The Food Maven Diary
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New Schedule of Italian Trips
For a guy who doesn't have a real job and was looking forward to taking a rest this summer, I have been incredibly busy. I did a series of cooking demonstrations at the Regione Campania offices in Manhattan, that's the office whose mandate it to promote Naples and the region of Campania in the U.S. And what a great turnout! Thanks to all of you who came. As I always say after an event, very proudly, I do draw a crowd of extremely nice people. Okay, there are always a couple of nudniks, albeit well-meaning nudniks.
Following July 4th weekend, I went to the Fancy Food Show at the Javitts Center. My main goal was to make Italian contacts for trips, for research for the new Southern Italian book I am working on, etc. But, as the World Cup soccer game between France and Italy began in early afternoon, there weren't many Italians at their booths ready to talk business. They were all gathered at the back of the exhibition hall watching the game on a big TV, much to the annoyance of those who count on the buzz and potential to do business on the opening day at this overwhelmingly huge trade show.
Then on July 10th, I lectured at the Spring Lake (New Jersey) Public Library. They told me 330 people came. If I say so myself, we had a great time. I went way overtime because the audience was so receptive and I was enjoying them laughing at my jokes so much. It encouraged me to go on and on. But no one seemed to mind that I did nearly two hours with my slides and stories, even when it was supposed to be more like an hour and 15 minutes. I used to say that my fantasy occupation was to "stay home in my underwear and laugh at my own jokes." I have to say, it is so much more gratifying to be fully dressed and have other people laugh.
I have also been busy doing desk work here. For one thing, I wrote the copy for a Culinary Vacation website that will be promoting my Cook at Seliano tours. You can check it out now – with pictures – at
www.hub-uk.com. (Click on Culinary Vacations. Then click on Italy. Cook at Seliano is at the bottom of the list -- for now.) This forced me to set dates for next year's sessions. And they are:
March 18 to March 24 : I am always asked about the weather in southern Italy at this time of year. "It's great cooking weather," as Cecilia once said, which is to say it is rarely below 50 degrees and it could possibly be sunny and in the 60s. March is also artichoke season on Cecilia's farm, and the artichokes of Paestum are famous. We eat artichoke lasagna. We make artichokes Roman style. We make fried artichokes. We eat Cecilia's divine marinated artichokes. Among other artichoke delicacies.
July 22 to 28, which I am calling "Not for Teachers Only," even though I have set this summer date specifically to accommodate the many school teachers who have asked for a summer session. By the way, I posted earlier July dates in the newsletter I sent out about this, but a small group of educators have asked me to move it up a bit to accommodate them.I know it is a whole year away, and we never know what life will bring, but if you are interested in a summer session, please contact me as soon as you can. I have a feeling the "Not for Teachers Only" date is going to book-up quickly. By the way, all of Cecilia's rooms are air-conditioned.
September 30 to October 6 is our fall session. It begins the week after the Jewish High Holy Days. We should be able to see olives being pressed. Last fall, we took our group to both an antique olive oil press and a modern one. Very interesting. And, of course, all the late summer produce is in season, so the cooking possibilities are fantastic.
December 30 to January 5 is our winter session, which will include a gala New Year's Eve party. Cecilia usually has about 70 people or so for this party, including her family and many of our close friends. We sometimes get a DJ for dance music, but we always have a Neapolitan singer/guitarist. If we are lucky, Cecilia will get up and sing, too. Her voice is not very good, but she has all the gestures down pat. In addition, we of course get to eat all the festive foods of the season, of which there are many in the Napolitano - Salernitano repertoire.
Also next year, we are going to repeat what I have been calling our Italian Roots Tour, which is fully booked for this year – at the end of September into the first week of October. We are going to Basilicata and Puglia, the two regions just south of Cecilia's farm in Paestum, where we start the trip with a long weekend, visiting the local sights, including the famous Greek temples of Paestum and a local mozzarella dairy. Next year, we are planning on going to Calabria. So … Attention all Calabresi. Well, you don't have to be Calabrese to enjoy this tour. Or even Italian-American. This year, we have a family of five from Basilicata at the core of the trip, but everyone else is coming along for the ride – so to speak. The Italian Roots Tour to Calabria is scheduled for June 8 to 16 or 17.
I have had to raise our price slightly – the dollar is so low against the euro – but I have researched this and know that we are still in the mid price range for this type of vacation. And no one gives you the personal attention and family feeling that Cecilia, her family and I do. The Cook at Seliano sessions are $3,150, including every last thing except air fare and land transfers (which we can arrange). I am not sure of the price on the 10-day Roots Tour to Calabria yet. But it is likely to be $3,500. Our maximum number is 12 for the cooking groups, 15 for the Roots Tour. And, yes, I am with you, as is La Baronessa Cecilia, all the way, everyday. And we personally plan every meal, every hotel, every sight to see, which includes cultural visits as well as gastronomic. We also bring along our friend Bob Harned, who is a classical archaeologist and historian. So you have the best guides.
