From lemons to clams –cooking course
Ristoranti Mediterraneo, Positano, The Coast of Amalfi October the 25th – the 28th, 2010 ArsMondo - together with Ristoranti Mediterraneo - welcomes you to cook on one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Learning alongside the restaurant’s head chef you will have the unique opportunity to get to know both general traditional Italian culinary culture and the one typical of the Amalfi coast. Come and explore Italian cooking through the expertise of local chef Francesco, enjoying new tastes on this picturesque coast. As a souvenir you will take home with you some of the most special recipies from an area which is world-famous for both healthy and delicious dishes. Ristoranti Mediterraneo is a family-run restaurant specialising in Mediterranean dishes and the culinary culture of the Amalfi coast. The volcanic earth of Campania as well as the area’s mild, almost perfect climate are famous for yielding some of the best ingredients of this country. The restaurants of the Amalfi coast have huge international appeal and Ristoranti Mediterraneo is a favourite spot attracting locals and tourists alike. Our cooking course will take place in the kitchen of Ristoranti Mediterraneo. We will learn how Italian dishes are prepared in a simple and healthy way while preserving the original taste of the ingredients: vegetables, fruit and seafood. Lemon – the 1st dayOn the first day we will prepare some typical positanese dishes with lemon - the symbol of the Amalfi coast. We will cook with Francesco in the morning and finish the day with a delicious lunch and dessert together. Our chef advises the participants not to have too much for breakfast or to enjoy only a coffee, which is typically Italian, because a proper lunch is waiting for us after the cooking session. We will cook both sweet and sour dishes: sardines marinated in lemon and vinegar, risotto with shrimps, veal in lemon sauce and fruit salad in orange and lemon sauce. We will also find out how a real Limoncello is being prepared and, of course, have a taste of the best Limoncello of Positano. The lemons of the Amalfi coast are considered the queens of Italian lemons, because of their hard peel and strong aromatic taste. As early as the 17th century the cultivation of lemons made this coast world famous. Moreover, the fact that the lemons contained (and still do) a high percentage of vitamin C made them important for sea voyagers. By the 19th century the cultivation of lemons became one of the most important trades on the coast, providing employment for many locals. Even today the cultivaton of lemons is an important trade; from February to October one can easily witness how lemons are picked by hand. What is wonderful is that they still have their hard, aromatic peel and they contain a high percentage of vitamin C, two attributes that make them important for Italy’s gourmet-world. Sea food – the 2nd dayBecause we are cooking on the coast of Amalfi, it is a MUST to learn to prepare shrimps, clams and mussels in the Positanese style. Restaurants on this coast are famous for preparing delicious seafood, which our chef also does masterfully. After today, we will be able to boast about the preparation of jumpo shrimp tempura, spaghetti with clams and cherry tomatoes, mussels souté and fruit dessert. Today, we are spending all afternoon cooking and will finish with dinner together, enjoying also some local wines in a good company. Pasta – the 3rd dayA cooking course in Italy would be far from perfect if it didn’t cover the preparation of pasta. In the morning we will go shopping together and learn about seasonal vegetables and different pastas. We will focus on Scialiatelle, which is the most typical type of pasta on the Amalfi coast. Scialiatelle are shorter than spaghetti, and look a little like tagliatelle. Francesco will show us how delicious scialiatelle tastes when it’s combined with eggplants and tomatoes. We will also prepare some delicious pasta sauces. To finish off on a perfect note, we will finally prepare a classic Italian dessert, tiramisu. Desserts – the 4th dayOn the last course day we will have a feast of Italian desserts. After today, you won’t hesitate to prepare Italian classics or specialist desserts typical of the Amalfi region, which suit the casual as well as the most elegant parties. Lemon sponge cake, ricotta cheese and pears pie, oranges in caramel and Gran Marnier–sauce will make this day unforgettable. The evening we will also spend together.
Please, remember that our course days last half a day. Thus, you will have plenty of time to explore the local culture of this gorgeous coast. The Amalfi coast is famous for the art of ceramics and you can visit many small shops while you are there. Positanese fashion is being exported all over the world and there are many shops featuring hand-made linen clothes. You can also visit the local shoemakers who will ask you to step on a leather base so that they can measure the length of your foot. Afterwards you can choose the decorations, jewelry, and stones as well as the material for the strings on your personal pair of sandals. In ten minutes your sandals are ready.
BACKGROUND: You can learn about Positano by proxy before you arrive:
*** If you wish, ArsMondo can help you find your way to Positano. From Rome to Positano: From Rome to Naples you can take a local train along the coastline or a fast train. The trip along the coastline lasts approximately 3,5 hours and the price is approximately 10 euros. The fast train takes you to Naples in about an hour. From Naples the local train, Circumvesuviana, takes you to Sorrento in about an hour and the ticket price is approximately 3 euros. From Sorrento, the SITA-bus takes you to Positano along the spectacular serpentine coast road in 45 minutes. The ticket price is approximately 3 euros. Price 680 € Price includes:
For more information, email arsmondo(at)arsmondo.fi or call +358 44 32 00 008 |
