Southern Style Cooking: SPRING COOKING CLASS CALENDAR, PRIVATE COOKING PARTIES, & MORE

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Last week, we received this email from a client who attended a cooking class: "Dear Micol & Dino, Just a note to say how much my daughter, Caitlin, and I enjoyed your class. This is the third class we have taken with you and, just like the others, we loved it! I've already made three of the pasta dishes from last week's class for my family. Needless to say each one was a big hit! Looking forward to taking another of your classes. Thank you for such an enjoyable cooking experience!"

It is letters like these that make our work rewarding; we feel like somehow we are a part of your families' enjoyment of good, clean food, and that we (in some small way) might just inspire you to try new things in the kitchen. So with spring around the corner, and the desire to inspire you all to cook and to be more fearless in the kitchen, we have created a line-up of delicious cooking classes for the season.

One such class is coming up on April 11 at noon, and it focuses on the best springtime pasta dishes: Pappardelle with Caramelized Onions & Rosemary; Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Peppers, Olives, & Tomatoes; and Cavatelli with Broccoli, Garlic, & Crispy Bread Crumbs. These three pastas are each made from a completely different dough, so once you've mastered them, you'll be able to make an impressive array of fresh pastas at home. You can sign up for the class here. We've also got our ever-popular Pizza Workshop on May 9 at noon, a seafood class on April 24, a class on Cooking with Wine on April 27, and more!

SOUTHERN ITALIAN COOKING APRIL 13

Join us for a taste of southern Italy and learn to prepare 5 classics from Calabria, Basilicata, and Sicily; we'll cover techniques like working with yeast, kneading focaccia dough, making fresh pasta, making a wine reduction sauce, and much more! On the menu:

Cornmeal & Broccoli Raab Focaccia
Handmade Cavatelli with Herbed Lamb Ragu
Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers, & White Wine
Roasted Eggplant Topped with Olive, Tomato, & Herb Salsa
Light-as-Air Citrus & Olive Oil Cake with Berry Coulis

COOKING WITH WINE APRIL 27

Every year, we host a class devoted to the art of cooking with wine. Cooking with wine is a common technique in Italy. From pan sauces for pasta and meat to flavorful broths for cooking fish, wine is often the backbone of most Italian dishes. This menu features wine (white, red, dry, and sweet) in every dish. On the menu:

Cheese Ravioli with Sweet Peas, Tomatoes, Cream, & White Wine
Filet Mignon in Rich Red Wine Glaze
Roasted String Beans with Artichokes & White Wine
Risotto with Prosecco, Butternut Squash, Sage, & Leeks
Wine-Poached Fruit over Marsala Zabaione

PRIVATE COOKING PARTIES & TEAMBUILDING EVENTS NYC

Looking for a memorable team-building or client entertaining event, a bachelorette party, or birthday celebration? Consider a private cooking party. You choose the date and time, and pick the menu! We offer a full three-course meal, a pasta party, and a pizza party! Call 917-602-1519 to inquire about availability. Click for more on our clients and testimonials.

Here's what a client recently said about her company's team-building event at RUSTICO COOKING: "My group had a GREAT time. The food was wonderful, the chefs hilarious, and everything went off without a hitch. I cannot thank you enough! Will be in touch again for another class!" Jessica G., Heidrick Struggles

A GUIDE TO BUYING BALSAMIC VINEGAR

There's a lot of confusion surrounding just what distinguishes a real balsamic vinegar from an imitation product, and our cooking class students often ask us how to spot a genuine product when they are at the market; after all, some bottles cost $2.99, some as much as $100, so how does one know what to choose? Below is a brief history of balsamic vinegar, one of northern Italy's most prized food products, as well as a handy guide to help you read the bottle's label so you are sure to buy the real thing.

To read all about balsamic vinegar, visit our blog.

RUSTICO COOKING BLOG

Subscribe to our blog, filled with mouth-watering photography, easy-to-replicate Italian dishes, and insider's tricks and tips. Visit our blog here... You'll find delicious recipes like the 3 below and more!