Cooking Class Part 2

Five years ago, my husband and I participated in a week-long cooking class and wine education, with Giuliano Hazan. Convinced by popular demand, Hazan agreed to host another cooking class for "alumni" students. We jumped on it.  It took us two years to get everything together to make it back to Villa Giona, but it was worth the wait.

The schedule of the alumni class is very close to the first class, but that's where the similarities end.  The first night we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Villa Della Torre of the Allegrini vineyards.  In the mornings, we took field trips to local artisan producers, and in the evenings learned cooking techniques and enjoyed our hard work in the kitchen.

The first day, it was a modernized panettone factory.  Using recipes that have been in the family for generations and all natural ingredients, Dario Loison's company produces around 600 tons of panettone a year.

A family operated balsamic factory, Acetaia San Giacomo, located in the Reggio Emilia  region was next.  Tradition dictates the aging and production of vinegars that cost up to $100 per bottle.

On Wednesday, what looked like an Italian 7-11 hid an amazing selection of cheese by the "cheese man." The owner of this convenience store buys cheeses from all over Italy, and tweaks them with crushed grape leaves or ages them further in straw to create flavorful, tangy wonderful tastes. A true hidden gem.

On Thursday, we found ourselves in Venice in the fish and fresh produce market, with time to spend shopping and site seeing.

On Friday, we were back visiting local producers, this time a grappa factory.  The Poli family has been making grappa since 1898, and today Jacopo Poli is in charge.  The concepts are similar, but again, the factory is modernized and the product shipped all over the world.

Each day also featured multi course lunches at local restaurants. Wednesday's lunch featured home-made pasta, which we watched being rolled out in huge sheets by the current generation of family members running the restaurant.  Other days featured polenta with mushrooms, rabbit, lamb, fish, seafood, and truffles, with starters such as lardo and salumi.

Every day, except Thursday, we were in the kitchen by 5 or 5:30 chopping and cleaning and preparing. We pan-roasted pork loin with radicchio and veal with peppers and leeks, folded home-made tortellini, cooked risotto in Amarone (a bit expensive, but so tasty!), and formed gnocchi for a home-made pesto sauce.  We also made linguine with clams and zucchini, Bolitto Misto - mixed boiled meats that may not sound fabulous, but is extremely good - and baked rolled swordfish.  Desserts consisted of a flourless chocolate cake, a moist almond cake, cantaloupe gelato and fresh peaches and berries in Prosecco (what can possibly be better?).

All dinners were served with wine selected by Marilisa Allegrini of the Allegrini vineyards.  Marilisa also shared her wine knowledge with the group, providing vertical and parallel tastings of her wines as well as other Italian producers including Sassicaia and Ornellaia.

We left fully sated with food and wine, but because of the wonderfully fresh ingredients and preparations, we didn't bring back a bunch of extra weight!

For more information on Giuliano Hazan and his cooking classes, go to www.giulianohazan.com.  For more information on Allegrini wines, go to www.allegrini.it.