Slow Food Information Session

Thursday, January 11th 6:00pm FREE

Slow Food: What exactly does that mean? Chewing your food slowly? Bad service? Food that is Good, Clean and Fair? Come and find out!

Slow Food, founded in 1986, is an international organization whose aim is to protect the pleasures of the table from the homogenization of modern fast food and life. Through a variety of initiatives, it promotes gastronomic culture, develops taste education, conserves agricultural biodiversity and protects traditional foods at risk of extinction. It now boasts over 80,000 members in over 100 countries.

Come to a free information session at VIVA-the Culinary Institute of Florence and Italian Cultural Center in Sebastopol on January 11th at 6pm. Paula Shatkin, one of the leaders of the Russian River convivium (chapter) will co-host the talk along with Paula Downing, manager of the Sebastopol Farmer’s Market. Refreshments will be served.

Please call 824-9913 or email viva@studyabroaditaly.com to let us know if you plan to come (for the refreshment planning). Thanks!

Classics You Always Wish You Had Read (or read again)-4 part Lecture Series

Thursdays, January 18th, and February 1st, 8th, and 15th   6:30-8:30pm  $35 ea/$120 series

Instructor Douglas Kenning

The Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid. All centuries before our own have recognized Homer as the father of Western literature. The anonymous tale of Gilgamesh was his ancestor and Virgil his progeny.

In this course, we will enjoy these tales as stories - while considering why archetypes of the individual journey have such enduring power - illustrated by a great parade of master works of art.

Part 1: Gilgamesh, an introduction – Thursday, January 18th  6:30-8:30pm

The first, the earliest, the original story of Western Culture, over 4400 years old.  The pattern of epic journey that Joseph Campbell described as “The Hero’s Journey” begins here.  A wild and beautiful tale of mad goddesses, male love, the Flood, and death and resurrection.  One man learns the chastening redemption of becoming mature

Part 2: The Iliad, an introduction - Thursday, February 1st, 6:30-8:30pm

The greatest of stories.  A pillar of Western education for 2700 years, this is a wild account of heroes and fools, of lust and betrayal, of gods and childishness, of incredible violence and absurd tenderness.  It is difficult to understand much of Western art without knowing something of the Iliad.

Part 3: The Odyssey, an introduction - Thursday, February 8th , 6:30-8:30pm

The other of the greatest of stories.  The other pillar of Western education for 2700 years, this is even a wilder account of heroes and monsters, of adventure and longing, of fatherhood and absence.  But most of all, it is the most beautiful allegory every written about love in middle age, about how a man and a woman can endure becoming strangers and again come together.

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Part 4: The Aeneid, an introduction - Thursday, February 15th, 6:30-8:30pm

Knife-Cutting Techniques

Friday, January 12th  11am – 2:30pm  $60

Instructor: Chef Christopher Arentz

This probably won’t prepare you for a job at Benihana, but it will include an explanation of knife care, sharpening and cutting techniques. You will get a chance to practice cutting vegetables then move on to the more advanced explanation and practice of boning a chicken. Stuffing the boned chicken with the beautifully cut vegetables is next and then cooking, plating and eating your delicious creation ends the class with a glass of Pinot Grigio from the Veneto region. Bring your favorite knife.

Teens: How to Survive Without Mom

Friday, January 12th  5:30 – 8:30pm  $45

Instructor: Chef Christopher Arentz

Turn your college-bound kids into foodies, so they can tantalize their taste buds, learn some basic culinary skills and—with any luck—cook you dinner! The class will focus on menu ideas, techniques, and creative presentations. Soon your budding Batali will be cooking up a storm while learning a few things about kitchen safety, nutrition, and basic cooking tips, how to use their leftover pasta to make a frittata, etc. – plus, they get to eat what they make!

Pasta Workshop for Kids (recommended for 8-12 years)

Saturday, January 13th 4:00-7:00 pm  $45

Instructor: Chef Christopher Arentz

Chef Arentz will not only teach your young one how to make fresh pasta, but he will enliven the instruction with colors and flavors that will particularly appeal to them. Using beet juice, spinach, tomato paste, saffron and cocoa(!), they will create colorful and flavorful shapes and sizes of pasta. As a group they might even make rainbow colored ravioli (which they will eat, of course)!  They will also learn to make Italian meringue, using a pastry bag, for dessert.

Salumi Workshop - Homemade Italian-Style Cured Meats

Thursday, January 18th 6:30 – 9:30 pm - $80

Instructors: Chefs Franco Dunn and Dino Bugica

Back by popular demand, Chefs Franco Dunn and Dino Bugica from the highly regarded Santi Restaurant 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. They will have extra on hand for purchase if you wish.

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.

Citrus - Bringing the Warmth of Summer into Winter
Saturday, January 20th 6:30 – 9:30 pm  - $90
Instructors: Chefs Franco Dunn and Dino Bugica from Santi Restaurant in Geyserville

Italian Movie Night (FREE)

Friday, February 2nd  6:30pm

Projection of: L’imbalsamatore (The Embalmer) 2002, M. Garrone

Peppino (Mahieux) is an aging taxidermist constantly ridiculed for being short and somewhat creepy. He meets Valerio (Manzillo), a handsome young man fascinated by Peppino's work. Peppino, in turn, becomes entranced by Valerio and offers him a large salary to come work as his assistant. But when Valerio meets Deborah (Rocchetti), their fledgling romance is threatened by an insanely jealous third wheel.

Running time: 101 minutes

Sicilian Take on a Pasta Workshop

Thursday, February 8th, 11:00am – 2:00pm - $85

Instructor: Chef Giovanni Guarneri

Italian Regional Cuisine: Sicily

Friday, February 9th, 6:30 – 9:30pm - $85

Instructor: Chef Giovanni Guarneri

The Pairing of Seafood with Wine       (Note: Class change!)

Saturday, February 10th, 6:30 – 9:30pm - $85

Instructor: Chef/Sommelier Giovanni Guarneri

Surrounded by water, the island of Sicily has a special relationship with the frutti di mare – fruits of the sea – and Chef Guarneri is particularly known in his region for his exceptional recipes and handling of seafood. Though much of the seafood available in the Mediterranean is not available off our coast, Chef Guarneri will work with our freshest finds and create three separate seafood dishes you will be delighted to learn and experience. Giovanni is also a sommelier and his restaurant, Don Camillo recently was awarded the second highest honor in Italy for its wine list. He will pair each course with an appropriate Sicilian wine. Class taught in Italian with our own Heather Cruciano making sure you understand it all.