♥ The Beauty of Being Here…Yes, it’s all that Florence and Italy have to offer! And, you already know that I love the art, history, museums, the cuisine and that I love learning with locals!
♥ And, I love meeting with and learning from other passionate lovers of Italia who have followed their dream here…and yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day with Ileana who followed her passion for pasta seven years ago! ♥
♦ Ileana left her corporate life in NYC and came to Florence to expand her culinary knowledge (focus on pasta!) and, ultimately, to share it with others. And that is exactly what she does!
♦ Food is such an important part of the Italian lifestyle and, until you visit and stay, (and I always suggest food/wine walks/tours and, if possible, a cooking class) you may not fully appreciate how important food is here. (My own appreciation has certainly expanded since I have been here and I am constantly learning!)
♦ Italian cuisine is all about the seasons, the regions, the passion for the freshest, the best… It’s a tradition of respect and pride.
♦ Ileana has certainly adopted and embodies a love of what she does and what a fun day to share that love with her – our day together started with a morning market tour at Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio (one of the two major fresh food markets in Florence).
♦ She has an intimate knowledge of the market – after all this is where she shops on a regular basis for herself and her guests. I love learning which vendors she prefers and why, and learning more about the mind boggling variety of vegetables, fruit, meat, cheeses, and specialty foods available! And I’m getting hungry!
♦ While we’re there Ileana shops for our lunch which we (Wendy is the other guest) will prepare and enjoy in her apartment.
♦ Time to put on the aprons and get to work – it’s great hands on fun and camaraderie – learning as we chop, stir, mix, and sneak a taste now and then!
♦ On the menu? Tiramisu (made first so it will be ready for dessert and it’s so much easier than I thought to prepare), two types of pasta with sauce (she has given us choices) so we will prepare/enjoy ravioli and tagliatelle. All preceded by an appetizing selection of salumi and formaggi accompanied with a Spritz, of course!
♥ Buon appetito! First an aperitivo, then enjoying our creations with a lovely rosé! WOW! It just doesn’t get any fresher or more delightful than this!
♥ Grazie tanti, Ileana! ♥
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Please reach out to ileana@thedolcevitaexperience.com for a truly fabulous “dolce vita” experience! (She offers market tours, cooking sessions in her apartment or yours, and more!)
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