

In recognition of current economic struggles we intend to keep our pricing the same as last year.  So how can you afford NOT to bone up on your Italiano?!

In this class you will learn the basics of the present tense, that most needed to communicate needs and intentions, while remaining, of course, always polite and gracious. The rest of the course will be spent practicing specific situations, such as in hotels, restaurants, shops, traveling, and social situations. And, if you like, bring your own questions about situations you would like to learn how to navigate.

Minimum of 8 students necessary to run this class.

Keeping Going with Italian
Wednesdays, February 11th - April 1st
7 - 9 pm
Lisa Gottreich

$145 including booklet

With Dinner option at 6:30

add $10 per week = $225 for 8 weeks

(must sign up and pay for all dinners by the first class)

In recognition of current economic struggles we have kept our pricing the same as last year.  So how can you afford NOT to bone up on your Italiano?!

This eight week course is designed to draw out what you once learned, probably still know, but can't remember off the top of your head.  We'll review grammar concepts and wander into the passato prossimo and imperfetto.  Depending on class level, we may read short Italian origin stories, an act from a comedy playwright, or an Italian driving questionnaire.  As always, plenty of time for learning about Italy beyond grammar. 

Minimum of 8 students necessary to run this class.

Dinner option:

We would like to offer the option of Cena e Chiacchierare (dinner and chit chat).  Lisa will join us for a light main course, dessert and a glass of Italian wine to loosen your tongue.  This is a perfect opportunity to really use your Italian and see where you need more practice.  Talking about food and wine is always great fun and something that you will need in your travels.

Salumi Workshop -  Homemade Italian-Style Cured Meats

Tuesday, February 17th or 24th  

6:30 - 9:30pm

Chefs: Dino Bugica & Franco Dunn from Santi & Diavola

$85

Back by popular demand Chefs Franco Dunn and Dino Bugica from the highly regarded Santi and Diavola restaurants in Geyserville will teach us how to make sausage, pancetta and salame using centuries old Italian recipes. Sustainably raised, grass-fed animals from local providers will be used. The chefs will discuss meat sources as well as teach us the handmade, Old World Italian style of sausage making and meat curing, with everything from scratch. You will taste the results of the demonstration in a pasta and a salad, as well as examples of appropriately aged pancetta and salami from Santi’s pantry.

The word salumi means Italian-style cured or preserved meats. Most are made from pork, but some are beef, lamb or other meats. Salumi means about the same as the French charcuterie. It can refer to meats that are salt-cured, smoked and fermented as well as meats that are preserved in fat (confit), cooked sausages and pates. Within the category are hundreds of specific kinds of salumi.

Please sign up early - the last offerings of this class sold out fast.

Menu

Salumi plate

Insalata di Bresaola, Rucola, Parmigiano, Limone e Olio di Olive

Salad with Bresaola, Arugula, Parmigiano, Lemon and Olive Oil

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Egg

Salsiccia Calabrese

Spicy Calabrian Sausage with Fennel