My name is Francesca Di Leonardo, I taught the Italian language and Renaissance art for 30 years to foreigners who came to Italy attracted to its land and culture. Our lessons always ended up talking about the food and my personal hobby, cooking, so the transition to teaching my other great passion came simply and naturally.
About ten years ago I decided to follow my dream and "mission": explain Italy and its culinary traditions-classical Italian haute cuisine as well as popular local regional cuisine. Hundreds of recipes were created from what the land produced, the season permitted, religion allowed and superstition suggested.
Of course, books, culinary treatises and collections of recipes are not really enough. You also need experience and memories – like grandmother’s timballo, how she paid attention to every little detail or how mother rolled out such a thin sheet of pasta dough or my grandfather’s incredible artichoke frittata that I’ve never again tasted as good as his.
I was lucky to have seen the gestures and smelled the "natural" aromas everyday at home, in a family where people from South and North of Italy where joined by their loveof good food (and fortunately, all skinny!).
That’s what my cooking lessons are like: a small group of people in the home of an old Italian friend, preparing and eating home cooking. It is not a restaurant, nor is it a school.
You can cook with me, take a break and talk to your companion or friend. You can take photos, have something to eat, take a rest on the sofa. You can just observe and ask me questions about anything.
Bring your children; they’ll have a great time (especially making pasta!) and a fun cooking experience, too.
We will look at the clock only for cooking times.
My lesson is an Italian life experience.
Food loves company and we Italians have the skill of knowing how to enjoy the table and its rituals.
