A rainy start to the day here in Sorrento, which puts a damper on my plans to head over to Positano to walk the Sentieri degli Dei (the Path of the Gods), but alas, some things can’t be planned.  To tell you the truth I am sort of looking forward to a lazy, down day here at my Hotel; a day dedicated to taking it easy with the novel I am reading now and also, a day of planning the two week trip that Scott and I are taking at the end of June, throughout the rest of Italy.   And tonight, me, some co-workers, and a few new friends staying in my hotel are planning a night out to a wine bar in the next town over.

As the busy season approaches here in Sorrento, the hotel and nightly restaurant I am working in during the week is getting exponentially busier each and every day.  Last night we actually cooked dinner for about 25 people and from what I’ve heard, in June and July those numbers can easily reach 50 per night.  Dinner at the Mami Camilla Cooking School is easily the best deal in town—only 20 euros for a wonderful 4-course dinner, a price which includes wine and a glass of Limoncello.

Last night’s menu was no exception.  We started with a plate of vegetable antipasti—a fried eggplant sandwich with thinly sliced ham and Swiss cheese, a tasting of cooked red and yellow peppers with black olives, and an eggplant and cherry tomato tasting with red chilies.  The second course was homemade lemon-parsley pasta with squid, shrimp, and a light shrimp broth sauce.  Next came a sea bass filet surrounded with a fresh rocket salad, tossed lightly with a balsamic and olive oil vinaigrette.  For dessert, light and airy meringue cups filled with a fresh and colorful mixed berry compote.

The creative menus, lively conversations, and robust laughs we share at dinner each night have us all filled to the brim and grinning from ear to ear.  In fact, I am already looking forward to gearing up on Monday for another week of new Italian dishes and new acquaintances.

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