Clara's class provided a great opportunity to experience Milanese culture from the unique…read moreperspective of a local's kitchen. Her attention to detail is impeccable, from the drawers of flour separated by grind, to the personalized recipe book that was waiting for us on her coffee table upon our arrival. After a quick meet and greet, we donned our aprons and went into the kitchen, where a schedule listed the various tasks needed to prepare three courses plus dessert by 2pm.
The environment is fun and casual, and everyone becomes friends while rolling out fresh pasta dough, soaking lady fingers in espresso, and preparing the mise-en-place for a bolognese. While a lot of the prep work was done in advance of our arrival, I think Clara did a nice job finding a balance between keeping it hands on and maintaining a reasonable pace. Admittedly, there were a couple of points where I was just "helping mom" with dinner and doing scut work, but in all fairness, in a kitchen of seven people, without a clearly designated leader the morning would quickly devolve in a literal case of too many cooks.
Clara is totally receptive to questions the entire time, and her pedigree as a chef, baker, and sommelier adds a high degree of credibility to her lessons. The class is appropriate for people at every skill level. Newcomers will feel at home chopping carrots while experienced cooks are given the chance to man the stove and adjust seasonings.
For me, the highlight was the meal itself, and not only because the food was excellent (fresh tagliatelle were perfect, homemade tiramisu was the best I've ever had). At the end of a long day that begins in a kitchen full of strangers, you sit down at a table with friends. To me, this is the whole point, and Clara hit this mark perfectly.
I'd highly recommend this class to anyone headed to Milan, and plan to seek out similar opportunities in my future travels.
