February Tour of the United States

I am excited to announce that during the month of February, 2010, I will be traveling around the United States giving cooking demonstrations. I will share traditional recipes from Tuscany and I will guide students though the preparation of an authentic Tuscan meal. Each course will be paired with Tuscan wine.

My tour begins in the Boston area and takes me across the country to a variety of cities and venues. See below for the current itinerary. Please check my blog from time to time, as additional cities and events are added.

At a number of the events I will be collaborating with the wine expert Filippo Bartolotta, of the Italian food and wine travel organization Le Baccanti. I will offer the cooking portion of the events while Filippo will offer playful education in Italian wines and culture as well as an introduction to the gastronomic travel itineraries Le Baccanti organizes.

If you are interested in learning more about my U.S. itinerary or you have a suggestion about a venue, please e-mail my tour coordinator, Leigh Vincola, at leighvincola@gmail.com

I hope to see you at one of the events.

The itinerary so far:

February 2 and 3 Private Events, Norwell Massachusetts
February 5 Private Event, San Francisco Bay Area, California
February 6 Sur La Table, Palo Alto, California
February 7 Sur la Table, San Francisco, California
February 7 Quince Restaurant, San Francisco, California
February 10 to 13 Private Events, Santa Barbara, California
February 19 Private Event, Chicago, Illinois
February 22 Private Event, Cincinnati, Ohio
February 26 to 28 Private Events, New York City, New York
March 2 Rialto Restaurant, Cambridge, Massachusetts

- Benedetta

At the Zibibbo, we change the menu every day according to the seasons and the best produce available in the market. This means that whenever you come to our trattoria in the Piazza di Careggi, whether for a meal or for a cooking course, we will be making something different each time. Here is a snapshot in time, the dinner menu for today, July 9.

Benedetta

ANTIPASTI / STARTERS

Patè di fegato con pain brioche e salsa di arance al Porto
Chicken liver paté on toasted brioche with orange peel and Port wine sauce

Mousse di melanzane affumicate
Smoked eggplant mousse

Scamorza affumicata fritta con pomodorini e cipolla di Tropea
Smoked scamorza cheese with cherry tomatoes and sweet red Tropea onions

Insalata di polpo con patate al prezzemolo
Octopus and potato salad with flat-leaf parsley

Gamberi rosa con verdure al vapore e maionese
Shrimp with steamed vegetables and mayonnaise

PRIMI / FIRST COURSES

Spaghetti morelli con Monte 27
Spaghetti with morel mushrooms and grated Monte 27 cheese

Tagliatelle ai funghi porcini
Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms

Orecchiette al pomodoro fresco e ricotta forte
Apulian-style orecchiette (“little ears”) pasta with fresh tomato and aged ricotta

Spaghetti alle vongole veraci
Spaghetti with sauce of veraci clams

Spaghetti al ragù di polpo
Spaghetti with octopus sauce

Spaghetti alle sarde con uvetta, pinoli e finocchietto selvatico
Sicilian-style spaghetti with sardines, raisins, fresh wild fennel greens and pine nuts

Tagliatelle nere con cozze, calamari e pomodori freschi al pesto
Cuttlefish-ink tagliatelle with mussels, calamari and fresh tomato with pesto

SECONDI / MAIN COURSES

Piccione arrosto ripieno di fegatini con scorze di arance e pera
Roasted squab, stuffed with chicken livers, with orange peel and pear

Costata di agnello alle erbe con crocchette fritte esalsa di yogurt
Lamb chop accompanied by croquettes with yogurt sauce

Cervello di vitella croccante con insalata di finocchi
Crispy veal brains with fennel salad

Quaglie arrosto avvolte nella paglia di origano e nelle foglie di noce con porcini trifolati
Roasted quail wrapped in oregano straw and walnut leaves with stewed porcini mushrooms

Fiorentina
Florentine grilled T-bone steak, for two or more persons

Parmigiana di melanzane
Eggplant parmesan

Acciughe fritte
Deep-fried fresh anchovies

Filetti di sugarelli al cartoccio con patate, pomodorini e olive taggiasche
Mackerel fillets baked in foil with potato, cherry tomato and Taggiasca olives

Pesce sciabola al forno con purè di fave
Baked scabbard fish with fava bean purée

Calamari alla diavola
Grilled calamari

CONTORNI / SIDE DISHES

Radicchio di campo
Green radicchio salad

Fiori di zucca fritti
Deep-fried squash blossoms

Peperonata
Sautéed sweet peppers, tomatoes and onions

VINI A BICCHIERE / WINE BY THE GLASS

BIANCHI / WHITE

Chardonnay '08 La Corte (Veneto)
Muller Thurgau '07 S. M. Appiano (Alto Adige)
Vinnae '07 Jermann (Friuli, Ribolla e Riesling)
Touraine Sauvignon '07 Clos du Tue Boeuf (Francia, Naturale)

ROSSI / RED

Rosato da Sangiovese '06 Riecine (Toscana)
Carmignano "Barco Reale" '07 Capezzana (Toscana)
Pinot Nero '07 Andriano (Alto Adige)
Costières de Nimes "Terre d'Argence" '06 Ch. Du Morgues du Grès (Rodano)

Ciao!

I am Jacquita Diehl and live in Potomac, Maryland. I have been lucky enough to stay for several months in Florence twice in the past several years. Both times, Benedetta Vitali had room for me in the Zibibbo kitchen for serious cooking lessons. Both trips, I was alone with sporadic visitors from the U.S. Benedetta is a reliable resource; very kind, smart and knowledgeable.

I had wonderful experiences and have infinitely improved my understanding and preparation of Tuscan food. The discipline of high standards and patience I learned while working with Benedetta and her staff has improved all of my cooking. I also learned to clean and prepare fish and to make the wonderful desserts served at Zibibbo. I would describe Benedetta's food as "soul satisfying".

I feel completely comfortable in Florence. While I do not recommend walking around after 1 a.m. alone, I have done so on many occasions and felt completely secure. August is hot and many small stores close for two or more weeks out in the neighborhoods. (The gelaterie stay open luckily!)

In 2007 I lived first in Umbria for two months; I realized Florentines really like or love Americans and welcome us, no matter how badly we slaughter the language. I have lived in the center and further out near the Fortezza da Basso. Let me know if you have questions or need help with arrangements or if you would like to speak by phone. Send an e-mail to Benedetta, and she will put you in touch with me.

I was thrilled to see the Gourmet article and hope you have a wonderful time; I am confident you will.

Jacquita Diehl

A couple of months ago, Flavia Schepmans, an art director from New York, spent a week in Florence doing an intensive cooking course with my team and me at the Zibibbo Trattoria. She wrote about her experience for the May, 2009, issue of Gourmet Magazine. Her article is an excellent account of what the intensive cooking course is all about. Grazie mille di cuore, Flavia !

You can read the article here:
http://www.benedettavitali.com/gourmetmagazine

Benedetta