Sunday, March 18, 2012

Cook with the Mammas of Puglia!

Yle is giving us a wonderful look inside the kitchens of some of the best Italian cooks in Puglia, a mamma!     Yle offers amazing holidays that can include hands on cooking with an expert.
I can vouch for an incredible experience when Yle introduced me to my new "nonna" (grandmother) Mamma Vita. She spent hours teaching me to make pasta!    Not only did I learn to make 6 types of pasta but I believe I found a new nonna.........

COOKING CLASS IN PUGLIA 

Life as a local
Guests often write to me via email or social networks  and ask for some very unique treats to experience in Puglia.     What they read about from other travel planners is just "touristy"   and they know that one of the things I avoid in my tours is doing what hundreds of other people do.   I create a unique travel experience specifically for you.          
A  cooking class with one of our amazing  MAMME is a must do experience. When I gave rise to this food and culinary program called “Mamme in Cucina” a couple of years ago, I thought of a unique day that I would have liked to live if myself I had been a visitor. A day to be spent with locals like a local. A unique staff that would have given guests the impression of living in the area and perfectly mingle with people and their habits.
Mamma Consiglia
I never call participants “students”, “customers" or clients”:    they  are friends and guests for me and for the mums they have the pleasure to cook with.  From the beginning of our day,  the atmosphere is casual and friendly and every part of the program is as if you are visiting friends.       

        

Mamma Giuseppina
Mamma Giulia

We have Moms in many areas of the region, thus giving our friends the opportunity to choose the closest mamma to their accommodation and spend with her this memorable day.  

You will meet at an established check point or in the main Piazza and from there this wonderful day starts. 

A cappuccino and cornetto to start in a popular bar (for the locals),  a visit to a food market, some casual tastings along the way,  hands on  preparation of the meal and tons of fun pictures during the lesson.
All of our Moms are simply wonderful:    lovely and excellent teachers when it is about cooking.     If they haven’t already been wives and mothers, they certainly know everything about the freshest seasonal products, traditional recipes and food markets. They personally know every vendor they shop from and can reveal to you many interesting things on how to combine ingredients in an almost magic way.
They are the typical local mum, simple and genuine as their smile is and cooking with them is relaxing and fun. During the class they will show and teach you step by step how to make some very great Italian culinary staff.

Mamma Anna
They strongly believe in the local peasant and healthy cooking and teach recipes that guests can take home and prepare for their families and friends. Hand-made pasta and bread and the mixing of fresh and wild vegetables that make delicious recipes.

Mamma Vita

I am always in touch with all of our Mums, because once you cook with them you actually become part of their family. Most of the time they stay in touch with our friends and keep on exchanging useful culinary tips and delicious suggestions for southern Italian style.

They’re just “belle”, cute and it is impossible not to love them.
All native from Puglia, they maintain intact the traditional cooking as it once was.
I usually write on my confirmation email that after lunch the cooking class is over and guests can go back home,  but often they just stay,  relaxed at home with her for a familiar chat or stroll which means for me that is was not simply a cooking lesson, but a new sincere friendship that has born.
Lee's  favorite mamma! 
Mamma Anna
Before ending my post I would love to give you the recipe that Mamma Anna from Lecce would love to share with all of you:

Pasta with anchovies:
1/2kg of spaghetti, olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, parsley, salted boned anchovies, 1 chilly (peperoncino)
Season the anchovies, chilly, garlic gloves in olive oil. When browned, add  some parsley and the spaghetti (you have boiled before in some salted hot water).
Spaghetti must be “al dente”. Toss everything together and serve well hot.

To book your cooking class in Puglia with one of our lovely Mums just email to: info@yltourcongressi.com


















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