Walking around in Italy, there are just as many produce stands as there are cafes.  Boxes of over-sized, richly hued fruits and vegetables practically spilling into the streets; produce here is generally larger than what we are used to, more flavorful, and not just sometimes, but always, grown locally.  The meal that we prepared last night in class was a celebration of nature’s local bounty: Zuppa Minestrone (vegetable soup filled with peas, cauliflower, artichokes, tomatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, and cabbage), garlic-Parmesan bread, homemade gnocchi with a Bolognese sauce, lamb chops coated in mustard and a breadcrumb mixture, and two types of gelato, strawberry and chocolate.

Menus here are based on what the garden or market next door has to offer each day, mixed with what you might already have in your kitchen or refrigerator from meals earlier in the week.  Nothing goes to waste and hardly anything is processed.  All of this adds up to a healthier way of life in general– one that celebrates the fresh tastes of the region.

Tagged: cooking class, externship, Italy, Mami Camilla, Sorrento