Day #2

After a shower, breakfast buffet and time to spare, I went outside to see what I had missed and imagined in my body and mind drenched state the night before. It is truly beautiful here. I can't see Lake Garda (the largest lake in all of Italy, 30 miles long) but I see the cliffs surrounding her. It is no longer raining, but there is the smell that follows a heavy rain and the air is not clean and crisp and the clouds linger.

Off to cooking class. I forgot my notebook (recipe book) and apron and have to return to my room. TARDY!!! Carol is the translator and is married to Larry Pisoni, the mastermind behind the "Cooking School" and producer of Gourmet-Italia Pasta which is sold in the Commissary. Carol is tall and trim, somewhat stern, an American who married this crazy Italian 50 years ago and gives the appearance and air of one who is from old money and has received a "proper education." She sits on a high stool, wears reading glasses, holds a book and pencil,and is donning pearls and spiked knee-high boots.

I wish my suitcase really had been high-jacked. A perfect excuse for not looking like Donna Reed or Mrs Cleaver.

We learned how to make Pasta but I will never make pasta, not when it is so readily available in any store in the world. Carol even said that no-one makes pasta anymore, that this was something done when there were "house-wives" who had the entire day and nothing more to do. But, pasta we made and pasta we ate. Also, we learned secrets of sauce's and spices and the history of the Mediteranian cusine.

Olive oil. No butter. Rosemary and Sage in bouquets with occasionally Bay Laurel and basil. Garlic, onions. Delicate flavors with robust outcome...

After lunch, a 3 course meal that takes at least 2 hours, we all went to tour the Pisoni Winery. These are distant relatives of Larry's but the winery has remained in the "family" for hundred's of years and now is run by brother's and cousins. All of the families live in this incredible compound of grape vineyards, playground equipment, showrooms, old Italian Villa's divided and remodeled to accommodate the lifestyle of the young families who live and work there.

The old tasting room is unchanged, and there we tasted the 2009 European Award Winner of Sect. They are not allowed to call it Champagne (exclusive to France) and an awesome chocolate liquor that was served in tiny edible ice cream cups. I brought 2 bottles of Sect and one of the liqour's home and will try really hard to keep it until you visit.

A woman in our group, Jo Anne, wanted to buy a copper pot. This woman deserves a Blog of her own (this will or will not happen, depending on whether or not I can be assured she will never discover the blog:-) Larry made a phone call and then took us to a small family operation that makes their own copper goods in an extension of their home. I didn't buy anything because I never liked cooking with copper, but the group made this family who makes cooper pots DAY. So many sales in such a short period of time! Smiles all around.

Another stop at yet another family workshop, this one being a wood carver. Again, I didn't buy anything although I wanted to support this artisan, nothing cried out to me.

Ah, an unexpected turn down an old Medieval Road. This once had been a viable village of trade but it is no longer because of the narrow and steep roads. It seems today's automobiles don't quite have the "horse-power" of yesterdays "horses" or feet. Unfortunately, it was too dark for really good photographs, but I stood aghast and amazed at the close resemblance of the street to my favorite oil painting that I carry with me. I very well could have been looking at the very spot in which this painting was painted.

Back to Piccoli Mondo and a 4 course meal. I should have brought the menu's with me but alas...I did not.

I vowed to be on time to class and have my notebook and apron with me for tomorrows cooking class. Goodnight.