Executive Chef Cooking for advanced to beginner with Cooking Vacations www.Cooking-Vacations.com join us in the kitchen and see how!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Read About All the Nice Things People Are Saying About Us...
Check out our page on 
“Cannot say enough about the experience!”
-Doug, Washington, DC
"I would recommend this to anyone even if you don't have an urge to cook because it is a great way to be involved in the local environment and really get a feel for the place, the culture and the people."
-Barbara, Sydney, Australia
-Joey, Los Angeles
Lauren was very helpful setting up additional things for us to do when we asked, such as finding a local spa for massage, making dinner reservations, and booking personal tour guides (who were also great). I highly recommend this company.
-NY, NY
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Happy Festa della Repubblica!
Time to bring out your green, white, and red! Today marks a
key event in Italy’s history. On par with Independence Day, June 2 in 1946
Italians voted on a referendum to end their kingdom and establish a republic. Rule by the House of Savoy ended on June 2 with the birth of the Italian Republic.
Celebrations, parades, and concerts are held throughout the country, but most
eyes will be on Rome...looking up. After
the wreath laying ceremony and military parade the Italian air force, Frecce Tricolori squadron
will fly above leaving a trail of green, white and red smoke in the colors of
the flag.
You
can spot the trio of colors in many Italian favorites such as in a Caprese
Salad. Try this new take on the traditional dish, makes a great summer
appetizer!
Caprese Spiedino ~ Tomato & Mozzarella On A
Skewer
Serves 4
8-10 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
8 Ciliegine,
approx. 1-inch sized balls of fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Basil
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Oregano, to taste
Salt, to taste
On skewers, add ½ a cherry tomato, a leaf of basil, a ball of
fresh Mozzarella, a leaf of basil and repeat until the skewer stick is
full.
Place each full skewer on a plate and once you are finished
drizzle a little olive oil, sprinkle a pinch of oregano and a pinch of salt over the
top.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Capri Palace Wine Dinners
www.capripalace.com
Friday, May 18, 2012
Winery: Feudi di San Gregorio – Irpinia, Campania.
Chef: Paolo Barrale del Ristorante MarennĆ , Sorbo Serpico, Avellino -One Michelin Star
Friday, June 15, 2012
Winery: Borgogno - Barolo, Piemonte.
Chef: Ugo Alciati del Ristorante Guido, Pollenzo, Alba.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Winery: Pommery – Reims, Francia.
Chef: Annie Feolde del Ristorante Enoteca Pinchiorri, Firenze. - Three Michelin Stars
Friday, September 14, 2012
Winery: Tasca d’Almerita – Sclafani Bagni, Palermo.
Chef: Riccardo Di Giacinto del Ristorante “All’Oro” di Roma – One Michelin Star
Friday, October 5, 2012
Winery: Terredora, Montefalcione, Avellino.
Chef Andrea Migliaccio @ The Capri Palace!
And Friday night was no different. The occasion,- a very special invitation to Capri Palace Hotel & Spa for the inauguration of their wine dinner series at the 5 star deluxe property in Anacapri.
Executive Chef Andrea Migliaccio at the 2 Michelin Star Ristorante L’ Olivo welcomed Chef Paolo Barrale of the Ristorante Marenna, for the L’Olivo DiVino-Grandi etichette e chef a confronto a La Dolce Vite, the summer series of wine dinners at the Capri Palace & Spa.
The main course included, Braciola di bufala con involtino di scarola e calzoncini fritti, thinly sliced buffalo rolled with escarole and pine nuts served with an Italian dumpling, prepared by Chef Migliaccio paired with Taurasi Riserva Piano di Montevergine 2004
A pre dessert included a semi-frozen rose fruit juice with a layer of ice that held up one strawberry that was topped with cream.
Chef Barrale prepared caffe e nocciola a semifreddo or half frozen ice cream stuffed in an meringue tube shell paired with a Privilegio 2012, a sweet rose colored dessert wine.
A delicate dessert tray ended the dinner filled with mignon cannoli, chocolate truffles, macarons, brioche. And lastly an elegant carozza, carriage of exotic plants, including mint, sage, basil was hand cut by the tea maker and each guest was able to select their own herbs. The guests dined on until after midnight in great company!
A special thanks to Chef Andrea Migliaccio and Marita Rivas of the Capri Palace Hotel & Spa! Grazie Mille for an extraordinary evening!
When you are in Anacapri, treat yourself to an unbelievable experience,
The Capri Palace & Spa, www.capripalace.com
Ciao Lauren
Cooking Vacations
www.Cooking-Vacations.com info@Cooking-Vacations.com
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
We Make Our Own OO!
OO is an abbreviated name
for Olive Oil, and in Italy it is a serious business. Italians use only extra virgin paying close
attention to taste, harvest date, producer, and exact location.
At Cooking Vacations, we
grow, press and bottle our own with veteran olive oil maker and taster Salvatore.
We produce a high quality extra-virgin olive oil in Campania. The oils are
blends of the more common cultivars (varieties) of this region, like Leccino, Coratina, and
Frantoio. We include the harvest date and added information on the label to
guarantee the best production possible!
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
The olives used to make our
extra virgin olive oil are healthy and picked just at the right time, making
the oil clean, golden yellow-green in color, and crisp to taste. Our oils
compliment any salad, pasta, risotto, fish and meat too.
Lemon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Amalfi Coast lemons, sfusato, are gently infused in our extra
virgin olive oil giving it just a hint of lemon. The light tasty oil is great on summer salads, lemon pasta
and risotto, fish and bruschetta.
A Guide to Olive Oil
With so many options on the store shelf, it can be difficult telling which extra virgin olive oil is best. Here are few tips to keep in mind when its time to restock on your liquid gold.
- Look for the when, who, where of your oil: When it was made (harvest date), who made it (producer name), and where it was made it. A quality producer will include this on the label.
- Be sure the label reads, “extra virgin” and not “pure”, “light” oil, or even just “olive oil”- these have gone through chemical adulterations that remove the olives natural flavors and health benefits.
- Olive oil is best if consumed within one year of processing. It can quickly become rancid if not stored properly. Keep your oil in a dark, cool environment and with the cap well sealed. Direct sunlight, heat, and oxygen can contribute to off-flavors.
- Don’t be lured by the dark green color of some oils. Different olive cultivars contribute to various hues and are not an indication of quality.
- Some olive oils are more peppery and pungent while others a more mild and grassy. It just depends on your preference! Try to find a specialty store where you can taste the range of styles for yourself.
- Look for oils that have a “best by” date or better a “harvest date.” The “best by” date is two years from when the oil was bottled not harvested. Unfortunately many oils are stored for years before bottling. Many supermarket olive oils are blends of fresh and older oils that have been chemically altered to remove off aromas.
Visit our Marketplace page where you can purchase our oils online
or come help Salvatore with the harvest in October with our Salvatore Olive Oil Harvest Program!
Source: For more information on the world of olive oil
pick up Tom Mueller’s book, Extra
Virginity. For more tips visit his site, www.extravirginity.com
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